Islam and Hinduism

There is a battlefield in the human heart. Each of us has faced it—the moment when we stand before life’s challenges with trembling hands and ask, “How can I go on?”

The great religious traditions of the world arose in different lands, languages, and among various peoples. Yet, when we listen closely, we find that the voices of their prophets, sages, and teachers echo the same divine truth. Their sermons may differ in words, but the melody is one.

Today, let us listen to those voices side by side: Krishna on the fields of Kurukshetra, Jesus on the hills of Galilee, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the deserts of Arabia, and others who carried the eternal song to humanity.

1. The Eternal Soul and Life Beyond Death

Arjuna, overwhelmed with grief at the thought of slaying his kin, lowers his bow and says, “I cannot fight.”

Krishna answers: “The soul is never born, nor does it ever die. It cannot be pierced, burned, or destroyed. The body perishes, but the soul journeys on, changing garments from life to life.”

This vision of immortality is echoed in other traditions. Jesus assures Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though they die.” The Qur’an reminds: “Every soul shall taste death, and then to God you shall return.” (29:57)

Though the settings differ, the message is the same: death is not the end. The soul is eternal, and life flows beyond the grave.

2. Duty, Action, and Selflessness

Krishna continues: “Do your duty, Arjuna. Act without attachment to results. Offer the fruits to Me, and you shall be free.” Here, the battlefield becomes a metaphor for life. We are each called to act—not for reward, not out of fear, but out of devotion and duty.

This teaching resonates across traditions: Jesus tells His disciples, “Whatever you do for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do for Me.” (Matthew 25:40) Prophet Muhammad ﷺ says: “The most beloved of people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others.” (Hadith, Sahih al-Jami)

The essence is one: selfless service is the highest form of worship.

3. The Inner Battle

Kurukshetra is not just a field in India; it is the battlefield within every soul. Arjuna’s despair mirrors our own struggles between right and wrong, courage and fear.

Krishna teaches: “Rise above weakness. Fight not with hatred, but as My instrument.”

Saint Paul, centuries later, writes to the Ephesians: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12)

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, after returning from war, told his companions: “We return from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad”—the struggle against the self.

The message across faiths: the actual battle is not merely external, but within—the conquest of selfishness, pride, and despair.

4. Love and Devotion as the Highest Path

At the heart of the Gita lies Krishna’s tender invitation: “Offer Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or a drop of water with devotion, and I will accept it.” It is not the grandeur of the gift that matters, but the love in the heart.

So too, Jesus summarizes the law in two great commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30–31)

The Qur’an speaks of love: “God will bring forth a people whom He loves, and they love Him, humble toward the believers, firm against injustice.” (5:54)

Across the world’s traditions, love—whether of God or of neighbor—stands as the highest devotion.

5. The Promise of Divine Refuge

Finally, Krishna gives Arjuna the supreme reassurance: “Abandon all other duties. Surrender unto Me alone. I shall free you from all sins and sorrows. Do not grieve.”

Jesus offers a similar comfort: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

The Qur’an declares: “He is with you wherever you are.” (57:4)

The promise across traditions is the same: when you surrender in love and trust, you are never alone. God is near, God is merciful, and God will guide your home. Krishna on the battlefield, Jesus among fishermen, Muhammad in the desert—different places, different languages, yet one eternal truth. The soul is immortal. Duty is sacred. Love is supreme. The true struggle is within. And God is our refuge.

The Gita, the Gospel, the Qur’an, and other scriptures are not isolated voices—they are harmonies in a single divine song. It is the song that calls us to courage when we falter, to love when we grow cold, to surrender when we despair.

Let us listen beyond the boundaries of faith. Let us hear the one voice that has always spoken: “Do not grieve. Trust Me. Love Me. And I shall lead you home.”

The Gita teaches surrender of the ego. The Bible teaches surrender in love. The Quran teaches surrender to God’s will. And “surrender” is, in the end, the essence of faith.