The word dharma is Sanskrit and deen Arabic.
Both loosely defined mean “righteousness” or “path” – specifically the spiritual path. A true devotee’s goal is following this path – not wasting time on petty issues, not rivalry about which religion is superior, not bothering with extremist ideology, or seeking converts. A devout Hindu must follow dharma, while a devout Muslim must follow deen. Dharma Deen Alliance is a website run by two aspirants on their respective paths to Higher Truth, and it will explore spiritual law, higher living, and devotional love.
In addition, Dharma Deen Alliance will counter the misconception that Hinduism and Islam cannot co-exist together. Because of our South Asian backgrounds we’re especially bothered by the consistent focus in the news about violence between Hindus and Muslims. We’ll share under reported news stories documenting unity between both communities . Working and living together peacefully with no quarrel, taking care of each others mandirs and masjids, and celebrating holidays and festivals side by side. And we’ll honor the lives of saints and seekers who worked to reconcile both paths such as Shirdi Sai Baba, Guru Nanak, Kabir, Ramakrishna, and numerous others.
Dharma Deen Alliance 
Best of luck to Dharma Deen Alliance. My conratulations to Shri Ravi and Janaab Azim for their well conceived project.
Really very good articles and a very good effort..keep it up guys..God bless u..!!
Hi Chris,Great blog, much of it reflecting my own tohguhts and questions. Like you I’m a white UK citizen who has been heavily drawn towards Hinduism. Having rejected Christian faith at an early age too many rules, burning in hell, guilt, shame etc etc I came across Buddhism for a short spell in my teens. It felt good but I took another path of being a wild teenager and lost my way!Over the last five years or so I’ve been seeking a closer contact with God’ however you want to see him. Books came my way’ and I was hooked.I was brought up in South London, so was always around Indian people. My first ever memory (9 months old!) was of an Indian lady friend of my mum in a saree serving dinner. On a work trip to Tamil Nadu several years ago I arrived jetlagged in Chennai. I met my Indian colleague and we set off, I had the overwhelming sensation that I had been there before. The chaos, the smell, the poverty etc that usually amazes us westerners just felt so familiar. All I wanted to do was get out on the streets and visit temples. My Hindu friends did take me to lots of incredible temples on my visits there but generally wouldn’t let me out the hotel! My interest in Hinduism and it’s teachings just deepened and deepened. It is a path that makes sense for me.As to whether I can call myself a Hindu, I really don’t know. It kind of doesn’t really matter I suppose. I read, I learn and I follow the path to the best of my ability. Does one really have to be born into a Hindu family to be a Hindu? Again, the path is there for all to take, should one choose it.Anyway, I could rattle on for ages but I won’t. I will keep an eye on your upcoming posts and read a few more that you have already written,Thanks, Andy
God bless you. keep it up with the work you are doing.
The fact that, over the millennia, varoius scholars/scientists/ thinkers have infiltrated the ranks of religionists and documented their concepts and findings in vedic texts (that in turn remained valid forever) had clearly convinced me that this faith is beyond blind belief and superstition. How on earth could thay declare that the creation is beginningless and endless some 5ooo yrs ago (RigVeda circa 3500BC) is beyond my comprehension. Additionally they offered an olive branch to all future faiths, saying truth is one and wise call it by different names (RigVeda)’. In this setting it is not needed if one should doubt one is a hindu or not .White/other people make excellent hindus. They are actually studying the vedas and upanishads and hence are more knowledge based than most born ones .If I say welcome then Iam asserting Iam somehow there ahead of others, thats an example of ignorance on my part. Instead I say lets pray together. On a sidenote, any thoughts on why the sages claim that what all we see out there’ is all maya (illusion)? Lets rev up the debate a bit dear pundits. Cheers. Surya, Chicago.
A beautiful effort–reclaiming a great history and building hope for all of us, Christians too.
What a wonderful site–you are reclaiming a great history and creating a lot of hope for the future. I am a Catholic who loves both of these faiths. God is One and God is Greater.
Siddharth, sorry, you seem really dolislusiined. Maybe you need to get your head checked. Or maybe you are a Muslim in disguise. All religions are not equal. Hinduism never raged holy wars, Hindus never occupied other countries and forced conversions on anybody. And the plight of dalits is not as bad as what Africans had to go through in the USA and in the ancient Arab world when they were slaves. You mentioning that is like the pot calling the kettle black or even worse. Millions of Hindus are killed during Muslim invasions and many more millions are converted to Islam by force. And now India has the largest Muslim population in the world.The most important fact is Hinduism never had anything to do with the plight of Dalits. It is a social problem but historically since Hindus were the only people in that area, this problem gets associated with Hinduism. And Hindus are doing a lot to eradicate this problem. Probably Christianity has more to do with slavery than Hinduism has with the dalit problem.Another fact is Atheism is not born out of frustration in the Hindu world. Hinduism is the only religion that lets its followers be Atheists if they want to. So don’t tell us that some Hindus are frustrated with their religion and became Atheists. NO. Hinduism allows it unlike your Islam or Christianity. That is the kind of freedom you get by being a Hindu. Get some education and some insight, please. We cannot afford more and more people like you in this world.And the bottom line is Hindus have no hidden agenda, there are not spending billions trying to convert the whole world to Christianity (www.joshuaproject.net) and they are not calling anybody Kafirs(vermin)/infidels because they are not Hindus.
Great website!
Intriguing concept. Will be reading this blog with great interest!
very nice. i like this. Good feeling factor when we seek out more what we have in common than otherwise. Not knowing how near truth is, we seek it far away, what a pity,…. they are like him, who, in the midst of water cries in thirst so….imploringly.
Hi Ravi and Azeem
I hope you don’t mind me writing this here, but I’m hoping you can help me… this isn’t spam, I promise!
My name is Richard J. Bartlett and I have my own blog on WordPress, The Last Song I Heard – http://thelastsongiheard.wordpress.com – which I predominantly write for my son.
I’m in the process of writing a book about personal beliefs and was wondering if you’d be interested in contributing.
I’m trying to get viewpoints from a broad range of people, representing a broad range of beliefs, including agnostics and atheists. My goal is for the reader to be presented with new and thought-provoking ideas about our place in the universe and, hopefully, to find some common ground between the different beliefs.
I’d really like to hear from you both, since Ravi can speak of Hinduism and Azeem can speak of Islam.
If you’re interested, you can read more about it here – http://thelastsongiheard.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/the-rivers-of-belief-enigma/
I hope you can contribute – I’d love to read your responses!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at thelastsongiheard “at” gmail.com
Sincerely,
Richard J. Bartlett
Dear Ravi & Azeem,
You have started a wonderful initiative and wish you all the best. As you can see there are several people who are looking to be part of something like this. I am one of them and would be so happy of you would read my experiences here:
God, religion, love & mischief http://wp.me/p2YUsB-6o
&
Happy Holi-day http://wp.me/p2YUsB-4K
Love, Mehak
May god bless you… best of luck…
good job keep up the good work….
Great initiative – I pray that your voices may reach many souls! So we may all learn to love and respect all. To understand the unknown, removes our fears, and allows us to accept, that which is beyond our comfort zone. Blessings!