Mansooruddin Faridi
Pakistan-based author, trainer, coach and avid reader Shah Rukh Nadeem has spoken about Hinduism and the philosophy of Sanatan Dharma in a series of videos on social media, drawing attention to what he sees as its intellectual openness, tolerance and emphasis on self-realisation.
Nadeem, founder of Book Buddy Academy, is involved in promoting reading, learning, curiosity and intellectual development among young people in Pakistan. He believes that degrees alone cannot build a society; a passion for reading, critical thinking and the courage to ask questions are equally important.
Book Buddy Academy has partnered with Liberty Books to further promote a culture of reading in the country.
Speaking about Hinduism, Nadeem says his understanding comes from studying the religion and its philosophical traditions in depth. “Friends! I am a Muslim, but I have studied Hinduism very deeply. If someone asks me who is a Hindu, my answer will be this,” he says.
According to Nadeem, one of the most striking features of Hinduism is its intellectual freedom and openness in matters of faith.
Hindu philosophical traditions accommodate a wide range of beliefs and spiritual paths. A person may approach the divine as a believer in one God, a polytheist, an agnostic or even an atheist. Rather than insisting on a single theological formulation, Hindu thought allows individuals to explore different philosophical and spiritual paths.
“For a Hindu, it is not important whether you believe in Prophet Muhammad or Jesus Christ,” Nadeem says. “For him, everyone has the same destination, and that destination is the Ultimate Reality, that is, reaching God.”
Nadeem identifies tolerance and peaceful coexistence as another important feature of Hindu thought.
He says the tradition's willingness to accommodate different beliefs and interpretations is what particularly appeals to him as a Muslim.
Nadeem also highlights the central place of dharma and karma. Dharma broadly refers to one's duties, responsibilities and righteous path, while karma concerns one's actions and their consequences. “That is why a true Hindu never asks what he will get, but rather asks what he should do,” he says.
According to Nadeem, Hindu philosophical traditions do not necessarily insist that there is only one answer to every question. They allow debate, different conceptions of the divine and multiple paths towards spiritual realisation.
This plurality, he says, is an important part of the intellectual breadth of Hinduism.
For Nadeem, perhaps the most significant aspect of Hindu philosophy is its emphasis on self-knowledge. “A Hindu always asks himself the question, ‘Who am I?’” he says.
This question is connected with the concept of Atman, or the self, which in several Hindu philosophical traditions is related to Brahman, the ultimate reality.
Nadeem explains this through the Sanskrit expression “Tat Tvam Asi”, traditionally translated as “That thou art” or “You are That” — pointing to the relationship between the individual self and ultimate reality in Vedantic thought.
In another video, Nadeem describes Hinduism, also referred to as Sanatan Dharma, as one of the world's oldest religious and philosophical traditions.
“One of the special things about Sanatan Dharma is that it does not have a single founder or a single book,” he says addressing his Muslim audiences.
Interestingly, Indians are also following his posts and in the comments many call him “Sunni Muslim who understands Hinduism better than Hindus.”
On Sanatan, Nadeem explains that its philosophical traditions encourage people to understand themselves before attempting to understand God.
According to Nadeem, the Atman is understood as eternal — neither born nor destroyed. The concept of karma teaches that actions have consequences, while dharma refers to one's duty and path in life.
Hisu Philosophy refers to samsara, the cycle of birth and death, and moksha, liberation from this cycle. “Every human being has a role in this world and recognising it is the real test,” he says. “And the final destination is moksha — freedom from this whole cycle, when a person understands his reality and all the bonds are broken.”
“As a Muslim, what I find most beautiful about Hinduism is its tolerance and flexibility,” Nadeem adds.
In another video, Nadeem reflects on how his understanding of Hinduism changed as he grew older.
“Friends, as a Pakistani Muslim, my thoughts about Hinduism and Hindus since childhood were either based on Bollywood movies or on our popular culture. In which it is only understood that Hindus worship idols, make idols with their own hands and then bow down before them,” he says.
He recalls that figures such as Mahmud of Ghazni, who is associated with the destruction of the Somnath temple, are also viewed as heroes in sections of Pakistani popular discourse.
“But when I grew up, I studied Hinduism in depth and I tried to find out what it means when a Hindu stands in front of an idol of God. Does a Hindu really worship a stone?” he asks.
Nadeem says the answer is more complex.
“In Hindu traditions, what we usually call an idol or a statue is often called a murti. A murti is the representation of a deity. The question, therefore, is not simply whether this stone is a god, but where a Hindu is trying to direct his attention through this murti.”
He compares the role of a murti with the use of photographs in everyday life.
“You people must have pictures of your parents and relatives in your homes. The picture is not your mother, but looking at the picture may remind you of your mother.”
Similarly, he says, a visible form can serve as a means through which a person focuses on an unseen or greater reality.
“In Hinduism, an idol is not just an object to be seen, but can also become a means of remembering and concentrating attention,” he says.
Nadeem points out that in some Hindu philosophical traditions, particularly Advaita Vedanta, the ultimate reality is understood as being beyond all forms and is called Brahman.
This raises another question: if God is believed to be present everywhere, why worship through an image placed in one particular location?
According to Nadeem, one answer lies in the nature of the human mind. The mind needs a centre on which to focus. Rituals involving flowers, light, fragrance, food and mantras can therefore become means of directing attention and expressing devotion.
“From this perspective, an idol is not an attempt to imprison God in stone, but a means of giving a centre to human concentration,” he says.
He concludes by urging people to look beyond the surface of religious practices and understand what they mean to those who follow them.
“So the next time you see a Hindu worshipping in front of an idol, do not say that he has taken the stone for God, but rather try to understand what this idol symbolises for him.”
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Nadeem draws a comparison with the Kaaba in Islam, saying that just as Muslims regard the Kaaba as the House of God and feel spiritually connected to it, a murti can, for a Hindu devotee, serve as a means of approaching the divine or the Ultimate Reality.
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