The Gita and The Quran

The first part of the book outlines the similarities between the two faiths. It concentrates on the common themes. Throughout the text we are enlightened by verses from the various holy writings.

Many great saints, sages, teachers and writers have sought to interpret the themes encompassing the two faiths; Kabir and the Sufi poet, Maulana Rumi, are two of the more famous. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, looked for a path between the two great religions of the Hindu and the Muslim. He defined a new order, yet this too adhered to the central themes of the two faiths.

A quote from Kabir concerns the disunity of humanity and its adherence to useless dogma. "The entire world is labouring under a great harmful delusion. One swears by the Veda the other by the Qur'an. One speaks of hell, another of heaven. There really is no difference between the two paths."

In the second half of the book the author considers in more depth the basic tenets of the two religious texts. In particular he has chosen verses from the Qur'an that attempt to give the reader a clearer grasp of why Islam is misunderstood. Of course throughout its history there have been those who have sought to reinterpret the Qur'an for their own agendas. This translation helped us to choose for ourselves how the words should be interpreted.

The Gita and the Qur'an is an interesting example of a book, which examines the interrelationship of differing faiths. Written by Pandit Sunderlal and translated by Syed Asadullah, it offers us a side-by-side comparison of Hinduism and Islam. In all religion basic themes of humanity are to the fore, themes, which should unite the world's people and not divide them.

Back of the Book

Two Holy Scriptures, two religious directions, but do they have one common fundamental theme? The Bhagavad Gita is probably the most famous and much-loved book of the great Hindu epics. The Qur'an (Koran) is 'the book of the believers' of Islam. Separated by land and time, these two religions still have much in common.

What are the fundamental ideas of the Gita and the Qur'an?

How does each of the great teachings seek to unlock a moral code for the living?

"We need a religions outlook which shall weld us into a single brotherhood, nation, family….a creed that every avatar, prophet, saint, sadhu, fakir has preached…"

This book has an unusual goal, one that offers to mediate between apparently opposing viewpoints. It makes a strongly defined attempt to unite the two ideas. It tries to clarify the amazing degree of common ground, and the factors that bring the two concepts together, to embrace each other for the benefit of mankind.