Muhammad in the Bhavishya Purana: Difference between revisions

The '''Bhavishya Purana''' (Sanskrit:भविष्य पुराण, literally "the future Purana") is one of the eighteen major Hindu Puranas. It is traditionally ascribed to the Rishi Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas, although the actual authorship remains unknown and the document is likely the work of many hands. Like the other mahapuranas it is written in Sanskrit.<ref>For the Bhaviṣyat Purāṇa as one of the eighteen major puranas see: Winternitz, volume 1, p. 531.</ref> The title Bhavishya Purana signifies a work that contains prophecies regarding the future or a "history of the future."<ref>For the title signifying "a work which contains prophecies regarding the future" see: Winternitz, p. 567.</ref> The full text of the purana itself was put to writing at a relatively late date, and much of the material in it likely consists of later accretions to the original core text.  

The "mahapuranas" or "great puranas" are traditionally counted at 18, but many more puranas exist outside of these, composing a vast mass of mythological and historical literature on the history of Hindu kings, gods and people. The word "purana"  पुराण in both Hindi and Sanskrit means "old" or "ancient" and the Puranas are thus "the tales of the ancients."  They are traditionally attributed to Vyasa, the narrator of the Mahabharata. They purport to relate the history of the world from its creations. Like most of the Sanskrit Hindu scriptures, the puranas were originally oral texts handed down from teacher to pupil by the priestly brahmin caste. Unlike the Vedas, though, the Puranas show the deep influence of the medieval, popular bhakti worship movement in addition to the high-caste brahmin conception of dharma <ref>Dimmitt, Cornelia; van Buitenen, J. A. B. (2012). Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the Sanskrit Puranas. Temple University Press (1st Edition: 1977). ISBN 978-1-4399-0464-0, 10</ref> The actual composition of the puranas happened far after their supposed composition according to the tradition, and the texts themselves show much evidence of accretions, editions, additions and subtractions along the way to finally being written down. The texts as they come to us in modern times appear to be an amalgation of multiple texts across generations, a veritable encyclopedia of spirituality, myth, chronicles of kings and heroes, as well as devotional and philosophical literature.

On the island of Barbara, Tusha and many others also the followers of Isamsiha were also situated as they were managed by a king or demigods.<ref>Bhavishya Purana: Prati Sarg: Part III:3,3 5-27</ref>}}

Some Islamic [[dawah]] sites make use of this text as proof that Muhammad was foreseen by the Hindu scriptures themselves, and thus Hindus should follow him. <ref>https://islamigems.com/prophet-muhammad-in-hindu-scripture-bhavishya-purana/</ref><ref>https://onegodblog.wordpress.com/prophet-muhammad-pbuh-in-bhavishya-purana/</ref> Although the mention that Muhammad was apparently mentioned in the Purana, they don't mention its late nature, the nature of the puranas, and they tend to literally attribute them to the rishi (ऋषि) Vyasa, when in fact scholarly opinion and even the traditions of Hinduism itself clearly agree upon the fact that this purana like all of the others was the work of many hands over an extremely long period. Furthermore they usually only provide part of the quote, failing to reproduce the passage in full: