Difference between Hinduism and Islam

In the world of religions, there appears to be two approaches to God - one which takes an inward journey to God, believing that God is none other than one's own self; and the other where God is an external power to whom we have to surrender or be a follower of.

When you believe that God is separate from you, you have the relationship of Master-slave or King-subject with God. You are then only called upon to express loyalty to God and your religion begins and ends with this testimony (like the shahadah in Islam) in this sort of belief system. In effect, this leads to such a religion ending up as an activity of aggrandizement to establish political power. (A study of the activities of the Church or the concept of the Islamic 'Ummah' would be revealing.)

However, when you believe that God and you are one, your religion becomes a journey of meditation to realize the God within oneself. External power does not interest you.

In short, if you believe that God and you are one, then your religion is an individual affair between you and God. If, on the other hand, you believe that God and you are separate, then your religion would become political in nature. This difference of approach is exemplified in the difference between the nature of Hinduism and the Semitic religions, where the former is essentially about individualistic attempts towards the divine while the later is about building memberships.