The Spread of Buddhism and The Spread of Islam - Essay Example

One of the key elements that was prevalent in both Islam and Buddhism is the fact that both possessed a charismatic leader that propagated for their religions. George Bernard Shaw once said about Muhammad: "He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness".  Muhammad was the most reviled figure in the history of the West from the 7th century until quite recent times.

Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was confident, poise, compassionate and had an amazing personality. One of the reasons why Muhammad is truly an influential figure ever witnessed by the mankind was due to the fact that he was a key prophet. In Islam, the tradition of prophethood is extremely vital (Staples 63). Yet, Muhammad was an astonishing leader in his community morally and intellectually. This is essential because he becomes a model for his followers. Muhammad was extremely kind-hearted, and had amazing character (Staples 65).

Before Mohammad even achieved his prophethood, he was some illogical traditions that were barbaric. For example, Arab and Persian tribes had a tradition of burying their young daughters alive (Varisco 139). The reason was due to the mentality that girls were considered a burden in the family, while the young son can facilitate his dad in earning the daily bread. When Muhammad saw these cruel acts, he immediately put an end to it. Similarly, Buddha possessed similar capabilities that allow both individuals to propagate their message to a mass populous which needed a savior during their times.

Buddha was an amazing character because he has struggled to achieve his salvation and adapted a lifestyle that few could tolerate. Both Buddhism and Islam ousted these illogical traditions and solidified a root foundation of justice that was so critical in those eras. For instance, when Muhammad was born, the Arabian Peninsula was in chaos (Hart, 9). However, traditions such as burying young born girls alive, oppression and cruelty was prominent. Similarly, Buddha was born in a wealthy family but continues to severe signs of poverty that plagued society.

Both Islam and Buddhism implemented reform in a manner that no other religions had the ability to do so. It was inevitable that Muhammad and Buddha both changed the political, economical, and social spheres in their respective societies. Without a doubt, Islam was reached due to theological factors for many reasons. First and foremost is the fact that Islam banished interest and alcohol. Alcohol was the main cash crop of Arab back in that era and was the root foundation for trade (Hart, 22). Moreover, merchants were not able to charge interest unjustifiable, which was detrimental to their business.

The social movement of reform that Islam implemented was clearly a brilliant indication of an unforeseen change that would dynamically modify the globe. Buddhism is a religion that teaches peace and is regarded to be one of the most common meeting grounds for all the Asian cultures. Unlike Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, Buddhism does not embrace the idea of divine holiness. The components that create Buddhism are critical as they embrace peace and allow individuals to reflect from within. Hence Buddhism is embraced my Asian cultures because it rejects diety, promotes