Genesis of religions.

Col Mushtaq Ahmad 1. Introduction

There are a lot many similarities between religions practiced all over the world. This gives rise to theories that believer of any religions propagates suiting his/her point of view. t will be interesting to go through comparatives study of religions as has been done by many scholars and researchers.

2.

Comparative Study o Religions.

!e will first see what the historians" philosophers and students of #$tudy of Contemporary religions% found out through their research and study. Those who want to study the original Te&t should read the boo's at the end in (ibliography. Contents of this section are findings/conclusions made by scholars. !e may not agree with them all. At the end of the article" we will conclude. $umeri tribes were settled in raq before the 'nown history of man'ind about )*** year (.C. with Aur as its capital. Their culture was on pea' when $amis from Arab desert migrated to raq in search of food. They settled down in the +orth of the cities of $umeris and ultimately conquered them. n the following centuries the generations that was born through the merger of these two races was called (abli and Ashuri. (abli and Ashuri are called great $ami races. They developed cities of (abul" +ainva" and Ashuwar. City of (abul was on the both sides of river ,arat. The 'ing -amoorabi ./0/1 to /*20 (.C.3 made it great city. After some time Ashuris came to power and established city of +ainwa. (anu 4id +a5r was its famous 'ing who destroyed 6erusalem and too' 6ews as prisoners to (abul. (abul was destroyed by -ana Mishi 'ing of ran named 4orash 4abir in )17 (.C. Thus great civili5ation of (abul perished. +ame (abul is derived from (ab8e8Ail 9 door of god. t remained centre of civili5ation for /*** years. raq is said to be cradle of civilisations and their culture and religion spread to ran and Central Asia in its times. Saibeens. Ashuris and (ablis are also called $aibeen" it is called the oldest religion of man'ind that is 'nown. $aba meant #rising of stars in Arabic or constellation of stars in brahni%. They worshipped seven $tars. :very city had its own god" $un god (ual was one of them that ultimately replaced Ail god. !ith the passage of time they started worshipping Mardukh alongwith Bual. ;n the name of the stars they 'ept names of wee'days and 'ept seven days in a wee' due o $even $tars. To please their deities they used to offer human sacrifices. This religion got popularised with Arabs" sraelis" ranians" <omans and 4ananis .=iving in to8days =ebanon3. Afterwards human sacrifice was replaced with that of bulls and goats. As told earlier Arab peninsula was abode of $amis" therefore (abli" Ashuri" 4inani" and (ani srael had Arab >eninsula as a common factor between them. They were influenced by the religion" culture and traditions of $amis whose followers were called $aibeen. t will not be out of place to mention that Gree' philosophers Aristotle and $ocrates also believed in $even $tars as intelligent beings

who controlled the world. $aibeens believed that sun god (ual created universe in $i& days and on seventh day he rested. They believed that (ual after creating universe mi&ed his blood with earth to ma'e shape of man. -e then blew his spirit to give life to Adam. They believed that this Adam lived in a garden very happily. -e was taught many crafts by the devil. There was an apple tree in the garden whose fruit was forbidden for him. -is wife persuaded him to eat the fruit. ;n this he was e&pelled from the garden. This very story with slight changes was believed by Ma?oosis/>arsis and 6ews. @ $aibians apart from believing and worshipping statue of $un god used to circle around sacred stones and used to cover their gods with cloth. They made worship places for sacred stones in Mecca and -amas. @ They used to worship them by circling around them seven times. (efore the advent of slam some Arabs followed $aibiet. ;ne faction called +a?i believed in God" =ast day and believed in >unishment and reward on the day of ?udgement. ;n arrival of >rophet Muhammad .>(A-3 when Buresh saw Muslims praying they called them $aibeen and later named them Mughtislah .those who ta'e bath frequently3. $aibeen centre at that time was city of -arran. @ $aibeens used to worship sun god by offering C >rayers every day" at time related to sun position. Two of them in middle of night were particularly to beseech on god $un to rise again so that fertility and life of the world is preserved. @ They used to bend forward and prostrate.

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They used to ensure cleanliness of person and garments before prayers. They used to ta'e bath when in ceremonial impurity. They used to offer >rayer for the dead without prostration. $aibeen tal'ed about 0/ (ur? .Dodiac3 in s'y. ;n this are based 6ews 0/ clans" Gree'Es 0/ gods and 0/ Aulia of Muslims Alms" Da'at and Ashar were ta'en from them by 6ews. These were used for sustenance of priests. Ased to fast whole lunar month. Ased to pray with their face towards 4abaa/Mecca. !ould not eat dead animals and blood of the meat. The women of relations that are forbidden to be married by Muslims were forbidden for them as well. They had similar concepts of >aradise and -ell li'e Muslims.

Majoosis/ Parsis/Jews ,aith of Ma?oosiat or >arsiEs whose religion is dated 0F** years after $aibeens .also called Doroastrian3 was improved version of $aibians. $aibians believed in only one god (ual who was responsible for all good and bad that happens in life. dea of $atan was given by Doroaster or Dartasht .G** years (.C. whose time was after 0F** years of $aebeens 8 some consider him prophet3 to cater for all the negative actions by humans. -e argued as to how one entity can be embodiment of both good and bad. $o he gave idea of duality" god sun for good and $atan for bad

of this world. ranians believed in one God and never in their history worshipped an idol. They believed in constant struggle between good and bad. They believed that fire is symbol of +ur of God on earth. They worshipped fire. This idea of +ur was ta'en up later by Muslims and others. ,rom >arsi religion this idea of $atan came to (ani srael. (efore the advent of >rophet Moses" (ani srael thought that their god Hahweh was embodiment of both good and bad in this world. (anu 4id +a5ar" the 'ing of (abul occupied 6erusalem and too' (ani srael as slaves to (abul. There they lived as slaves for 2* years. They were given freedom by -ana Mishi 'ing of ran named 4orash 4abir in )17 (.C. n (abul they learnt about the story of the birth of Adam" Mother -awa" >aradise" -ell" $torm of +oah and concept of $atan. The word $atan came from -absha =anguage to brani meaning #rebel%. blis came from Tiblis meaning #the one in doubt#. Hasiha $ani an un'nown prophet of (ani srael converted them to believe in one God" who is master of both the worlds. t will be interesting for you to 'now that period between >rophet Abraham and Moses was of 2** years. (etween -a5rat Musa and -a5rat sa 01** years. (etween -a5rat sa and >rophet Muhammad .>(A-3 G0* years. The Ma?oosi/ >arsi that were influenced by (abulians for their religion believe in the followingI8 @ They prayed five times a day" according to $un position. @ They believe that $hah (ehram will come before the =ast day and ta'e >arsis out of shambles and they will rule the world. @ They believe the souls of the dead will remain in (ar5a'h till the Jay of 6udgment. @ They believe ,ire as symbol of $un god on earth and worship it. @ They believe in seven grades of >aradises and seven grades of -ells. n slam these are :ight. @ They believe in -urs and highest grade of paradise as ,irdus. @ They also believe in >ul8e8$arat. Followers of god Mithra / Christianity ;ne faction of Ma?oosis/>arsis" who had their origin in $aibeans worshipped Mithra 9 their $un god. ,or G** years Mithrs cult remained popular in ran and spread to <oman :mpire in C* A.J. They prayed three times a day. !hen <omans conquered ran they too' Mithra cult with them. ,or 1** years Mithra cult was followed by <omans and other :uropeans. t is said that if 'ing Banstantine had not converted to Christianity" :urope would have been worshipping Mithra 8 the $un god even today. To popularise Christianity in his domain he included many of its teachings and customs in Christianity. Those who are familiar with Christianity can see the adoption of Mithra cult by Christianity by comparing the following traditions. @ <oman Catholics pray at the same times as Ma?oosis facing east. Ma?oosis used to observe $unEs birthday on /) Jec. The day sun starts its ?ourney bac' to +orth after going down in winters. t was called Hom8ul8$hams. Actual birthday of Christ is said to be Gth of 6anuary" which is still celebrated by one faction of Christianity in Greece. <oman Catholics >ope =aibris adopted /)th of Jec in 1)1 A.J. to please followers of Mithra. @ $aibians believed that their $un god was born on /) Jec when sun starts its ?ourney to +orth after going down in winters. $un god was born out of virgin mother in a cave. ,or the sa'e of humanity he bore many difficulties. -e was called torch bearer" intercessor" $alvatore" deliverer and bestower. @ -e was overcome by force of dar'ness and went underground. @ -e resurrected out of dead. -e constructed worship places and bapti5ed his followers. They said that those who will be bapti5ed with bullEs blood will be resurrected after death.

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$aibeen had a tradition of sacred meal. They used to drin' alcohol considering it blood of god so that blessing should get in to them. Mithra had 0/ companions and he died while serving humanity. t was also believed that $un god was captured" he was wounded" he was ta'en to a hill" along with him went a goddess .in Christian faith Marry Magalden3" his clothes were ta'en away" goddess washed his wounds" he died" he was resurrected. Mithra devotees eat a sacred meal called Asha8e8<abbani .supper from god3" that was given in March. :aster was goddess of light and spring in whose honor :aster was celebrated.

All these traditions were introduced by >ollis later $aint >aul in to Christianity to popularise it in :urope. ,or this purpose omitted circumcision" he made $unday prominent day instead of $aturday as it was in Mithra Cult. Christians were afraid of Mithra cult. !hen they consolidated their religion in :urope they burned all their boo's and demolished their worship places. They 'illed its followers but 'ept its teachings as part of new religion. Islam. n slam method of prayers is li'e that of $aibeans and 6ews. !udhu and cleanliness of garments is also li'e that. n slam sacrifices" fasting" main prayer once a wee'" circumcision" ni'ah" talaq" are li'e that of 6ews. Absenting from prayers in sate of ceremonial impurity and not touching the sacred te&t in that sate are li'e that of 6ews. >or' and into&ication are forbidden li'e 6ews. n case of nto&ication 6ews are less strict" although it is forbidden. Most of these matters are also li'e that of $aibeens. $ince Ma?oosis/>arsis and 6ews have adopted religion of $aibeens" therefore" many things are common in all these religion. .These are observation and conclusions of $cholars. They may not believe in religions and prophets3. n slam way of calling for prayers is different from all other religions. t can be seen that most of the beliefs and praying methods emanated with $aibeens" travelled to Doroastrians" to 6ews and to Muslims.

Hindus
-indi Arians while passing through ran too' some ideas with them when they migrated to ndia. +ames of seven days on seven stars is due to that. They also pray at Jawn and at $unset. At dawn the wording of Mantars is in praise of sun. They also 'eep one lunar month fasts and call them Chandrain.

3.

Conclusion

<efer to the scholarly debate in >ara / above" what can be concluded safely is that these similarities in prayers and other beliefs are due to the fact that these were from the same source of guidance in all these religion. $ome can twist the logic and say that it was under the influence of one religion that the others copied it. $aibeens" Darthastrians .Ma?oosi/>arsis3" 6ews and Christians seem to be following the same chain. Their religious guides who taught / guided them to a religion were probably prophets in their own times. !e believe that there were 0"/F"*** prophets that were send for the guidance of humanity. Allah was not concerned only with Arabs. -e must have sent many to other regions and nationalities. $ince the message is universal" therefore" similarities are bound to occur.

As it has been happening in all societies when a prophet left" those people preserved some teachings and some were modified or new gods were ta'en to satisfy their urge of adulteration/ idol worshipping. $ee the case of sraelis. They were taught to worship only one God but they reverted to $un worship in (abul after -a5rat Haqub and -a5rat Housaf left. As it is happening in slam" some find solace in graves" some do not believe is praying ) times a day" to some fasting is cruel" to some -a?? is waste of time and money" some call sacrifice an inhuman act but relish eating meat and poultry. +ever did we send a Messenger before you but when he did recite the revelations" $atan threw .some falsehood3 in it .After his departure3. (ut Allah abolishes that which $atan throws in. Then Allah establishes -is revelations .with new prophet3. And Allah is All 4nower" All 9wise. .Al 9 -a?? 8 )/3 t can" therefore" be safely said that" slam is continuation of the same teachings from the same $ource. t has been made last in its annals because the humanities had advance to a level where the teachings could be preserved in its original form. Any similarity of rituals with any other religion does not mean that we are copying that religion. Alhamd8o8=illah" Buran is available to us in its original form for guidance. t is not a new message from new divinity but the continuation of the same old message. ,or all true religions same string flows from Adam to Muhammad. f anyone does not believe in any one of the ,ive pillars of slam then he is deceiving himself and others by pro?ecting himself as a Muslim. f someone is inventing a new method it is Tafarqa" and Tafarqa is always to divide the Muslims further not to unite them. $ee the full article in the attachment.
ibliogra!hy $tory of Man'ind. by -endri' Kan =oon :ncyclopaedia of <eligions. (y Kar?ilisan $tory of (ible. by -andri' Jecline of !est. by $pinglar God" Graves and $cholars. by !.Ceram A Critical -istory of Gree's. by by $tace A study of -istory. by Toynbee Myth" rituals and religion. by Andrew =aing.