Qazi Sulaiman Mansoor’s Thoughts on Zoroastrians, Hindus, Polygamy, and the Calendars and Years of Different Nations (Part Two)

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 13 September 2025 Abstract: Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri studied both Semitic and non-Semitic religions deeply. He described the conditions of Zoroastrians and Hindus before Islam, showing their moral and social decline. He highlighted how Islam brought justice, peace, and morality. He also explained that polygamy existed in many religions, not only in Islam. In addition, he researched different calendars of nations and provided detailed comparisons. His works encourage fairness, balance, and respect in comparative religion. According to him, interfaith study should be scholarly and free from prejudice. His writings remain valuable for understanding religious history and promoting peaceful dialogue today. Main Points: 1. Zoroastrians suffered decline before Islam restored morality and peace. 2. Hindu civilization was weakened by wars, Buddhism, immorality, and sectarian divisions. 3. Polygamy existed in Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic traditions. 4. Qazi researched calendars of nations, showing historical scientific knowledge. 5. His comparative religion approach teaches fairness, dialogue, and scholarly balance. ----- Conditions of the Zoroastrians Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri, while introducing the Semitic nations and religions in his writings, also provided useful information about the non-Semitic faiths. Concerning the Zoroastrians, he writes: “In Iran, kingdoms have been established since very ancient times. They ruled over nearly one-third of the inhabited world of that period. From the government came peace, and from peace, luxury and indulgence. Excessive pleasure weakened the minds and hearts, shaking the foundations of the empire. Mani’s religion destroyed the ancient order; it stirred restlessness and immorality among men and women. Mazdak abolished private ownership of women, wealth, and land, which created a storm of vice, cruelty, and rebellion. Royal princesses were thrown to death under the lustful desires of army officers. Arguments were made to justify turning forbidden women into lawful wives. Chastity and purity were declared impure for both genders. Unfaithful servants like Farhad became rivals to their kings, and disloyal sons like Shiroyah, in a fit of animal passion, ripped open their father’s stomach in order to possess Shireen. The constant wars between the Roman and Persian empires left the land ruined. The original religion no longer remained. Sacred scriptures were lost and destroyed in Alexander’s invasion. Qazi Mansoorpuri concludes that these were the conditions of the Zoroastrians before they entered the fold of Islam. When Islam embraced this land, the noble teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) freed its people from the prisons of tyranny, immorality, and oppression.” (Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, vol. 3, p. 71) Conditions of the Hindus In his famous book Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri also writes about the Hindus: “The Muslims referred to the people living east of the River Sindh as ‘Indo’ or ‘Hindus’. The ancient history of this land and people is almost entirely dark, though strong evidence suggests that at one time, knowledge had advanced here. The downfall of the Hindu nation, its land, religion, and learning began with the war of the Mahabharata, which occurred at least 1,500 years before Christ. It is said that not a single person in all of India remained neutral in that conflict between the Kauravas and Pandavas. It is estimated that the population at that time was at least 50 million, yet after the war only twelve men were left alive, and even they, upon witnessing such destruction, soon ended their own lives. Six centuries before Jesus Christ, Buddhism appeared. Buddha adopted the Pali language and forbade the teaching of Sanskrit. When Buddhism replaced the Vedic faith, the old scriptures were destroyed. Later, Shankaracharya debated with Buddhists and displayed his learning, but he died at the young age of 33 or 34. His efforts managed to restore Sanskrit to the royal courts, but alongside came exaggeration and mysticism, which obscured reality. One ancient book that survived is the Mahabharata, though even it was not safe from alteration, with some twenty thousand spurious verses added. Buddhism remained strong until the time of Emperor Ashoka, but later declined. Its principles could not keep pace with a civilised world. The countless beggars (Bhikshus) created by Buddhism itself became one of the main causes of its downfall and departure from India. Brahmanism also struggled hard to remove it. After Buddhism declined, the country’s condition worsened. Immorality and vice spread. Dozens of sects such as Chakrantdam Margi, Sahasrbhag Doshanan Mukti, Shakat, Nanwarak Awak, and Dandi emerged, burning morality and culture to ashes. They dominated India. Drinking, gambling, and debauchery were given the name of religion and declared sacred. Such was the wretched state of India.” (Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, vol. 3, pp. 69-70) After describing these conditions, Qazi Mansoorpuri writes: “It was the loving, sympathetic, sincere, and selfless generosity of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) that delivered them from the pit of destruction, and blessed them with civilisation, refined social life, public safety, and complete peace.” (ibid., p. 71) From this research we learn that, according to Qazi Mansoorpuri, Hindus suffered from endless restrictions and shackles. It is, however, true that Hinduism is one of the most ancient religions. The facts highlighted by Qazi Sahib are important in the sense that the religious and spiritual beliefs present among Hindus today are not entirely the product of the original faith, but seem rather a mixture of inventions and innovations. Polygamy Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri in Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen and in Khutbat -i - Sulaiman addressed the issue of polygamy. He observed that today Islam is accused of introducing polygamy, whereas when we study other religions, we find evidence of it there as well. He examined the matter from both a legal and a religious perspective. On the legal aspect, he writes: “The decision of this matter is different for Europe and different for Asia. All the High Courts of India recognise the personality of a man with more than one wife as valid in civil and criminal law. In property cases, these superior courts have acknowledged the rights of two or more wives as legal, issuing decrees in their favour. Under section 494 of the Indian Penal Code, these courts also hold a woman guilty if, while being a second, third, or fourth wife of someone, she marries another person, and they also convict the man who marries her.” (Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, vol. 2, p. 126) From this it can be firmly said that there is no legal obstacle to polygamy. Not only in the Indian Constitution, but also in other international laws, polygamy is permitted. On the religious side, Qazi Mansoorpuri discussed the matter with deep research, showing that apart from Islam, other religions too acknowledged polygamy. He pointed out examples from Hinduism: King Dashrath, father of Shri Ram Chandra Ji, had three wives: Kaushalya: mother of Ram Chandra Ji. Sumitra: mother of Laxman Ji. Kaikeyi: mother of Bharat Ji. King Pandu, the ancestor of the Pandavas, had two wives: Kunti: mother of Yudhishthira, Bhim, and Arjun. Madri: mother of Nakul and Sahdev. King Shantanu had two wives: Ganga: mother of Bhishma. Satyavati: mother of Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Vichitravirya had two wives and one maid: Ambika: mother of Dhritarashtra. Ambalika: mother of Pandu. A maid: mother of Vidura. (Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, vol. 2, pp. 127-131) Similarly, Qazi Sahib also discussed examples from Christianity, Judaism, and other religions, where religious leaders had multiple wives. From these facts, it becomes clear that those who raise objections against Islam’s marital system should first examine their own traditions and the lives of their religious figures. Unfortunately, however, debates on banning polygamy are repeatedly raised in India, as well as by prejudiced Orientalists. This is nothing but bias and hostility against Islam. In reality, the concept of polygamy is found in nearly all civilisations and religions. We need to avoid this one-sided mindset. Years and Calendars One of the unique scholarly contributions of Qazi Mansoorpuri in Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen is his discussion on years and calendars of various nations and religions. He not only provided tables but also explained how to understand them. Some examples include: Hijri Year: Purely lunar, consisting of 354 days. Julian Period: Introduced in 1582 (990 AH); first month January; 365 days and 2 hours. Hebrew Year: First day Monday; lunar months, 12–13 in total. Noah’s Flood Era: First day Thursday; first month Taut; 365 days. Kal Jug: First day Friday; first month Baisakh; 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes. Abrahamic Year: First day Sunday; first month October; 365 days 6 hours. Nebuchadnezzar’s Year: First day Wednesday; first month Taut; 365 days. Alexander’s Era: First day Monday; first month Tishreen I; 365 days 6 hours. Vikrama Solar Year: First day Saturday; first month Baisakh; 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes. Vikrama Lunar-Solar Year: First day Saturday; first month Chet; 12–13 lunar months. Ancient Christian Year: First day Saturday; first month January; 365 days 6 hours. Modern Christian Year: First day Monday; first month January; 365 days, 5 hours, 40 minutes, 46 seconds. Modern Coptic Year: First day Friday; first month Taut; 365 days 6 hours. Nushirwan’s Reign: First day Saturday; first month Khurwad; 365 days. Year of the Elephant: First day Sunday; first month Muharram; 354 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes, 44 seconds. (Rahmat-ul-Lil-Alameen, vol. 2, pp. 348-363) Significance of Qazi Sahib’s Ideas The above discussions and references prove that Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri had deep expertise in both Semitic and non-Semitic religions. That is why in his writings he introduced Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Chinese religions and cultures in a reliable manner. Today, it is essential to adopt Qazi Sahib’s approach and, while working on comparative religion, to maintain moderation. Islam provides highly balanced teachings about dialogue with other faiths and coexistence with other cultures. These teachings should now be advanced further so that the true message of Islam may be conveyed. The central lesson of Qazi Sulaiman Mansoorpuri’s work on comparative religion is that we should promote understanding, dialogue, and comparative study of religions—but in a spirit of scholarship and fairness, avoiding aggressive tones. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/qazi-mansoor-zoroastrians-hindus-polygamy-calendars-part-two/d/136825 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism