Although Islam and Confucianism represent two totally different worldviews, they have similar characteristics, which provide a potential idea, that both can be from a common source. Mirza Tahir Ahmad, who was a Caliph in Ahmadiyya Muslim community, supported this idea in his book “Revelation, Nationality, Knowledge & Truth”. He supports his idea saying, “All humans are God’s creation; it stands to reason that God not only guided people in the Middle East through Abrahamic prophets. He also guided other people through prophets like Confucius, Buddha and Zoroaster.” His claim is based on the existence of common themes between Islamic and Confucian teachings. Another supporting evidence is that God in one of the verses of Quran in which He was talking to prophet Mohamed, He told him: “And certainly We sent messengers before you: there are some of them that We have mentioned to you and there are others whom We have not mentioned to you ...” (Al-Ghafir Verse-78). According to this verse, God gives Muslims a room to search for other prophets than the ones who are mentioned in Qur’an. In this paper I will compare between Islam and Confucianism in terms of similarities and differences to know whether Confucianism is a religion that came out from the same source of Islam, or it is a philosophical values and morals that was spreading in china to support the Chinese community from falling apart.
Islam is a religion that is based on the submission oneself to the will of God, who is called Allah. Muslims are the people believe in that, regardless of their culture, background or ethnicity. It is believed that God’s prophets brought a message for the people to worship one God without intermediaries and that prophet Muhammad was the end of G...
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Throughout time religion has been changed and justified by man. But some old religions have stayed the same since they have been written in their sacred texts. Throughout decades these beliefs have been compared numerous times, people have found that not only is Hinduism and Confucianism been vaguely similar they’re actually quite different by comparing their basic belief system and impact on societies.
Filial piety is as closely associated with Confucius teaching as it is one of the virtues of Confucianism. Confucius once said, “Among human practices, none is greater than xiao” (Chan, Alan Kam-Leung; Tan, Sor-hoon). There is no doubt that filial piety remained the important aspect of Chinese society, where as the philosophers such as Confucius strongly pushed forward the idea of filial piety. A ...
Confucianism is a philosophy and way of life formed in China by Confucius, an early Chinese philosopher. It began as a simple concept with ideals of personal virtue, simple filial piety, and basic gender distinctions and social inequalities. But, over time with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism it began to transform into a way of life that was degrading towards women with certain hostilities towards rivaling religions. In its early period, from around 500 B.C.E to the Common Era, Confucianism changed in that it became the leading belief system and a major part of Chinese tradition. From the transition into the Common Era to the end of the Classical time period, Confucianism was altered because of a loss of popularity following the collapse of the Han dynasty and the corruption in the governing political system. In its ending period, the post-classical era, Confucianism underwent perhaps its biggest adjustments with the emergence of Neo-Confucianism. The ideas and virtues presented in the “rebirth of Confucian philosophies” of intolerance of foreign religions and extreme filial piety...
For those individuals that choose to look into the philosophy of Confucius, Confucianism recognizes that the quest for virtue is ordinary and providential. However, in this quest of moral aptness Confucius tried to offer other people the fervent self love that he had greatly embodied. To actually make oneself as perfect as possible was the central concern of life. Al...
Confucianism is a religious philosophy formed by the Chinese philosopher Kung-fu-Tsu. This philosophy came out of need during the warring states period of Chinese history. K'ung-fu-Tsu was a teacher at the hundred schools. His prime concern was the improvement of society. Confucianism has no gods, and the only written history of this religion is in the Analects, a collection of his responses to his disciple's questions. K'ung-fu-Tsu believed that the improvement of society was the responsibility of the ruler and that the quality of government depended on the ruler's moral character. This new way meant concern for others and adherance to the golden rule. Confucianism has had a greater and longer lasting influence on China than that of any other religious philosophy.
In India, around the 6th century B.C., a man gave up his royal lifestyle to attain enlightenment, and began teaching others the path to enlightenment as well. This prince-turned-teacher became known as the Buddha. At the same time, in China, Confucius too was just initiating his teachings in social construction. Their teachings became important and are still influential in their home countries. For India, and later on in China too, Buddhism became a religion and in China, Confucianism became a social structure model. Throughout their teachings, three philosophies were covered by both teachers in their own way. These viewpoints were humanity without selfishness, education in the fundamentals of firmness of beliefs and keeping fresh minds, and
Confucianism plays a curious role in life for those involved with the world, as such that it has been one of the most successful forms of guidelines for government and familial narrations throughout all history. Although The Analects have long been held closely to many, particularly to those of Chinese culture, it does by no means take religious form on behalf of its lack of commitment to any specific belief or dogma. In fact, Confucianism is capable to coalesce with any religion without being at variance to any conception of faith; in lieu, the words of Confucius categorize themselves by default as societal steadiness on a fulcrum of the two opposing planes good and amoral; a peak at which utopian and dystopian intersect creating an equilibrium of that which is humanity. In Confucius The Analects, the wholly righteous and the inflexibly good are those who wrongfully emit virtue into the void.
The celebration of a young man entering the adult life is also celebrated within Confucianism. Because the ancestors have such a large importance in Confucian traditions, this family ritual is seen as the presentation of the youth to his ancestors (Oxtoby and Segal 463). Often held for a young man between the ages of fifteen and twenty, this ‘capping’ c...
Confucianism and Daoism are two influential schools of thoughts that have existed in ancient China around the 6th century BCE. The former, led by the politician and philosopher Confucius, proposed that humans live in society according to a set of predefined rules and that they transform society through political action. Whereas the latter, led by the philosopher Lao-Tzu, promoted the idea of inaction; people should go with the flow instead of taking action to control their lives and dominate their surroundings. Although, at first glance Daoism and Confucianism seem to be two opposing philosophies, a more in depth analysis of two of their key ideas –filial piety and education—reveals that they do share some similarities.
Rippin A. 1990, Muslims, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices Volume 1: The Formative Period, Routledge, London and New York.
...d Confucianism have had great influence on Chinese culture. The both seem to share the idea of the Tao or ?way? with different approaches. Confucianism is much better in its approach to humanism. Taoism seems to lack reason of the Tao and why it should be followed. Confucianism deals with the harmony of society as a whole and Taoism deals with the harmonizing of the individual. The goal of the Taoist is to merge with the Tao and to become immortal. The goal of the Confucian is to become wise. These religions need the contribution of Buddhism to round them out. Confucianism leaves out the answers to the after life and the existence of God and in Taoism the Tao is not personal and its followers never worship the Tao. In Buddhism the cycle of existence shown by birth, suffering, old age, sickness and death ultimately leads to the liberation from suffering.
Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the world but it is still one of the most misunderstood religion by many. The Non-Muslims who are unfamiliar with the faith tend to have misunderstandings about its concepts and teachings. These misconceptions misguide Non-Muslims from learning what Islam really is about. Islam simply means submission to God and peace, but many believe that it promotes terrorism, oppression of Muslim women, and that the religion has too many restrictions.
Confucius. The Four Books. Mandarin and English. Ed. And Trans. By James Legge. Beijing: Culture Book Co. 1992. Print.
Islam is the religion of peace. It is not a new religion revealed by the creator Allah Subhana Wa Tala through all His Prophet in every era and to every people Islam is not only a religion it is also a manual of life. Followers of Islam have to submit their wills to God and have to admit that God is one and He is Allah who runs the entire universe. The key of Islam is