My friend Saby asked the following:

When none of us have any empirically verifiable proof of our claims, and yet we thirst for the Truth, we have to go by connecting the visible dots to arrive at a reasoned conclusion. This is the way theories are built and they remain in vogue until a more credible theory comes up.With this approach, I would like you to tell me your takes on:

1) The reference to "Mahadev" and "King Vikramaditya" in an inscription at the Kaaba shrine.

2) Prophet Mohammed's uncle (who did not recognise Mohammed as a prophet) wrote a poetry "Sair ul Okul" in which he praises India as the holiest land on earth. The poetry is stored at an Islamic library in Istanbul.

3) Pilgrimage to the Kaaba has been a practice of Arabs for long before Prophet Mohammed was born. And though he tried to change the practice by recommending Jerusalem to Mecca, he changed his own decision later and reverted to the Kaaba where he allowed the same rituals as the pagans (Hindus or Hindu-like) WITHOUT the idols. Even the attire you wear at Hajj is same as Hindu sages and even some ordinary devotees wear even today.

4) On what reasoned basis do you say that the Quran as we know it today is the same as what Allah told Mohammed via Gibreel? You know that there were many Qurans when Caliph Othman burnt them all and produced a "standardized" version, which angered even Ayesha (mother of the faithful) and Othman was finally assassinated for the sacrilege. Unfortunately, Othman's version was the only version that was around when he was assassinated, so we don't know what the original Quran was.

My dearest Saby,

Before I begin responding to the four questions, point by point as you have asked me to do, let us go back to the very motto of my page which says: “There is one God of humanity and we have been created to pay obeisance to Him alone. All religions are actually deviations or inability to understand the One and Only Straight Path to reach the One and Only Absolute God of this Universe.”

Since 3 of the 4 questions you have placed before me mentions the prevalence of Vedic religion in Arabia prior to Prophet Mohammad and talks of the link of Mahadeva in Kaaba, say that Kaaba was actually a Hindu temple with statues of Hindu gods kept therein and also refer to a Prophet’s uncle who was a Shiv devotee, I take this opportunity to elaborate the subject a little more and mention here the various points that some people give to prove the Hindu link with Kaaba and Makkah.

KAABA AND MAKKAH’S LINK WITH MAHADEVA AND VEDAS

It is claimed by an increasingly large number of Hindus that many centuries before Prophet Mohammad and Islam arrived, Arabia or Arabistan was an extremely rich and glorious center of Vedic civilization. They also say that Prophet Mohammad and followers of Islam are responsible for dissemination and destruction of this once glorious culture.

It is said that the word Arabistan itself is derived from the Sanskrit term Arvasthan which means The Land of Horses, as the people of the region used to breed exceptional horses in this region. Due to this the land itelf began to be called Arva (Horses) – Sthan (Place). It is also said that the people who lived in the region were Semitic, which comes form the Sanskrit word Smritic. Arabs followed the ancient Vedic Smritis such as Manu-Smriti as their revered religious guides and htus they were identified as Smritic which has been corrupted into Semitic.

It is also claimed that the spoken language of the time was Sanskrit, which later dwindled into the local variation that we now call Arabic. Proof is that thousands of words that were derived from Sanskrit still survive in Arabic today. However, in this regard the Arabs are of the view that though they are definitely Semitic, it was Arabic which was the original language but deviated into Sanskrit as the Aryans moved Eastward towards India. At the time when Prophet Mohammad came on the scene, Arabs had developed their language to such an extent that they called all others as Ajam (dumb) in comparison to their language. They were proud of this and Arabs used to recite poetic verses even in day to day conversations. Keeping this argument aside, we can at least concur that Arabic and Sanskrit had the same origin; this can be easily verified by the similarity in grammar and usage and also in a good number of words.

There is no doubt that Arabs of the time regarded India as their spiritual and cultural motherland. One of the poem of the period even refers to the four Vedas.

"Aya muwarekal araj yushaiya noha
minar HIND-e
Wa aradakallaha
manyonaifail jikaratun"

"Oh the divine land of HIND (India)
(how) very blessed art thou!
Because thou art the chosen
of God blessed with knowledge"

"Wahalatijali Yatun ainana sahabi
akha-atun jikra Wahajayhi yonajjalur
-rasu minal HINDATUN "

"That celestial knowledge which like
four lighthouses shone in such
brilliance - through the (utterances of)
Indian sages in fourfold abundance."

"Yakuloonallaha ya ahal araf alameen
kullahum
Fattabe-u jikaratul VEDA bukkun
malam yonajjaylatun"

"God enjoins on all humans,
follow with hands down
The path the Vedas with his divine
precept lay down."

"Wahowa alamus SAMA wal YAJUR
minallahay Tanajeelan
Fa-e-noma ya akhigo mutiabay-an
Yobassheriyona jatun"

"Bursting with (Divine) knowledge
are SAM &YAJUR bestowed on creation,
Hence brothers respect and
follow the Vedas, guides to salvation"

"Wa-isa nain huma RIG ATHAR nasayhin
Ka-a-Khuwatun
Wa asant Ala-udan wabowa masha -e-ratun"

"Two others, the Rig and Athar teach us
fraternity, Sheltering under their
lustre dispels darkness till eternity"

This poem was written by Labi-Bin-E- Akhtab-Bin-E-Turfa who lived in Arabia around 1850 B.C. That was 2300 years before Mohammed!!! This verse can be found in Sair- Ul-Okul, which is an anthology of ancient Arabic poetry. It was compiled in 1742 AD under order of the Turkish Sultan Salim. Sair-ul-Okul is treasured in the Maktab-e-Sultania library in Istanbul, Turkey.

This poem is given as proof that the Vedas were the religious scriptures to the which the Arabs owed their allegiance as early as 1800 B.C. Page 315 of Sair-Ul-Okul gives the text of the Vikramaditya inscription, which was said to have been inscribed on a gold dish hung inside the Kaaba shrine in Makkah. This poem was written by Jirrham Bintoi who lived 165 year before the Prophet Mohammad and it is in the praise of King Vikramaditya who had lived 500 years before Bintoi. The translation of the inscription is as follows:

"Fortunate are those who were born (and lived) during king Vikram’s reign. He was a noble, generous dutiful ruler, devoted to the welfare of his subjects. But at that time we Arabs, oblivious of God, were lost in sensual pleasures. Plotting and torture were rampant. The darkness of ignorance had enveloped our country. Like the lamb struggling for her life in the cruel paws of a wolf we Arabs were caught up in ignorance. The entire country was enveloped in a darkness so intense as on a new moon night. But the present dawn and pleasant sunshine of education is the result of the favour of the noble king Vikramaditya whose benevolent supervision did not lose sight of us- foreigners as we were. He spread his sacred religion amongst us and sent scholars whose brilliance shone like that of the sun from his country to ours. These scholars and preceptors through whose benevolence we were once again made cognisant of the presence of God, introduced to His sacred existence and put on the road of Truth, had come to our country to preach their religion and impart education at king Vikramaditya’s behest."

This inscription is used to make the following conclusions:

1.       That the ancient Indian empires may have extended up to the eastern boundaries of Arabia until Vikramaditya and that it was he who for the first time conquered Arabia. Because the inscription says that king Vikram who dispelled the darkness of ignorance from Arabia.

2.       That, whatever their earlier faith, King Vikram’s preachers had succeeded in spreading the Vedic (based on the Vedas, the Hindu sacred scriptures)) way of life in Arabia.

3.       That the knowledge of Indian arts and sciences was imparted by Indians to the Arabs directly by founding schools, academies and cultural centres. The belief, therefore, that visiting Arabs conveyed that knowledge to their own lands through their own indefatigable efforts and scholarship is unfounded.

King Vikramaditya is known for his great devotion to Lord Mahadev (Siva). At Ujjain (India), the capital of Vikramaditya, exists the famous shrine of Mahankal, i.e., of Lord Shankara (Siva) associated with Vikramaditya. Since according to the Vikramaditya inscription he spread the Vedic religion, must have brought the various deities and gods of India to the land of Kaaba. It is also said that to this day inscriptions, some of them in Sanskrit, continue to remain on the side of the Kaaba walls, but what they are, nobody has been allowed to study.  Some of these inscriptions are even said to contain stanzas from Gita.

It is also said that Omar bin Hassham, an uncle of Prophet Mohammad, was also a Shiva devotee.

In his book Origines, Volumes 3 & 4", Sir W. Drummond adds:

"Tsabaism was the universal language of mankind when Abraham received his call, their doctrines were probably extended all over the civilized nations of Earth."

Tsabaism is merely the corruption of the word Shaivism which is Vedic religion. On page 439 of this book, Sir Drummond mentions some of gods of pre-Islamic Arabs, all of which were included in the 360 idols that were consecrated in the Kaba shrine before it was raided and destroyed by Muhammad and his followers. Here are some of the Vedic deities and their original Sanskrit names:

Arabic Sanskrit English
Al-Dsaizan Shani Saturn
Al-Ozi or Ozza Oorja Divine energy
Al-Sharak Shukra Venus
Auds Uddhav -
Bag Bhagwan God
Bajar Vajra Indra's thunderbolt
Kabar Kuber God of wealth
Dar Indra King of gods
Dua Shara Deveshwar Lord of the gods
Habal Bahubali Lord of strength
Madan Madan God of love
Manaph Manu First Man
Manat Somnath Lord Shiv
Obodes Bhoodev Earth
Razeah Rajesh King of kings
Saad Siddhi God of Luck
Sair Shree Goddess of wealth
Sakiah Shakrah Indra
Sawara Shiva-Eshwar God Shiva
Yauk Yaksha Divine being
Wad Budh Mercury

It is also claimed that the Kaba temple which was originally an International Vedic Shrine. The ancient Vedic scripture Harihareswar Mahatmya mentions that Lord Vishnu's footprints are consecrated in Makkah. An important clue to this fact is that Muslims call this holy precint Haram which is a deviation of the Sanskrit term Hariyam, i.e. the precint of Lord Hari alias Lord Vishnu. The relevant stanza reads:

"Ekam Padam Gayayantu
MAKKAYAANTU Dwitiyakam
Tritiyam Sthapitam
Divyam Muktyai Shuklasya Sannidhau"

Another oft mentioned claim is that the Black Stone (also known as Sang-e-Aswad) is housed in Kaaba and was left to remain there even after Prophet Mohammad and Ali removed all the idols from Kaaba. It is said that black stone is Shiv Emblem and when all idols were removed, for some strange reason, the black stone was left to remain and presently it lies half buried in the South Eastern portion of the Kaaba Wall.

An account also says that “Muslims from all over the world pay homage to this shrine (Maqam-e-Ibrahim). This shrine is actually the pedestal of Brahma. Notice that the word, Ibrahim is actually a corruption of the word, Brahma. The octogonal grill which is a Vedic design, protects the holy footprints which represent the start of the creation nearly 2000 million years ago. Before it was captured by the Muslims it was an international shrine of the Vedic trinity.”

The same account says: “In fact the names of the holiest of Muslim cities Mecca and Medina come from the Sanskrit words Makha-Medini which means the land of Fire-Worship. Even the most ancient names of these 2 cities were Mahcorava- which came from Mahadeva (Lord Shiva) and Yathrabn - which came from Yatra-Sthan (place of pilgrimage).”

It further says: “The Encyclopedia Islamia admits as much when it says: "Muhammed's grandfather and uncles were hereditary priests of the Kaba temple which housed 360 idols!"” And says: “We do however know that the central object of worship which survives at the Kaba today is a Shivling. That was allowed to remain there because that was the faceless family deity of Muhammad's family. One of the original names of Lord Shiv is Mahadev (The Great God) therefore it is entirely possible Muhammad came from Mahadev. This appears fairly certain because the Arabs still have a Mahadevi sect.”

MOHAMMAD ALVI WRITES FROM HERE: These, more or less, are the arguments given to prove that the Vedic culture was spread out till Arabia and even Kaaba was actually a Hindu temple. I am of the view that if Kaaba had been somewhere near India or inside India and Mohammad had propagated his teachings from Kaaba, keeping in view the great number of relationships that are presented with Kaaba and Mohammad’s forefathers, we Indians would have surely considered Mohammad as one of our own, just as we do so for Mahavira, Buddha and Nanak, who all propagated different religions out of Hinduism. The followers of each of these three religions leave no stone unturned to say publicly that they are a different religion, different from Hindus, but the founders of these religions are still seen with reverence by the Hindus. As we know, Mahavira, Buddha and Nanak were all born to practicing Hindus. Even Sai Baba, whose followers created an entire cult altogether different from the religion of the Sanatan dharma Hindus, is not criticized. But why is it that Mohammad is criticized so vehemently and all attempts are made to portray him as villain who removed the idols that made Kaaba a Hindu temple and converted it into a Muslim place of worship. There is a reason to it, to which we will return later. Since we are talking about the Hindu viewpoint here regarding Kaaba and Mohammad, we will rely more on the Vedas, Upanishads and Gita to prove our point.

Fact is that all the views that have been given above fully endorses the understanding of Vedas and Upanishads that Mohammad Alvi is repeatedly trying to give through his posts. Through my study and research I have concluded that Vedas have repeatedly foretold that the devas (13 devatas and 1 devi, total 14 devas or Manus who had 7 names) enjoyed a very important position in the Divine Creation Plan as noors (light) and were supposed to take birth in future. Vedas have not given their names but have left enough proofs for the later day man to understand who these Divinely Appointed Guides were and where were they to be born. [See my posts ‘The True Content of the Vedas’ for more]. It is unfortunate that when I prove the same from Vedas, some people say that I am trying to show the presence of Mohammad in the Vedas when there is no such linkage whereas the same people go on to say that Vedic scripture Harihareswar Mahatmya mentions that Lord Vishnu’s footprints are consecrated in Makkah.

I have mentioned earlier that ancient Vedic scripture Harihareswar Mahatmya is given as proof to supplement the argument that Kaaba was a Hindu temple. It is claimed that the scripture mentions that Lord Vishnu's footprints are consecrated in Makkah. The relevant stanza reads:

"Ekam Padam Gayayantu
MAKKAYAANTU Dwitiyakam
Tritiyam Sthapitam
Divyam Muktyai Shuklasya Sannidhau"

Even for one who does not know Sanskrit, it stands out clear from this stanza that the Lord Vishnu’s footprints will be in the form of devas (from light; see the word ‘divyam’) who were supposed to take birth in human form.

That another divine scripture, the Quran, has referred to Makkah as the Baytullah (House of God) and referred to the 14 who took birth in its vicinity as the Ahlulbayt (People of the House [of God] and I am repeatedly showing that Vishnu is the Manifest Self (as per English translations) or Wajhallah (Face of God, as per Quran). Hence, a clear relationship of Ahlulbayt with Vishnu or Wajhallah gets established.

I have given several examples from Upanishads, Vedas and Gita (and can give countless more) to prove that the Devas were to take birth in future and they took birth as humans near Makkah and were called Ahlulbayt. See just one more example from Rig Veda, Book I, Hymn V and VI.

The hymn is dedicated to Indradeva. Its very first mantra clearly asks all who desire to become praiseworthy to sit together and sing the glory of Indradeva and enjoy happiness (through emancipation). This proves Indradeva’s role in emancipation yet again. I have proven that Indradeva, when he took birth as a human being, was called Mohammad. At the same time, the other most important of the devas, the Vayudeva is also Rudra and the chief of the Maruts and also Shiv (also known as Mahadeva). Vayudeva or Shiv took birth in human form in a miraculous manner, right inside the Kaaba, and was called Ali. Ali is the head of the 12 Imams and Shiv is the head of the 12 Maruts, the other two who are not Maruts are Mohammad and his daughter, Fatima (thus comprising 14 devas with seven names). Mohammad said my noor was created prior to all creations and said that Ali and I am divisions of the same noor. Likewise, Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad and Paingala Upanishad describes in detail how the first noor or light (Brahma) created by Manifest Self divided manifold to take the count to 14. It describes in detail how the one noor divided to become two both of which were exactly similar to the first, from whom the division too place. Mohammad repeatedly said that Ali and I are divisions of the same noor whereas Shatapath Brahmana 4.1.3.19 says that ‘One who is Vayu is Indra and Indra is Vayu’. Fact is that no Hindu commentator can truly describe the meaning of this stanza from Shatapath without ascribing to our argument. Likewise Muslims who believe in a divine role of Ahlulbayt as noor can never prove the divine role without relying on the Vedas.

Hindus should be proud of the fact that they were awaiting them and knew of about the devas far before when those calling themselves as Muslims got to see them moving in person.

The aforementioned stanza from Shatapath portray the equal status of both Indradev and Vayudev as noor, even though one was assigned a greater position than other on earth. Both originated from the One Self and are inevitable constituent of the universe and our souls.

Mantra 4 of the Hymn V confirms this view when it says that the power and force of Indradev is working in this universe. Subsequently, Mantra 6 to 9 tell us that despite the fact that these persons are so mighty that their power and force are working in the Universe, their knowledge is only for the wise. Before that, it is desired that the person becomes the best by acquiring knowledge and other virtues, and does noble deeds.

As we know this hymn is dedicated to Indradev, we also know that the lord of the devas, is being talked about. The great commentator Sayanacharya has described Indra as the Lord of other deities in heaven, who has been described as drinking the Soma Juice. Wilson and Griffith too described it accordingly.

Hymn VI has clearly described that Indra and Marut will take birth in Makkah. From my study of Upanishads I have proven that Marut and Vayu are one and the same. The verse is clearly talking about a time when these great persons, who are kind and non-violent in heart, will come shine on earth (in human form). Mantra 2 even refers to Indra’s two favourite boys (viz. Aswins or Hasnain) who too will come to live in human form when Indradeva and Marut (Shiv) will come. Prof. Maxmuller has translated this verse in this manner:

They harness to the chariot on each side his (Indra’s) two favourite boys, the brown the bold, who can carry the hero.

(Vedic Hymns Part I.P.14).

Taking the discussion further, Mantra 3 talks of the light of knowledge coming to dispel the darkness of ignorance. Even common men have been advised to give company to these learned persons for our own well-being and it has been said these devas were created as light when there was no light created and they were created as (manifest) form when there was no form whatsoever. The fact that it has been said that they were together with dawns further proves Prophet Mohammad’s saying that My noor was the first of the creations and that I was the Prophet even when Adam was between sand and water.

See Prof. Maxmuller’s translation of this verse:

Thou who createst light where there was no light and form. O men! Where there was no form, hast been born together with the dawns.

Griffith has translated this in the following manner:

Thou making light where no light was, and form O men, where form was not, wast born together with the Dawn.

In the footnote he (Griffith) says: “thou i.e. the sun, O men is perhaps an exclamation expressive of admiration. If Maryah (Men), be taken to mean the Maruts the words thou making, wast born, although in the singular number, may apply to these gods (read ‘devas’) regarded as one host or Company and born at one birth.”

See how commentators are close to true meaning yet still groping in the dark because of certain vital links missing regarding the identity of the devas. The Upanishads and the Puranas in particular have described at length the process of creation. The Vishnu Purana tells how He (God) creates at the beginning of each Divine Day and then the world converges into Him towards the close of each Day. Then, God rests for the night, and this period is equal to the period of the Divine Day, and then creates again. Each such creation is called Manvantara. The names of the devas who were created prior to each Manvantara are described in The Vishnu Purana, who all converge in God’s Manifest Self at the end of the creation. The Vishnu Purana has given the names of devas in this Manavantara as Indra and Maruts, and Indra is necessarily present in most of the Manvantaras.

It is this subject that this verse is mentioning. Indra and the Maruts were created at the beginning of this Divine Day, even prior to the time when all the objects of the world – animate and non-animate – were created. Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad tells explicitly that they worshipped the God, pleased with which the rest of the objects and beings were created. They were made the rulers of the fourteen spheres. Therefore, it is these people who are responsible for our creation, and the creation of the material sun, moon, stars and all the rest of the things. It is no wonder that even in Hadees-e-Kisa, a tradition ascribed to Prophet Mohammad, it is said that the God created the sun, the moon, the stars and the earth in love of the Ahlulbayt.

The very fact that these Maruts would take birth in this world as human beings is described in Mantra 4 which is translated by Prof. Maxmuller as follows:

The Maruts according to their want assumed again the form of new born babes.

(V.H. Page 141)

Is there any doubt left from the existing translations that the Vedas are talking of the birth of Maruts as humans. The word ‘again’ is important since the previous verse had talked of their birth at the time of the ‘Dawn’ of this Divine Day. In the succeeding verse, ‘again’ is used, signifying that this birth would be as human being.

Since it has been stated that the Maruts would again take birth in the form of newborn babes, and it has been described in the Puranas and Upanishads that they would take birth at a secret place, this Mantra describes the region where they would take place. The word used in Sanskrit is ‘guha’. All commentators agree that it means ‘the middle region’ or a ‘hidden place’. See Maxmuller’s translation:

Thou O Indra, with the Swift Maruts who break through the even strong hold, hast found even in their hiding place the bright ones.

(V.H.P.14).

Maxmuller couldn’t understand the real meaning but the truth is that the middle region is the ‘secret’ place where these Maruts would take birth as newborn babes. Even after the discovery of American Continents the place where Mohammad was born is known as Middle East; prior to its discovery it was perfectly situated at the middle of the strongholds of various civilizations. Even today you type ‘Kaaba as the Centre of the Earth’ on YouTube and you will see countless proofs that Kaaba is situated right at the center of the earth.

Mantra 6 again describes these who would take birth. In the words of Griffith:

Worshipping even as they list, singers laud him who findeth wealth. The far-renowned, the mighty one.

After talking about the secret place, situated in the Middle Region where this deva Indra, who was created at the dawn of this Divine Day, would again take birth in human form, Mantra 8 explicitly gives the name of the place as Makhah. You can wind the word in the Sanskrit text but translators seem to have deliberately overlooked that. Prof. Maxmuller has translated it as ‘sacrificer’ and Rishi Dayanand Saraswati has translated it as yajna. Prof. Maxmuller has even said that there are two passages where Makhah refers to an enemy of the gods. This proves two things: that the commentators are trying to give one meaning or other but not coming to the literal meaning and that there are other passages in the Vedas as well where the word ‘Makhah’ is present.

The proof that Indra’s coming to take birth in this world, which he was to do at a Middle Region called Makhah, can be inferred form Maxmuller’s translation of Mantra 9, which clearly invites him to come:

From Yonder, O traveler (Indra) come hither, or from the light of heaven, the singers all yearn for it.

Does this not prove that the people of Vedic age were aware that Indra and the Maruts would take birth as humans and were beckoning them to come? This also proves that the birth had not taken till that period but was to take place at a future time.

In Mantra 10, the prayer is made to Indra, irrespective of where he is. He could be in heavens as he was in those times, or could take birth on earth; yet, it is to him that we ask for help.

Maxmuller writes:

We ask Indra for help from here, or from heaven, or from above the earth, or from the “Great sky.”

Again I invite all the knowers of Sanskrit to do their own translation of all such verses and the truth will be strikingly clear for you.

There are so many verses in Vedas which are beckoning the devas to come to earth but we have not understood their true meaning.  Fact is that the people were awaiting the time when the devas would come so that they can be on their side, they can protect and help them when ‘the light of knowledge will come to dispel the darkness’. Or when the Forces of Guidance or Noor will come to vanquish the Forces of Misguidance or Zulmat.

Again, we can go on and on giving such proofs but we have to return to our subject and answer Saby’s questions. If you are further interested in seeing more proofs from Upanishads, you are advised to read my posts ‘The True Content of the Vedas’.

To cut the matter short, as per the Divine Plan (which can be repeatedly proven both by Quran, Vedas, Upanishads and Gita), the All-Pervading, Non-Manifest, Formless and Absolute God (Allah or Ishwar or Mahesh) desired to Create and created the Manifest Self (Wajhallah or Face of Allah or Vishnu). Manifest Self, being the first of the Creation, worshipped the Absolute God with such intensity that the rest of the Creation were bestowed through the Manifest Self. This Manifest Self has a seat and throne which is located on the 7^th sky. Incidentally, Prophet Mohammad at the time of Meraj (or the ascent) is said to have visited Vishnu or the Manifest Self. Brahma or One Noor or Light was created which divided into two lights (which were exactly similar to the first light created and then consequently 14 lights or noors were created). In Quran the Manifest Self says that our one creation is similar to the other and what we see is that when the Devas took birth as human being, it was very similar to the description of the creation of noor and division of noor to become 14 noors. While noor was created as the force of guidance, at the same time God also created Zulmat as the force of misguidance and the subsequent creation – Man – was created in such a manner that he was prone to push and pull of both the Noor and the Zulmat.

Hindus of present have no idea how Brahma could have a relationship with Indra and likewise are in doubt about several such relationships. If you be with us, we will prove all that we are saying again and again. For the time being just see this verse from Rig Veda and tell for yourself whether Indra and Brahma have some relation to each other or not. Names of both of them have come in the same verse.

ब्राह्मणादिन्द्र राधसः पिबा सोममृतूँरनु।

तवे०ि सख्यमस्तृतम्।।

Fact is that Brahma, Visvadevas, Brhaspati, Prajapati, Indra, Vayu, Siva, Marut, etc. are all related to each other and are part of the Creation Plan of God pertaining to us. That the devas were to be the rope that form a link between Paramatma and us has been mentioned at so many places in both Hindu and Muslim scriptures. The Vedas have described them as masters of our organs of action and senses. They have been described as the source of all guidance. It is a pity that despite their identification being told and retold so many times in Vedas and Upanishads, Hindus of today have no idea whatsoever about the role of devas in the Divine Creation Plan.

Since the Devas has been described as the Rope time and again, and the Gita has referred to their coming on earth when it has talked about the inverted tree with roots in heaven and branches coming down to earth (see our post on why Hindu Brahmans wear the sacred thread, janeoo), it is evident that their path is the Straight Path and it is through their path alone that Moksh or Salvation can be obtained. Forces of Darkness, who are created with an altogether opposite role than the Forces of Guidance are hell-bent that the knowledge related to our Saviours or Bestowers of Salvation is lost forever so that they may continue to feel victorious. That is why they have left no stone unturned to corrupt the knowledge regarding the Forces of Light or Guidance viz. the Devas or the Ahlulbayt whenever they could. It is this very fact that is aimed at being highlighted in the Hajj through stoning of the Satan. As you attempt to get close to the House of God (Baytullah), you are sure to face the Forces of Darkness (Satan) on the way. It is not possible to reach the House of Allah i.e. Salvation without defeating the Forces of Darkness and the House of Allah (Baytallah) is represented by Ahlulbayt or the People of the House (of Allah). Interestingly God even made arrangements for birth of Shiv or Ali in the Baytallah as a symbol that it is through the path of these devas alone that Salvation can be obtained.

Just one more point is left before we come to Saby’s questions. The earlier man was not evolved enough to understand the concept of an Absolute, Invisible, Non-Manifest God. It is only in this scientific age, when we know the power of invisible things around us that we can have come idea of the Absolute God. For the man of earlier times, the Devas were shown as the saviours. The same Divinities were introduced everywhere, not just in India, but in other major civilizations like Greek, Egyptians, Mesopotamian, Chinese and Indus Valley. It is this reason that we find that similar attributes to several divinities of erstwhile Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and India. However, lot many myths developed regarding their personalities and they may be different for different civilizations. Hence the confusion that divinities are present in all civilizations but their characteristics are similar but different. The Divine Creation plan was introduced through Prophets not just in India but in other parts of the Globe.

For this reason, whereas Radhakrishan writes: “The Vedas were composed by the seers when they were in a state of inspiration. He who inspires them is God. Truth is impersonal, apauruseya and eternal, nitya. Inspiration is a joint activity, of which man’s contemplation and God’s revelation are two sides. The Svetasvatara Upanishad says that the sage Svetasvatara saw the truth owing to his power of contemplation, tapah-prabhava, and the grace of god, deva-prasada. The dual significance of revelation, its subjective and objective character, is suggested here.” [Note that the word ‘deva’ is present even in relation to inspiration of Prophets, which proves the role of Manifest Self through devas in appointing and guiding the prophets.]

At another place Radhakrishnan writes that “The Naiyayikas maintain that the Vedas were composed by God, while the Mimamsakas hold that they were not composed at all either by man or by God, but have existed from all eternity in the form of sounds. It is perhaps a way of saying that the timeless truths of eternity exist from everlasting to everlasting. You will be interested to know that Aristotle too regards the fundamental truths of religion as eternal and indestructible. We do not know enough about Aristotle and hence are not in position to comment whether he was an apostle of God or not, but the fact remains that the Straight Path to God – the Sirat-e-Mustaqeem – has always been one and the same.

With reference to the Prophets, Athenagoras says:

While entranced and deprived of their natural powers of reason by the influence of the Divine Spirit, they uttered that which was wrought in them, the spirit using them as its instrument as a flute-player might blow a flute.

Apol. IX.”

The same flute was blown at times inside Krishna’s body, at times inside Buddha’s body or Jesus’s body and at times in Mohammad’s body. The flute blowers – the devas – have been one and the same at all times. And the devas have been working in the command of the Manifest Self or Paramatma or Wajhallah or the Face of God and their role and duty is to lead the entire mankind to the path of Absolute God or Allah or Ishwar or Mahesh.

When a certain path had been laid and people digressed from that path, attempt was made through Prophets to remove the digressions. For example, though Vedas had been introduced, Rama and Krishna and Buddha came to remove the digressions and corruptions from Vedic teaching that had come with time in beliefs and understanding of the Divine Path. This continued to happen in each and every civilization and people, out of their ignorance and under the sway of the Forces of Darkness, continued to create religions and separate paths out of the teachings of the various Prophets. [Note in all my discussion about the Creation Plan, I have not once referred to the word religion]. New prophets came but people continued to remain ignorant and succumbed to the manoeuvrings of the Forces of Darkness. At most times, Prophets were killed and imprisoned. Those who followed the teachings of the Prophet of their times, they attained Salvation and got freedom from stay on earth. The fact that we continue to stay on this earth even though all these Prophets passed away show that our self have been the most disobedient and very unlike those who attained salvation. While the Divine Plan was introduced earlier, for the remaining disobedient souls, it was essential that a rule book of dos and donts be framed. This is so because in this kaliyug, it is not possible for our deviant souls to attain salvation without the rule book. Thus we see a proper framework of rules by the time the devas decided to come together (one after another) at the onset of Kaliyug.

Let us now give Saby’s questions one by one (as requested) though it is evident that at least 3 of the 4 questions have been answered by now.

Question 1: The reference to "Mahadev" and "King Vikramaditya" in an inscription at the Kaaba shrine.

Saby dear. It has been shown that when it was decided that all the devas together were to take birth in human form ‘as new born babes’ (one by one), Mahadev (Shiv or Vayudev or Chief Aditya or Marut) took birth inside the Kaaba itself so as to further strengthen the link between the temple of Vishnu (Manifest Self or Wajhallah) with the Devas. The fact that the previous scriptures were full of this mention and were giving hints that devas would take birth at such and such place must have attracted Vikamaditya too to this place. But during the time that elapsed between the time of Vikramaditya and the time when the devas truly took birth on earth, this knowledge too was removed by the Forces of Darkness. That it does it quickly can be seen from the sayings of Jesus, who all his life kept saying that the Sprit of Truth is about to descend, the Son of Man (not the words, son of man has been referred to say that the Divinity will take birth as human) is about to come and told his disciples not to take his teachings outside the lost tribes of Israel and they would not have finished doing so that the Son of Man would arrive. Jesus was even seeking help from Alia (Shiv or Ali) while on cross but people couldn’t recognize. Mohammad took birth merely 500 years after Jesus but by this time the Forces of Darkness had corrupted the teachings of Jesus to such an extent that only some of the followers of Jesus came to accept Mohammad as the Prophet.

2) Prophet Mohammed's uncle (who did not recognise Mohammed as a prophet) wrote a poetry "Sair ul Okul" in which he praises India as the holiest land on earth. The poetry is stored at an Islamic library in Istanbul.

Saby dear, India has always remained a venerable land, land of saints and rishis, land of truth and justice. Prophet’s uncle surely must have recited the poetry related to Lord Shiva. In fact, I am sure there must be so many of them. But we must remember that even though Vedas was the religion, Rama had come to show us the way regarding the teachings of Vedas. Krishna had to come to bring back the masses to the real teachings of Vedas. Other rishis too strived to bring the masses to the true teachings of the Vedas. Later, we see Buddha too attempting to do the same. But followers of each one of them kept deviating from the teachings of their leaders.  Vikramaditya surely must have sent his priests and people to land around Kaaba but later day worshippers were far removed from the teachings of Vedas, which can be seen from the condition of Arabs when Prophet Mohammad came as Prophet. They may be remembering Shiva but at the same time they were killing for no reason, they were burying their daughters alive, they were indulging in all type of vices like gambling, prostitution, multiple wives and keeping them as slaves, also harsh treatment to slaves, in fact there was no evil that was not there. Society was divided on tribes and clans. In short, the Forces of Darkness, knowing fully well that the Forces of Light would descend at Makkah, had led the people of the area towards complete darkness. I don’t know why you wish to keep these people in reverence, merely because they were Shiv worshippers. Remember, Ravana too was the greatest of Shiv worshippers of his time, but the Divine Avatar found it befitting to kill him and remove him from the face of this earth.

3) Pilgrimage to the Kaaba has been a practice of Arabs for long before Prophet Mohammed was born. And though he tried to change the practice by recommending Jerusalem to Mecca, he changed his own decision later and reverted to the Kaaba where he allowed the same rituals as the pagans (Hindus or Hindu-like) WITHOUT the idols. Even the attire you wear at Hajj is same as Hindu sages and even some ordinary devotees wear even today.

Dear Saby, just see at the names of some of the deities whose idols were placed inside Kaaba. As per the account given earlier, there was idol of Dar or Indra or King of devas; there was idol of Dua Shara or Deveshwar or the Lord of the devas; there was Bajar or Vajra or Indra’s thunderbolt; there was Manat or Somnath or Lord Shiv; there was sair or Shree or Goddess of Wealth; there was Sakia or Shakrah or Indra; there was Sawara or Shiva-Eshwar or Lord Shiva; and there was Kabar or Kuber or Lord of Wealth (who I have proved elsewhere is Ahlulbayt Husain). Fact is that with time people had deviated to such an extent that despite the teachings of Gita and other scriptures the very Devas were being worshipped as gods. How could the devas allow the worship of their own self and their own status, when their chief role after taking birth one after another as human, was to lead mankind towards the worship of One Absolute God, whom they themselves worshipped with such great intensity. I invite you to read the lives of the Ahlulbayt while they were living on earth. Despite all attempts by Forces of Darkness to dilute their character, we find that each and every moment of their lives was spent in such intense worship that it is impossible for us to emulate them. They were killed and tortured, imprisoned and beaten and wounded, but they never refrained from the worship of God. The supplications for God that they taught too are the highest epitome of spirituality. It is unfortunate that the Muslims of Arabia couldn’t recognize their true Divine Position even when they were living amidst them.

Saby, your fourth question is a topic in itself. Kindly excuse me from writing on it for the time being. I remember your 4^th question which is as follows:

4) On what reasoned basis do you say that the Quran as we know it today is the same as what Allah told Mohammed via Gibreel? You know that there were many Qurans when Caliph Othman burnt them all and produced a "standardized" version, which angered even Ayesha (mother of the faithful) and Othman was finally assassinated for the sacrilege. Unfortunately, Othman's version was the only version that was around when he was assassinated, so we don't know what the original Quran was.