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By Ijaz Chaudry

Candomblé at a glance;

Candomblé is a religion based on African beliefs which is particularly popular in Brazil. It is also practiced in other countries, and has as many as two million followers.

Candomblé is an African-Brazilian religion. It was born of a people who were taken from their homes in Africa and transplanted to Brazil during the slave trade.

Difference between Candomblé and Islam, Islamic point of view;

Candomblé;

Practitioners of Candomblé believe in one all powerful God called Oludumaré who is served by lesser deities. These deities are called orixas. (They can also be called voduns and inkices.)

Islam;

Islam also believes in one all powerful God, who is called by different names by different people but mean the same thing the creator of Heavens & Earth.  Unlike Candomblé there are no lesser or equal deities in Islam who have any powers, because all power is associated with God, who lets things happen to humans based on what decisions were made by these humans in the Heavenly Feud;

[38:69]  "I had no knowledge previously, about the feud in the High Society.*

*38:69 The feud in the High Society was triggered by Satan's challenge to God's absolute authority. This is definitely the most important event in the history of the human race. We failed to make a firm stand regarding God's absolute authority. This life represents the third and final chance to redeem ourselves

There are angels associated with each human being who record what that human is doing but all power they have comes from God.

[82:10]  Oblivious to the fact that there are (invisible) keepers around you.

[82:11]  They are honest recorders.

Candomblé;

Candomblé is an oral tradition and therefore has no holy scriptures.

Islam;

Islam is a belief system and has a holy scripture The Quran.  Quran confirms and supersedes the Old Testament and the New Testament since Quran being The Final Testament and there will be no more scriptures after this.

Candomblé;

Followers go to terreiro for a number of reasons. Many go to have their fortunes told. To do this, a priest or priestess casts cowry shells and interprets the pattern in which they fall. Others go for months to immerse themselves in the spiritual and become possessed by their orixa (deities).

Islam;

Muslim’s go to Mosques to worship God alone and supplication.  Muslim’s do not believe in fortune telling.  Islam recognizes that these practices do take place but Muslim’s are not allowed to take part in it.  Quran, talks about Jinn’s who are invisible to us but they can see us.  Majority of Jinn’s are disbelievers and they can influence people’s lives.  Fortune telling and voodoo are part of what Jinn’s can associate with.  Muslim’s are asked to stay well away from these practices, and ask for help from God alone.

This article has direct reference to material on www.bbc.co.uk/religion.  Thus the paragraphs under the heading Candomblé is from BBC.  Lot of effort has been taken to leave this material in its original form and minimize the amount of material in proportion to what BBC has put on their site.   This is done in compliance with Section 110 (5) of the Copyright Act 1976.