A beautiful similarity in one of the stories of Islam and Hinduism

 I wanted to share a similarity in the message of stories that I noted in one of the stories of Islam and Hinduism.

I.

First, let me talk of the story that is related to the Prophet Ibrahim (A.S). about the incident of the great fire into which the prophet was thrown by the tyrant Nimrod. There is an anecdote (although it's not explicitly stated in the holy book) that as the blazing fire leapt, a small bird was seen to carry water drops in its beak back and forth from a nearby river and making consistent efforts to help in dousing the flames. The other larger birds would mock at her act taunting that her action was no good since the tiny amounts of water would hardly have any effect on such great flames leaping up the skies. To that, the bird replied with sincerity that it knew it wouldn't be able to achieve the end result of extinguishing the flame to save the beloved prophet, but it knew in its heart that the sincere effort was what mattered and that is what was eventually significant in the eyes of God. 

The link of the story are available here:

Even the Fire Couldn't Stop This Tiny Bird's Devotion to Ibrahim!

Do What You Can to Help, for Allah Will Ask What You Did Not How Much… | Amaliah

II.

Now, what I was in awe of was that I realized that a very similar theme/anecdote exists in the Ramayana connected to the Ram-Setu story with Rama. As the Vanars (monkeys) were carrying big boulders (with the name of Rama written on them) and working hard to create the bridge (setu) to Lanka, a small squirrel was seen carrying small pebbles and consistently going back and forth so it could help in the building of the bridge. The Vanars were seen making fun of her and commenting that her act was futile as it was having no contribution whatsoever in the building of the enormous structure on water. Meanwhile, Rama (incarnation of God) was present observing all things and events and quietly smiling. He then went and took the squirrel in his palm and gave his words of wisdom to the Vanar Sena stating that any effort done with pure sincere devotion is what is sacred in the eyes of God and that is never small. He also blessed the squirrel for its act immortalizing that act of devotion.

I decided to post this video of this particular sequence as no other link would do justice.

महाएपिसोड - जानिए राम सेतु बनाने में गिलहरी क्या था योगदान ? श्रीमद् रामायण

(In the video, which is actually a full episode of the series, the episode I am talking about is present from time stamp: 33:19- 38:00 minutes)

Truly, one should do their karma as it's their duty, irrespective of their strengths/ weaknesses/ limitations as every tiny bit does count (although it may not be visible physically but counts spiritually) and that the final outcome rests with God. Moreover, what I found deep was that ultimately, as each soul is answerable to God, consistently doing what is the right thing (even though you may face criticism or no support from peers or others in power) is what is true Dharma of every being...

A beautiful similarity in one of the stories of Quran and Ramayana

 

I wanted to share some interesting insights and beautiful similarities I noted in one of the stories of the holy Quran (Surah Al-Fil, 105:4) and that of the Ramayana (Ram-Setu episode). The connection I am posting about is based on the story of the Ababeel (birds) of the Surah Al-Fil in Quran.

 First, I will talk of that part:

    In that story, there is a tyrant (named Abraha) who wanted to destroy the holy Kaaba and marched along with his mighty army of elephants. At that moment, Abdul-Muttalib, the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) prayed to Allah to help protect Kaaba from the attack. At that moment, the sky was filled with a vast flock of Ababeel (birds) that were each carrying specific stones (called Sijjil in the Quran), with each bird carrying one in its beak and two in both its claws, thus fully loaded. Seeming harmless at first, these little stones rained down on the army and had the power to completely destroy the army of Abraha and his elephants and brought about the complete destruction of the tyrant’s army, thus protecting the house of God.

     Let me now talk of the Ramayana episode which bears a familiarity with this. In that story, Rama, in his ardent search for his beloved wife Sita (who was abducted by the tyrant Ravana in his golden palace Lanka), takes help of his army of monkeys (Vanar Sena), who carried stones that were thrown on the sea, and they began to float instead of sinking (due to a divine miracle as they bore the name of Ram written by the Vanar Sena, although some other narratives say that they floated as they were thrown by specific Vanars (Nal and Neel) who had the boon that whatever they threw in water shall never sink). The bridge (called as Ram Setu) was thus built after innumerable stones were carried and thrown on water without sinking, and Ram crossed it with his army and overthrew the tyrant Ravana and saved the prestige of his dynasty (Raghukul) and also brought back his wife, thus upholding Dharma...

Now, I found that the stones which the birds carried were stones of baked clay or pumice (referred to as Sijjil) that are supposedly very light (and that's what makes it possible for birds to carry it), but when thrown from such heights in the sky, they are capable of wreaking havoc...And in this case, pumice stone has air pockets and is actually porous, so if its thrown in water (which was the case in the story of Ramayana) it can actually float (see the photo below and the link with it, where the nature of such stones as in the Surah Al-Fil is described):

Note that the link below only talks about the power of stones in the Ababeel story when they were sent down from a great height but in the sky.

 

Birds and Baked Clay - Amplify Islam

However, the common theme I observed was that the stone used in Ram Setu construction was also same (pumice stone); thus, it was indeed Sijjil (but which was thrown on the water by monkeys) instead of thrown on the ground by birds...But the purpose of both was the same- that is, to uphold the Dharma or sanctity and bring about the destruction of the evil (Abraha in the first and Ravana in the second case). I was awed as I also noted that both six-lettered names (Abraha and Ravana) are mostly similar (67% similar letters), and both were tyrants who were filled with pride (takabbur) and chose the path of adharma...

Interestingly enough, one of the recent missiles Iran launched against Israel in the Iran-US-Israel 2026 war (to uphold the truth and Dharma) was also called "Sijjil" - inspiration deriving from the name of that baked clay stone Sijjil mentioned in the Surah Al-Fil. 

 Moreover, the actual pumice stone (from the holy Hindu site of Rameswaram, South India), is actually sold as originating from the Ram Setu Bridge, and those pilgrims who visit Rameswaram can actually bring similar stones that actually float on water). I had a similar stone that I was so fascinated with in the house once and I was told by my mother in my early childhood that her father got it from Rameswaram when he visited it in one of his pilgrimages...I was so deeply fascinated by that stone that I would drop it in water and it would float, and I always wanted to keep that holy stone...Anyways, now as I look back, there is no stone or any bridge, just flowing water.............

A beautiful similarity -Sufism and Hinduism

 

I had heard of a popular Sufi poem by Bulleh Shah (that was also sung as a Sufi Qawwali), and for some reason I could not stop noticing a common cord between it and a story connected with the Hindu God Ganesh (in hinduism).

First, this is the Sufi song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XnIT1XhMe0&list=RD4XnIT1XhMe0&start_radio=1

whose poetry lines which I am talking about are as follows:

"padh padh ilm kitaaban wala 

naam rakhayo qaazi

makke jakar hajj par aaya

naam rakhayo haaji

far shamsheer mujahidin waali

naam rakhayo gaazi

ho, bulleh shah ne kuch nai kita

yaar nu kita raazi...."

 Also, the above lines (in Hindi) are:

"पढ़ पढ़ इल्म किताबों वाला

 नाम रखायो क़ाज़ी

मक्के जा कर हज पढ़ आयो 

नाम रखायो हाजी

फर शमशीर मुजाहिदन वाली

 नाम रखायो ग़ाज़ी

हो बुलेह शाह ने कुछ नहीं किता 

यार नूं किता राज़ी"

So, this poem essentially talks about that while all others went outside and travelled the world such as qaazi (the one who gathered knowledge from studies), haaji (the one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca), and gaazi (the one who fought battles with his sword and claimed victory), Bulleh shah did not do any of these three things, but all he did was devote himself and make the Beloved raazi by following him and worshipping him and loving him deeply....

        Now, in Hinduism, there is a very popular story that is connected to Ganesh (one of the sons of Lord Shiva and Parvati). The full story can be heard here in English: (159) Ganesha and Kartikeya Race Story in English | Indian Mythological Stories | Pebbles Stories - YouTube

The summary of the story is that Ganesh and his brother Kartikeya had a competition and one of the sages suggested that in order to claim victory both should circle the whole earth/universe 3 times and whoever does that first and faster will be the winner. Hence, Kartikeya set out for the journey on his peacock, and we are shown that Ganesh (who has a mouse as his vehicle) stands quietly and watches his brother hurriedly go. He then turns towards Shiva and Parvati and starts the tawaf (making rounds) and completes 3 rounds while all watch in awe. He then claims that since for him his parents (who are God) are the whole world and the universe and contain the whole earth /universe/everything, he has completed the competition. After some time, we see Kartikeya arriving and understanding the cleverness of Ganesh. Both Shiva and Parvati are overjoyed at the wisdom and deep devotion of Ganesh. 

So, the juxtaposition of both (poetry themes and the Hindu story) does have common cord. In the second case, while other person went away and travelled whole of earth and farther, all Ganesh did was make his Beloved (here God who were also his parents) raazi or worship them and devote himself to them...