What does the Quran say about Buddha?
Question: A Buddhist friend asks, “What does the Quran say about Buddha?” How should we explain this to them?
– M.J.M. Nizamudeen, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Answer:
The Quran is not a historical book that mentions every person who ever lived. If it were written in such a manner, its size would have been thousands of times larger than its current form.
The Quran’s primary focus is to guide humanity on how to live a righteous life that brings benefit to individuals and society. It highlights only the lives of certain individuals from which humanity can draw valuable lessons.
The Quran does not mention Buddha, but this omission does not indicate any deficiency. The Quran’s purpose is to provide principles and values that are universally applicable and necessary for human guidance.
If we reflect on the question of what conclusion to draw about Buddha, Islam provides a clear explanation based on Quranic principles.
Buddha was born at a specific time and later passed away. This world has existed for millions upon millions of years, while Buddha lived for less than 100 years within that span. A person with such a limited existence cannot be considered divine. Worshiping or revering someone who lived and died like us is illogical and impermissible in Islam.
If Buddha were divine, who managed the world for the millions of years before his birth?Such questions, supported by Quranic reasoning, allow us to critically evaluate the claim of divinity for Buddha.
Hence, the Quran unequivocally guides us to conclude that worshiping Buddha is incorrect.
Buddha’s teaching of abstaining from meat is not universally applicable. The Quran leaves the door open for examining whether such a principle benefits humanity. Any teaching that does not serve humanity’s welfare cannot be endorsed as an eternal or universal truth.
Be it Buddha, Rama, Confucius, Osho (Rajneesh), or contemporary figures like Sai Baba, the Quran provides clear guidance for evaluating their actions and teachings.
While their names may not be mentioned in the Quran, the scripture offers a framework for determining what conclusions to draw about them.
(Excerpt from “Meaningful Questions, Intellectual Answers” by P.J.)