The Vedic Past of Pre-Islamic Arabia
BY: ADITI CHATURVEDI
Jan 19, USA (SUN) — Many centuries before prophet Muhammad and the destructive advent of Islam, Arabia or Arabistan was an extremely rich and glorious center of Vedic civilization. In this article, I will prove to you point by point that pre-Islamic Arabia was in fact a flourishing civilization which revered Vedic culture.
It is the prophet Muhammad and the followers of Islam who are fully responsible for the dissemination and destruction of this once glorious culture.
In learning about this most ancient heritage, let's begin with the word Arabistan itself. Arabistan is derived from the original Sanskrit term Arvasthan which means The Land of Horses. Since time immemorial proponents of the Vedic culture used to breed exceptional horses in this region. Thus eventually the land itself began to be called Arva (Horses) -Sthan (place). The people who lived in this land were called Semitic. Semitic comes from the Sanskrit word Smritic. Arabs followed the ancient Vedic Smritis such as Manu-Smriti as their revered religious guides and thus they were identified as Smritic which has been corrupted into Semitic.
At that time the Uttarapath (Northern Highway) was the international highway to the North of India. It was via Uttarapath that Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries drew their spiritual, educational and material sustenance from India. Besides, this Sea-links were formed with India at least 800 years before the advent of Islam. Basra was the ancient gateway to India because it was at this port that the Arab lands recieved Indian goods and visitors. At that time the spoken language was Sanskrit, which later dwindled into the local variation that we now call Arabic. The proof of this is that thousands of words that were derived from Sanskrit still survive in Arabic today. Here is a sampling of some:
| Sanskrit |
Arabic |
English |
| Sagwan |
Saj |
Teakwood |
| Vish |
Besh |
Poison |
| Anusari |
Ansari |
Follower |
| Shishya |
Sheikh |
Disciple |
| Mrityu |
Mout |
Death |
| Pra-Ga-ambar |
Paigambar |
One from heaven |
| Maleen |
Malaun |
Dirty or soiled |
| Aapati |
Aafat |
Misfortune |
| Karpas |
Kaifas |
Cotton |
| Karpur |
Kafur |
Camphor |
| Pramukh |
Barmak |
Chief |
Even various kinds of swords were referred to as Handuwani,
Hindi, Saif-Ul-Hind, Muhannid and Hinduani.
The Sanskrit Astronomical treatise Brahma-Sphuta-Siddhanta in
Arabic translation is known as Sind-Hind, while another treatise
Khanda-Khadyaka was called Arkand. Mathematics itself was
called Hindisa .
The Arabs derived technical guidance in every branch of study such as astronomy, mathematics and physics from India. A noted scholar of history, W.H. Siddiqui notes:
"The Arab civilization grew up intensively as well as extensively on the riches of Indian trade and commerce. Nomadic Arab tribes became partially settled communities and some of them lived within walled towns practised agriculture and commerce, wroteon wood and stone, feared the gods and honored the kings."
Some people wrongly believe that Arabs used the word Hindu as a term of
contemptuous abuse. Nothing could be further from the truth. The people of
pre-Islamic Arabia held Hinduism in great esteem as evidenced from the
fact that they would endearingly call their most attractive and favourite
daughters as Hinda and Saifi Hindi. The fact that Arabs
regarded India as their spiritual and cultural motherland long before the
damaging influence of Islam is corroborated by the following poem which
mentions each one of the four Vedas by name: (The English translation is
in black)
"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.
That the Vedas were the religious scriptures to which the Arabs owed
allegiance as early as 1800 B.C. proves not only the antiquity of the
Vedas but also the existence of Indian rule over the entire region from
the Indus to the Mediterranean, because it is a fact of history that the
religion of the ruler is practised by his subjects.
Vedic culture was very much alive just before the birth of Muhammad.
Again let's refer to the Sair-Ul-Okul. The following poem was
written by Jirrham Bintoi who lived 165 years before the prophet
Muhammed. It is in praise of India's great King Vikramaditya who
had lived 500 years before Bintoi. (The English translation is in
red).
"Itrasshaphai Santul
Bikramatul
phehalameen Karimun
Bihillahaya Samiminela
Motakabbenaran
Bihillaha
Yubee qaid min howa
Yaphakharu phajgal
asari
nahans Osirim Bayjayholeen
Yaha sabdunya Kanateph
natephi
bijihalin Atadari Bilala masaurateen
phakef Tasabahu.
Kaunni eja majakaralhada
walhada Achimiman, burukan, Kad,
Toluho
watastaru Bihillaha yakajibainana
baleykulle
amarena
Phaheya jaunabil amaray Bikramatoon"
-
(Sair-ul-Okul, Page 315)
"Fortunate are those who were born
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
divinity
were lost in sensual pleasures. Plotting
&
torture were rampant. The darkness of
ignorance had enveloped our
country.
Like the lamb struggling for its life
in the cruel
jaws of a wolf, we Arabs
were gripped by ignorance. The
whole
country was enveloped in a darkness as
intense as on a
New moon night. But the
present dawn & pleasant sunshine
of
education is the result of the favor of
that noble king
Vikram whose benevolence
did not lose sight of us foreigners as
we
were. He spread his sacred culture amongst
us and sent
scholars from his own land
whose brilliance shone like that of
the sun
in our country. These scholars &
preceptors
through whose benevolence we were once again made
aware of the presence of god, introduced to his secret knowledge
& put on the road to truth, had come to our country to
initiate us in that culture & impart
education."
|
Thus we can see that Vedic religion and culture were present in
Pre-Islamic Arabia as early as 1850 B.C., and definitely present at the
time of Mohammed's birth.
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 |
The Kaba temple which was misappropriated and captured by Muslims was
originally an International Vedic Shrine. The ancient Vedic scripture
Harihareswar Mahatmya mentions that Lord Vishnu's footprints are
consecrated in Mecca. 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" |
The allusion is to the Vamana incarnation of Lord Vishnu whose
blessed feet were consecrated at three holy sites, namely Gaya,
Mecca and Shukla Teertha. Worshipping such carved, holy foot
impressions is a holy Vedic custom which convert Muslims are inadvertently
perpetuating. But in doing this they delude themselves and mislead others
that these foot-impressions which are on reverential display in several
mosques and tombs around the world are in fact Muhammad's own. There are
several snags in this argument. Firstly worshipping a foot -impression
amounts to idolatry and should therefore be taboo for a true Muslim.
Secondly Muhhamad disclaimed having performed any miracles. Therefore
there can be no foot-impression of his on stone. Thirdly foot-impressions
must always be in pairs like shoes. Yet in most of these shrines, it is
usually a single footprint which suggests that Muhammad walked on only one
foot. Another question that crops up is whether the foot-impression is of
the same size and foot in all the shrines. The fact appears to be that
when the Vedic Kaba shrine in Mecca was invaded by Muhammad, the
pairs of foot impressions of Vedic deities there were plundered and later
traded to the gullible and devout as Muhammad's own footprints for some
favour, reward or personal gain by unscrupulous muslims. That is why they
are single and not in pairs.
Figure 1.
The
Shiv Ling at The Kaba. It was broken in seven
places and now is held
together by a silver band.
The Black Stone which is the Shiv Emblem (also known as Sange
Aswad which is a corrupted form of the Sanskrit word Sanghey
Ashweta--meaning non-white stone) still survives in the Kaba as
the central object of Islamic veneration. All other Vedic Idols could be
found buried in the precincts or trampled underfoot in labyrinthine
subterranean corridors if archaeological excavations are undertaken. The
Black Stone has been badly mutilated, its carved base has disappeared and
the stone itself is broken at seven places. It's parts are now held
together by a silver band studded with silver nails. It lies half buried
in the South Eastern portion of the Kaba Wall (Refer to Figure 1). The
term Kaba itself is a corruption of the Sanskrit word Gabha (Garbha
+ Graha) which means Sanctum.
In addition, in the inscriptions from Hajja and its neighborhood was
found a votive vessel dedicated by members of two tribes called
Rama and Somia. Rama and Soma are Vedic
deities, Rama is of the Solar dynasty and Soma is of the Lunar Dynasty.
The moon god was called by various names in pre-Islamic times , one of
them was Allah. Allah had 3 children, Al-Lat, Al-Uzza and
Manat. Al-Lat and Al-Uzza were both feminine deities. Alla
is another name for the Hindu goddess Durga. It is obvious that the
goddess Al-Lat was Alla (Durga) and Al-Uzza was Oorja (energy or
life force also known as Shakti). Manat was none other than
Somnath which is another name for Lord Shiva. One significant point
to note that Soma in Sanskrit means Moon and Nath means
Lord. Thus the Kaba itself was dedicated to the Moon God Somnath
alias Shiv and the word Somnath was corrupted to
Manat. The famous Black Stone is none other than the ShivLing of
Makkeshwar alias Mecca. Lord Shiva is always shown with a crescent
Moon on his head and every Shiva temple is supposed to have a sacred water
spring representing the Ganges. The Crescent Moon pinnacle of the
Kaba and the Zamzam spring (actually Zamza from
Ganga) are irrefutable testaments to the Vedic origins of the
Kaba.
Figure 2 below depicts the image of Maqam-E-Ibrahim in the
Kaba.
Figure 2.
Maqam-E-Ibrahim or more appropriately the pedestal of
Brahma.
Muslims from all over the world pay homage to this shrine. 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.
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).
Islam came into being about 1372 years ago. It is well known that over
7500 years ago, at the time of the Mahabharat War, Kurus
ruled the world. The scions of that family administered the different
regions. Prophet Muhammed himself and his family were adherents of Vedic
culture. 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!"
According to Arab traditions, Muhammad is a title. We do not know what
name his parents had given him. 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. Moreover the title
Mehdi of a Muslim chief is also a malpronounciation of the term
Mahadeva. According to Sanskrit etymology the term Muhammad implies
'a person of great inspiration' - 'Mahan Madah
yasya assau Muhammadah' In a hostile sense it also implies
'a person of a proud and haughty temperament'.
The Qurayshi tribe into which Mohammed was born was particularly
devoted to Allah and and the three children of the Moon God.
Therefore when Muhammad decided to create his own Divine religion,
he took innumerable aspects of the daily Vedic culture that surrounded him
and corrupted them to suit his needs. It was with the advent of the
Prophet and Islam that the death-knell of the glorious Arab culture was
sounded. With Islam came the flood of destruction, murder, plunder and
crime that destroyed the great Vedic heritage of Arabs. The Prophet merely
took some existing artefacts and terms and corrupted them so profoundly
that no one would be able to discover their actual origins.
In my next article, I will elaborate further on the Vedic Heritage of
Arabia.
Note: Works of P.N. Oak and Robert A.
Morey have been used to compose this article.
This article was originally published at SwordOfTruth.com
