Idolatry – a Muslim and Hindu Perspectives

Source: Elijah Interfaith Institute

Idolatry

Elijah Interfaith Institute:

We continue the conversation on idolatry, started in the previous issue of Wisdom. Based on the reflections on the subject, by Jewish thinkers, featured in Idolatry: A Contemporary Jewish Conversation, we convened at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion a conversation with Christian, Muslim and Hindu scholars, raising the question of what significance the category of idolatry has for these thinkers in their respective religions. Participants were asked to review the Idolatry book and to reflect on its relevance for a contemporary understanding of idolatry in their tradition. In this issue of Wisdom we offer a Muslim Perspective and a Hindu perspective.

Idolatry - a Muslim Perspective by Jawad Qureshi, Zaytuna College - Key Points

Qureshi starts by examining the fundamental muslim faith declaration that there is no god but God. This is good place to start thinking about idolatry. The relevant muslim term is Shirq, association, bringing something in with God. Multiple understandings of the term are explored. Special attention is given to the understanding of the mystic and theologian, Ibn Arabi. As he teaches, God is not a fixed being, but is constantly disclosing himself. Theologians fix God into categories. Consequently, it is not by means of the intellect that we come to know God, but rather through the heart. The presentation concludes by considering contemporary challenges of idolatry for Muslim theologians, and in particular, following Sherman Jackson, how white normativity may be considered as a form of Shirq.

Idolatry - a Hindu Perspective by Jeffery Long, Elizabethtown College - Key Points

There is no corresponding concept to idolatry in the theological sense in Hinduism. However, going back to the Vedic tradition, one can see that image worship and the “Abrahamic” notion of idolatry can co-exist. The notion of idolatry can therefore be useful in Hindu traditions if used constructively. It would constitute an instance of what Frank Clooney refers to as deep listening across religious borders. If we make anything the goal of our longing, other than God, then it is a form of idolatry, if it is an obstacle to ultimate reality. In this light, Swami Vivekananda warns against worshipping the messenger instead of the message.