Several years ago, a Muslim friend asked me, "What is the name of the God you pray to?" After thinking for a while, I gave him an answer that he never expected. I told him that I pray to Allah. He became stunt and annoyed. He told me that since I am not a Muslim, I should not have answered that way. Even a Hindu would have felt the same way. I should not have answered that way either.
I further went ahead to clarify my stand to my Muslim friend. Lets say that a couple of friends visited me; a Malay, an Indian, a Chinese and an English man. To each one of them, I asked what drinks they want in their own languages. They all wanted to drink water. The language they used were different. But the object they all meant was the same; that is water. It is the same with us. We all have religion and we all pray to the same God; one and the only one. Some call Him Narayana, some call Him Jesus, some call Him Buddha, and some call Him Allah and so on. This we must understand to foster brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God. Only then can we foster peace and happiness. Only then can we claim peace and happiness in the world.
There cannot be many Gods. There is only one God for all mankind and He is Omnipresent and Omniscient. He has many forms and many names. But we have to struggle to renounce the illusion of the 'many' in order to accept the Reality, the 'One'.
