At different times based on the local situations, customs and needs, different religions sprouted in different countries. But the fundamentals of all religions are one and the same! Forgetting this basic fact, one religion trying to establish supremacy over another religion is not good. Let us discard such feelings of differences and respect each other.
When I was a child, my mother used to instruct me to hold the Bhagavad Gita in one hand, Koran in the other and to keep the Bible under my pillow when I go to bed. With this she taught me that all the Granthas (spiritual texts) preach the same matter. But now we have begun to break this big dharma into innumerable pieces.
There are many similarities between Hinduism and Islam. While in Islam people go to Haj, in our religion they visit Kashi. They pray 5 times a day, our dharma says that we should pray thrice- morning, afternoon and evening which are called the sandhya hours. They fast during Ramzan, we fast on Ekadashi. Rules and regulations are fixed around this in every religion so as to create a fear and obedience in us and to adhere to it.
Learn to observe the similarities. It is wrong when people get into arguments and try to split the community. It is important that every person should adhere to the religion into which he is born. While adhering to your religious principles, protect other religions. Live in harmony with people of other faiths.
– Bhaktimala Mar 2001
