1

172 Belief Systems are so Confusing

Dear Friends,
Assalamu Alaikum,
We live in a wonderful world. An infinite number of amazing systems and processes working all
around us, and all of them so well synchronized and productively working in concert.
We live in a world or a universe so wonderful that even if we were to spend thousands of
unending lives on this earth it would just not be possible to work out even a fraction of what is
going on around us or for that matter, even within us.
In our quest to learn as to how this universe functions, we have even organized our seeking of
knowledge in to so many never ending fields of study such as Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy,
Cosmology, Botany, and Zoology; oh I could go on and on.
Then what about the study of what is within us?
Just looking at the many fields of Medicine alone would give us an idea of how much more there
is to study about just what is within us. There appears to be specialists for almost every organ in
our body and more!
The human mind is a very inquisitive mind and we are all so curious about how these work, how
all these came about and also trying to predict future developments.
There is, what we could refer to as a scientific view, and that is that this world and all its amazing
systems and process sort of just evolved. The forces, the energies, and all matter sort of
arranged itself in a manner, you could say sort of balancing itself and you may even refer to the
whole cosmos and everything within it as an infinite number of systems in a super dynamic
equilibrium. That is actually a very very very very very simple explanation to the massive powers,
and the balance of these powers that we observe.
There is also another view.
It is commonly referred to as the creationist view
This view is that everything around us is too well designed, organized and synchronized to be
described as evolved. It is a view that I too share, that there has to be a very wise very powerful
and very magnanimous being, whom we refer to as God who has designed and created this
universe and that God is also managing and sustaining everything whether in this universe or even
beyond this universe.
Now to me this view that there is a God who designed and created this Universe and is also
managing and sustaining everything is actually the more interesting or I should say the more
exciting view.
Why do I say it is more exciting, because if I were to follow the theory that there is no God then
my curiosity would only be directed at how or in other words how does the world along with
all its systems and processes function?
But then when I introduce this concept about God or the better wording would be this belief in
God, then my viewing as well as my questioning takes on a new paradigm, I am asking not only
the question how but, what would now be capturing my thinking processes would include two
other types of questions too, namely why and also what for

The why and the what for may sound similar questions, but they actually cover two areas,
why could refer to the past and what for are the questions seeking purpose, objectivity and a
God purpose look in to the future What is going to happen? or What is Gods plan?
So when we view the world with the view of there being a creator then we enter those
wonderfully stimulating arenas of questioning & seeking that we refer to as the fundamental
questions of life.
What are these fundamental questions of life?
There are 100s of them. Let me list out a few;
Who am I?
Is there a God?
Who is God?
What are His attributes?
How do I seek or recognize God?
How did life begin?
What am I doing on Earth?
Why am I alive?
What is the purpose of my life?
Why do I have this thing called consciousness?
What was I or where was I before I was born?
What happens when I die?
And so on and so on.
There are 100s of such questions and each question leads on to so many other questions.
Now these fundamental questions or rather the seeking of the answers to the fundamental
questions of life is also referred to as the seeking of the truth.
Well you could ask what truth?
It is actually seeking out the answers to all those questions, so in this search we also have to learn
to recognize, identify and then not get distracted by those things that divert us or deceive us from
seeking out the elusive answers.
These distractions are so deceptive that the seeker recognizes them as false and misleading and
thus realizes that screening out the falsehoods has to reveal the truth
This journey to seek the truth has often been described as the purpose of life.
In other words to those who believe that there is an all wise, all powerful, all magnanimous
creator, designer, manager and sustainer; then seeking out that power, or that Being, and seeking
out the objectives for all this creation which we call the truth itself, becomes the purpose of life.
Amazing isnt it?
So to seek out this truth or to seek out these truths of life how do we start or from where do we
begin?
We could begin with a blank slate. That is, we begin our seeking from scratch.
However there seems to be another way, a sort of a way where we could get a sort of a jump start.
Now what is that way?
I would describe it as the way of the religions!
3

Wonderful isnt it?

Generally speaking all religions have a founder leader.
For example the founder leader of Buddhism would be Lord Buddha.
Similarly Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad could be described as the founder leaders of
Christianity and Islam respectively. I do not know who could be described as the founder leader
of Hinduism.
Now all these founder leaders of these religions actually described or showed the way to
discovering or seeking these truths.
It is the power or the effects of their words and actions that drove people to try to follow their
paths thus establishing their way as a religion.
So we find that Lord Buddha had a large following in and around India or we could even say
spreading to Asia, Jesus Christ had his following in West Asia spreading to Europe and Prophet
Muhammad had his following in the Arab lands and the Middle East spreading to Northern
Africa, Southern Spain and Central Asia.
So if we are sincere in searching for these truths should we not first seek through the paths of
these religions?
Well, that is a relief, because through a religion we have a well established or a well described
path.
But then, here comes the perplexing question.
Which religion should I follow?
I am sure the Buddhist would say, If you want to find the truth, then Buddhism is the way
I am also sure that the Hindu, the Christian and the Muslim, all of them, would also say that if we
want to seek the truth then we should follow the path of their respective religion.
What is even more perplexing is that each adherent of each religion would also tell us that if we
were to follow the paths of the other religions then we would find ourselves going against the
truth.
Perplexing isnt it?
So I wish to seek the truth, the answers to all those fundamental questions.
So which religion should I follow?
I want to know about God.
I want to be able to recognize God.
I want to realize the objectives with which God created this Universe.
I want to know why God created me.
I want to know about life after death.
And most importantly,
I want to know how I could ensure that my life after death is going to be more pleasant than my
life in this world.
The mere thought of death, and the uncertainty of what would happen after death frightens me.
It is a terrifying thought.
This is what people refer to as the fear of the unknown So I do not want it to be unknown.
I want to find out.
I want to know.
How do I?
4

Which religion should I follow?

The adherent or follower of each religion would say, Only my religion shows the correct way and
all other religions would take you away from the truth.
So how do we sort out this problem?
Let us see what each religion tells us about God, about creation of the Universe, about the purpose
of our life or more specifically the purpose of my life and also let us see what each religion
informs us about as to what happens after death.
My thinking or I should refer to it as my natural thinking tells me that every religion should
inform us the same thing. Remember it is the truth.
So truths have to be same everywhere and to every person.
My natural thinking is that the only difference to all these religious teachings should be as to who
said it.
To my, what I refer to as natural thinking, the ways described in all religions should be the same
or at least very very similar.
The message of the Buddhist or the Hindu or the Christian or the Muslim where the truths are
concerned, should be same.
Maybe there could be some decorative differences in the presentation.
The only difference should be that the Buddhists would attribute the way to Lord Buddha and the
Christian to Jesus Christ and the Muslims to Prophet Muhammad.
But then dear listeners, what do we see!!
Let me describe the very basic fundamental belief systems of all these 4 religions!
Buddhists believe in reincarnation or rebirth
Purpose is to avoid suffering and gain enlightenment and release from cycle of rebirth, or at least
attain a better rebirth by gaining merit. They believe in a series of reincarnations till we attain
enlightenment.
Hindus believe in One Supreme Reality (Brahman) manifested in many gods and goddesses.
They believe Humans are in bondage to ignorance and illusion, but are able to escape.
Purpose is to gain release from rebirth, or at least a better rebirth.
Christians believe One God who is a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
They also believe that all have sinned and are thereby separated from God.
Salvation is through faith in Christ and, for some, sacraments and good works.
Eternal heaven or hell (or temporary purgatory).
Muslims believe in One God (Allah) and also believe that God has sent Prophets to guide
mankind and the final Prophet is Muhammad (PBUH)
I am a Muslim so I can elaborate a little more about the belief of Muslims.
Muslims also believe that God revealed the Old Testament, the Psalms and the New Testament to
earlier Prophets and finally the Holy Quran to Prophet Muhammad.
Muslims also believe that since Prophet Muhammad was divinely guided then following his path
would ensure our guidance. It is a sort of an assured short cut to guidance.
5

So what is preached is really a sort of a prescription for success Believe in God (Allah) and copy
cat the Prophet Those who believe and copy cat the Prophet properly would after death be in
heaven and those who do not would be in hell forever.
I have just described, of course in my words, the belief systems of the 4 most practiced religions
in Sri Lanka as well as in the World.
We are also told that religions are the path to seeking the truth.
Well it is very very obvious to me and I am sure to any intelligent seeker that all four of these
belief systems cannot be correct. They are so so different.
Isnt it obvious that all four just cannot be correct?
Only one of them can be correct. So then which one?
The Buddhist is going to insist that it is only their way that is correct. Similarly the Hindu and the
Christian and the Muslim are going to insist, equally vehemently, that it is only their way the way
of their respective religion that is correct.
But then, the more frightening thought, What if all four of them are wrong?
So what do I do?
The stakes are too high, we are talking about objectives of life, our purpose on earth and about
that great unknown, life after death, as I have said; the stakes are too high to give up or to lose
interest just because there is something very confusing about the belief systems of religions.
Surely seeking the truth is not going to be a walk in the park.
Seeking the truth requires dedication and focus and the ability to unravel the many mysteries that
surround or obscure the truth.
So now we have this rather difficult or you could even call it a very sensitive task of trying to find
out which of the religions describes to us the fundamental pillars to the truth and therefore
indicates the path to seeking the truth.
As we have observed all 4 just cannot be correct.
Only one of them can be correct or else the more frightening option maybe all four of them are
wrong!!!
So again, I ask this question, What do I do?
In a way it is confusing, in a way it is frightening and also, surprisingly it is interesting too!
Interesting isnt it?
Now when we start thinking, another realization dawns.
It is really amazing how the thought processes work.
That realization is that the basics, the fundamentals, the original teachings of these religions have
to be correct.
That statement needs emphasizing, so let me repeat it however this time with more emphasis;
the basics, the fundamentals, the original teachings of these religions have to, have to, have to,
have to be correct.
6

Now anyone could get confused.

I first say that all 4 jut cannot be correct and it is even possible that all four could be wrong and
then I say that the original teachings of all these 4 religions have to be correct.
However, I am sure you listeners are beginning to realize the gist of what I am now pointing out
to.
The founder leaders sought out the truth or discovered the truth or you could even say the truth
was revealed to them, whatever the means, it is obvious that thousands of people at that first
opposed these founder leaders and then suddenly began flocking around them and then these
followers themselves changed their life you could even say completely to becoming seekers of the
truth.
So it becomes obvious that the original message of these founder leaders has to have been striking
at the very core or at the very heart of the truth.
People who sought the truth from the example of these founder leaders of religion were so taken
up by the truth that they changed their lives and devoted it to the seeking and the practicing of the
truth or the way. These sincere followers then handed over these teachings to their children
advising them to hold on to this way and these teachings even in the face of extreme adversity or
opposition and to never give it up.
The evidence that thousands flocked to these founder leaders of the religion and that they also
changed their complete lifestyle in being seekers of the truth is enough evidence for me to
seriously consider that all these founder leaders of religions had discovered the truth and the way
to the truth.
Now if it is the truth then it is obvious that all of them had discovered the same truth, the very
same truth.
I am repeating an earlier statement that I have made in that the truth cannot be different to
different people because they belonged to a different era or were from a different land.
Truth is truth irrespective of the period in history or the geographical location or even the
language of the people.
Truth is the truth.
Truth is very elusive but to the seeker who seeks and discovers, the truth has to be immediately
recognizable.
Truth has to be enlightening, truth has to be sensational.
To the seeker of the truth, life can never be the same again, without him realizing, his life would
be undergoing changes and the most obvious of these changes is that the seeker would begin to
recognize all those activities that are actually distracting or deceptive and would turn away from
them.
Did not all founder leaders of religions follow this path?
So now in trying to work out or seek out the truth I have this huge task in front of me.
Let me describe it in sequence so that I could lead up to the conclusion or the platform from
which we could initiate our search for the truth and remember it has to be serious and focused.
We first looked at the World and the Universe appreciating all the wonderful systems and
processes well synchronized and working in concert.
7

We discussed that there are two views to the functioning of the universe, one of which described
the universe as an evolving balance of energies, power and matter and the second view that all
these processes and systems has to have been planned designed and created and that all this and
more is being done by a super wise super powerful being which we refer to as God.
I preferred the view of there being a God because then everything begins to have object and
purpose and since my mind is curious I want to solve this puzzle about the purpose of this
universe, the purpose of my life and as to what happens after death.
These answers or the seeking of these answers is known as the search for the truth.
We then realized a good way to seek out these truths is to follow the path of those who have
discovered the truth or those who have pointed out to us the way to the truth. In other words we
are talking about the paths shown to us by the founder leaders of religions or we could even
describe it as the path of religions.
However it is here that we face an uncomfortable shock.
Each religion has different belief systems, and since belief system is inextricably locked in to the
truth, we just cannot understand how there could be 4 very different belief systems for the 4 major
religions of the World which also happens to be the 4 major religions in Sri Lanka.
So I now come to the realization that the founder leader of the religions did show us the way to
the truth but then over these last so many centuries it is possible that at each generation some
detail was added to the teaching so that it would become easier for us to seek the truth but
unfortunately these additions rather than guide us has taken us astray.
Could that be possible?
So is it that we have the original teachings or the original scriptures and then we have a series of
commentaries, well written explanations to the scriptures, and then we have commentaries on the
commentaries and so on and so on and eventually we have a religion that is just not recognizable
from the original!!!
Could this be possible?
Should we not be devoting a good part of our lives in trying to find out?
Should we not be devoting a good part of our lives in seeking out these truths?
I am reminded of these words of Malcolm X the famous African-American Muslim minister and a
human rights activist who said;
You're not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can't face reality.
Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.
I wish to read this quote as;
You're not supposed to be so blind with religion that you can't face reality.
Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.
Insha Allah, In the next few weeks I hope to discuss many aspects of what I call issues and facts
we should know if we are keen to seek the path to the truth and the truth, the enlightening truth!
I sincerely pray and hope that all of you benefit from these talks as much as I benefit from
preparing and then presenting these talks to you.
8

May Allah Taaalah guide us all and accept us all.

Jazza Kalla Khairan.
Assalamu Alaikum

Imtiaz Muhsin
Colombo Sri Lanka
crescent786@hotmail.com
You Tube Channel - HaneefanMusliman