Hinduism and Islam are two widely practiced religions, particularly in India and the subcontinents. Both Hinduism and Islam have unique practices and traditions, which may vary by city, region or population. They share a common belief in a supreme god, who is Brahma or Allah respectively. Traditions differ regarding the central texts used, as well as differences in the process of reaching the afterlife and core beliefs. Although Hinduism may be considered by some to be a polytheistic religion in its most basic form, Hinduism is based on a single deity. Brahma is the god from whom all other gods are derived and each god is a manifestation of the one being. There are four other main deities, besides Brahma, who are traditionally worshipped. The first god is Vishnu, who also has the title Krishna. Vishnu is the omnipresent god who comes to Earth in a multitude of forms. Vishnu's aim is to get rid of the evils of the world and also to establish dharma, which is the moral code. Vishnu is believed to have ten incarnations, eight of which have already occurred. The seventh incarnation of Vishnu was in the form of Rama, the main character of the Ramayana. Some believe that the ninth incarnation is the period when Vishnu came in the form of Krishna, while others believe that his ninth incarnation was that of Buddha. The second deity is Shiva who does not come as a reincarnation but rather appears as a divine paradox of a creator and a destroyer. The deity Parvati, married to Shiva, is also called the Goddess or Devi. Of all the gods manifested from Brahman, Ganesha is the most popular because he is the God of good fortune. Generally, Ganesha is depicted as the recognizable elephant-headed middle of paper...... in the Quran and is also cited in the Hadith as a requirement for prayers to be accepted by Allah. The fourth pillar is the observance of Ramadan or fasting and the last pillar of Hajj is the obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca. Pilgrimage to Mecca is a requirement at least once in the life of every able-bodied Muslim person. Overall, Hinduism and Islam share a similar belief in a supreme God but differ on multiple traditions. The Hindu tradition focuses on a central text, the Veda, which Islam considers the Quran as its central text. The two traditions also differ on the afterlife, with Hinduism focusing on the path to enlightenment and Islam focusing on pleasing Allah through the five pillars of Islam. In summary, each tradition has its god and its texts at the center but differs on the practices associated with the afterlife...