Introduction
The following is based on Srila Prabhupadas conversations:
Religion is meant for peace, not war.
Again and again God has sent His messengers to
this material world to re-establish religious principles. Different
messengers have revealed different scriptures in different languages
accord-ing to time, place, circumstances and the intellectual
capacity of the people. In this way the Vedas, Avesta, Torah,
Bible and Qur'an were made available for the benefit of mankind,
to bring them closer to God. Despite the different languages
and different ages in which these scriptures were presented,
the knowl-edge and guidance is essentially the same. That is:
1. God is one
2. Everyone is a servant of God
3. Everyone has an eternal relationship with God
4. The primary duty of everyone is Service to God
5. The goal of human life is to develop love of God.
2. Everyone is a servant of God
3. Everyone has an eternal relationship with God
4. The primary duty of everyone is Service to God
5. The goal of human life is to develop love of God.
As far as the process of each scripture is concerned,
some details and rituals differ, but in essence it is all the
same. Every messenger of God came to this mortal world to remind
us that we should always remember God, serve God and love God.
Therefore, religious principles are meant for peace and prosperity,
not war. Vaishnavism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism,
Chris-tianity and Islam are all meant for uniting people, not
dividing them.
"In the vase there is a variety of flowers,
and that variety helps us better appreciate the idea of flowers.
That is called unity in diversity," said Srila Prabhupada.
But because of misunderstanding, misinterpretation and deviation
from the revealed scriptures, hundreds and hundreds of sects
have already appeared, even within the same religious communities,
what to speak of other communities. People quarrel, fight and
kill each other under the name of reli-gion. So much degradation.
There is no peace and prosperity on this earth. How can we gain
the peace and prosperity that everyone is searching for? In
this dark age of quarrel and hypocrisy, God has sent us His
most merciful servant, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada,
to re-establish true religious principles and unite all the
religions under the non-sectarian, nonmaterial, transcendental
flag of love of God.
As a humble saint, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
never criticised any religion or any bona fide representative
of any religion. Some people say Srila Prabhupada was a genius,
some say a great religious teacher, some say a friend like no
other, but Srila Prabhupada said: "I am simply a servant
of a servant of a servant of God." By re-establishing the
Absolute Truth as it was, as it is, and as it always should
be without adding or subtracting anything from the way it was
presented to him, he began an international movement that has
already united people of all religions, nations, ages, etc..
Thanks to his compassion and struggle, souls from all walks
of life: scientists, businessmen, philosophers, laborers, housewives
and students are all marching under the united nations transcendental
flag of love of God.
In this work we present Statements by A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada on Islam taken from his books, lectures and
conversations. We sincerely hope it will help people develop
a proper understanding of interreligious connections, "unity
in diversity."
Srila Prabhupada: Islam is also Vaishnavism.
Dr. Patel: Mohammedanism is not Vaishnavism.
Dr. Patel: Mohammedanism is not Vaishnavism.
Srila Prabhupada: No, no. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
talked with the Pathanas (Muslims). He proved that "Yourreligion
is Vaishnavism." (Moraing walk. Bombay, 17/02/74)
Srila Prabhupada: Then Islam is Vaishnava dharma
(religion) in a crude form like Christianity.
(Room conversation. Tehran, 14/03/75)
(Room conversation. Tehran, 14/03/75)



