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FILIAL PIETY IN CONFUCIANISM AND ISLAM: A COMPARATIVE LITERARY ANALYSIS OF QUR’AN, HADITH, AND FOUR CHINESE CLASSICS
BY: ABDUL SALAM MUHAMAD SHUKRI, OSMAN BIN ABDULLAH
Source: Islam and Civilisational Renewal (ICR) Journal. ICR is published and distributed by International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) in Malaysia
Osman bin Abdullah (Chuah Hock Leng) and Abdul Salam Muhamad Shukri are Associate Professors in the Department of Usul al-Din and Comparative Religion, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM); Normala Othman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, IIUM.
Abstract
This article is an attempt to compare the teachings of Confucius and Islam, specifically The Four Books, which are authoritative works on Confucius, and the original sources of Islam, Qur’an and Sunnah.
The Four Books are the most quoted sources of Confucius’ thought, namely The Great Learning (Da Xue 大学), The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong 中庸), The Confucian Analects (Lun Yu 论) and The Works of Mencius (Mengzi 孟子). The focus shall be on the concept of family and filial piety as found in Confucianism and Qur’an and Sunnah.
Both the teachings of Confucius and Islam emphasise the importance of virtues, ties and order in the family system, for example, the husband is the head of the family and responsible for the family’s existence and security.
Islam and Confucianism are both patriarchal, and the husband and men are protectors of the family and deserve much respect. Young members of the family must respect and obey the elders and vice versa. To Confucius, these virtues are the heavenly way and must be cultivated and developed accordingly as li (礼) or good manners from an early age. The young and old must be treated according to their age. Similar values are also upheld in Islam. However, there are also differences between the two approaches which shall be highlighted as well.
After having studied some of Confucianism philosophy we will be better capable to invite to Islam people who have inherited or embraced that philosophy.
Introduction
Confucius was born in Shandong (山东), China, in 551 BCE, but his teachings, ethics, and influence have widely spread not only in China, but also Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore and other regions in both East and West, and attracted nearly one-fifth of the world’s population.
The Prophet Muhammad was born in 572 from the Hashemite tribe in Mecca and brought Islam to the people as a ‘comprehensive way of life’. Islam has since the time of Muhammad spread from Mecca to the rest of the Arabian Peninsula, then to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and the rest of the world. Nearly one-fifth of the world population is Muslim.
Due to the widespread practices of the two beliefs within the cultures of mankind, the present research was initiated to compare the concepts, similarities, and contrasts of the ubiquitous family institutions of mankind within Confucianism and Islam. It is naturally worthwhile to study the teachings and ways of lives of these two great teachers, their similarities and differences, due to the following reasons:
- Both Confucius and the Prophet Muhammad are accepted by many as two of the greatest teachers in the history of mankind.
- The progressively massive numbers of followers in each belief.
- Both expound the significance of the family upon the individual,
- And while Confucianism stresses on the goodness of life on earth, Islam stresses on this aspect as well and adds to it the goodness of life on earth for the sake of a good result in the hereafter.
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A person who undertakes the task of da’wah should also have a basic knowledge of his or her addressees.
It is quite understandable that Muslims have difficulty convincing Buddhists about God, as their religion does not give any significance to the belief in the existence of God.
But we know every human, whether Muslim or Non-Muslim, knows of God in the depths of their hearts, possibly in a half-forgotten manner. This is the reason why Allah Almighty commands us to remind the non-Muslims of Allah:
فَذَكِّرْ إِن نَّفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ ﴿٩﴾ سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَن يَخْشَىٰ ﴿١٠﴾
Remind then, [others of the truth, regardless of] whether this reminding [would seem to] be of use [or not](9).He who fears [Allah] will be reminded.(10) [Quran 87:9-10]
The foregoing indicates that our duty is to awaken the people to the truth of their origin as God’s creation. Ask them: where do you come from in an ultimate philosophical sense.
Whether they give you the right answer or not, you may begin by giving them the Islamic answer. And if your friend is willing to listen, you can give an idea of God as described in the Quran too.
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Buddhism
ISLAM
Practices
Meditation, the Eightfold Path; right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration
Five pillars: Testament that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger (shahadah); prayer five times daily; fast during Ramadan; charity to the poor (zakat); pilgrimage (Hajj).
Place of origin
Indian subcontinent
Arabian Peninsula, Mecca at Mount Hira.
Use of statues and pictures
Common. Statues are used as meditation objects, and revered as they reflect the qualities of the Buddha.
Images of God or prophets not permitted. Art takes the form of calligraphy, architecture etc. Muslims distinguish themselves from other groups by not drawing lifelike human works, which could be mistaken as idolatry. No image is representative of God
Belief of God
The idea of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent creator is rejected by Buddhists. The Buddha himself refuted the theistic argument that the universe was created by a self-conscious, personal God.
Only one God (monotheism). God is the one True Creator. God has always existed, none existed before him and will exist forever. He transcends life and death. No part of His creation resembles Him, He cannot be seen, but sees all.
Founder
The Buddha (born as Prince Siddhartha)
Prophet Muhammad. According to Islamic scripture, all people who follow God’s revealed guidance and the messengers sent with it ‘submit’ to that guidance, and are considered Muslims (ie. Adam, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, etc.).
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