Beliefs - refers to a conviction concerning particular ideas.

Belief shapes our ideas regarding our

reality, and is influenced by our perception, experiences, and ideas.

Faith - is generally defined as belief that is not based on proof. It also cannoles confidence or trust in a
person or a thing.

Belief System - are the stories we tell ourselves or ideas we hold that define our personal sense of
reality. Every human being has a belief system that he or she utilizes, and it is through this mechanism
that he or she makes sense of the world.

Characteristics of Belief System

1. Value- laden
2. Prescriptive
3. Instrumental/Purposive
4. Communal

World View - it tries to explain and interpret reality, history, and civilization.

Thales

 The first philosophers followed him in explaining all of nature as based on the existence of a
single ultimate substance.
 The one of the 7 Sages, founding figures of Ancient Greece, and credited with the saying “Know
Thyself” which was inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
 Thales is the one who theorized that this single substance was water.
 Thales thought that Earth was floated in water.
 In mathematics, Thales namesake of Thales’s theorem, Thales also said that to have calculated
the heights of the pyramids and the distance of ships from the shore.
 In science, Thales was an astronomer who reportedly predicted the weather and a solar eclipse.
 He was also credited with discovering the position of the constellation Ursa Major as well as the
timings of solstices and equinoxes.
 Thales was also an engineer; credited with diverting the Halys River.

Theism - It is belief in the existence of God or gods.

THEOS/THEO - latin term of God

Monotheism - It is the faith in a single, all powerful God/god, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are the
major monotheistic religions.

Polytheism - it refers to the belief in and adoration of several deities. Typically, each deity or god is
distinguished by a certain function, and often has human characteristics.

Deism - it does not involve any numerical view, as this is the belief that there is a powerful or higher
being who created the universe or the world but its adherents do not believe that God intervenes in
human affairs.

Pantheism - it is belief that everything is god.

Panentheism - it is the belief that everything is in god.

Atheism - it is the disbelief in gods or the supernatural.

Agnosticm - it tells that one cannot prove nor disprove the existence of a higher being named god or
gods.
Theology - it refers to the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially, the study of
God and God’s relation to the world

Relation - It is the defined as the relationship between humans and that which they regard as holy,
sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine, or worthy of special reverence

5 ELEMENTS OF RELIGION

1. Belief - Religions combine elements of belief system and worlds, as they not only seek to explain
the existence of all things, but also sacred histories or narrative which are preserved in their scripture

2. Organization - A religion is an organized set of beliefs, rituals, and emotions. Every religion has its
own structure and function, and every individual member is expected to perform a certain role

3. Emotions and values - Religion evolves emotion such as hope, fear reverence, and humility. These
emotion are traced to the divine and the individual’s relationship with it.

4. Rituals and Ceremonies - All religions have their respective rituals and ceremonies. Most religious
and ceremonies. Most religious rituals marks major events in life such as birth, puberty, marriage and
death.

5. Sacred Object and Places –

JUIDAISM

Menoran – It is a scared candelarium with seven I nine branches. It is a Hebrews term means
“Lampstand”. It used in the temple in Jerusalem, and was originally made by craftsman bezalei.
- The seven days creation of God

Background, Founders
Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic religions whose origin date back to the mid second
millennium or around or 1500 BCE. Jewish tradition traces back its development to the ancient
Abraham, and his descendants Isaac and Jacob

FOLLWERS:
The adherents of Judaism are called Jews. Judaism had a great influence on Christianity and Islam,
two other monotheistic faith traditions.

Sacred texts or Holy writings

Toran is the sacred texts of Judaism, which corresponds to the five books of Moses or the pentateuch

First 5 books in the bible:

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deutronomy

66 Non – Christian bible

73 official Catholic bible
Moses story – Exodus
Plague – Sickness
Pnaraon – King
Pertain the 5 books in the bible – Pentateuch
The Hebrew bible is called Tanach. Which is collection of sacred writings.

Its name is an acronym of the first letters of the Hebrew words Torah (“Me law”). Nevi im
(“Prophets”) and Ketuvim (“Writings”)

The Toran – The Jewish written law for the Jews. The Tora is the first revealed law given to Moses and
recorded in the Hebrew scared texts. In Greek. The Toran is called the Pentateuch, meaning five
scrolls. The Toran includes Genesis, exodus, Leviticus, numbers and Deuteronomy.

Doctrines and Belief

The ten commandments and 613 rules
-Judaism is a way of life a life of obedience to the Toran, through which God intends to sanctify every
aspect of human existence. Jews find guidance which are taught and interpreted by the Rabbis.

1. I the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of me Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall
have no other god besides me. You shall not make for yourselves and idol, nor any image of
anything that is in heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the under the
under: You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them: for I Yunuen your God, am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on me children, on the third and on the
fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those
who love me and keep my commandments.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in rain. For the lord will not leave
unpunished him who takes his name

3. Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days your shall labor, and do all your work, but
the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall not do any work. You or
your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or
the sojourner who is within your gates, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, and reside on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
sabbath day and made it holy.

4. Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the lord which the Lord,
your God, is giving you.

5. You shall not kill

6. You shall not commit adultery

7. You shall not steal

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

9. You shall not covet your neighbors

10. You shall not covet your neighbors or anything else that belong to him

-The Hebrew bible is called Tanach, which is a collection of sacred writings.

-Its name is an acronym of the first letters the Hebrew world Toran 613 commandments (“The law”)
Nevi “im (“Prophets”) and Ketiuum (“Writtings”)

Prophets (Moses, Abraham) Greatest Prophecy

10 Commandments – Old Testament – Coming of the messiah savior
2 Commandments – New Testament
3 Types of Judaism:
Orthodox
Conservative
Reform

2 Types of Religion
Ethnic
Universal

Orthodox – Reaction of modernity

Oldest Religious Writing – Pyramid text

Judaism – Oldest monotheistic religion

Followers of Judaism – Jews/Adherents

Reform Judaism – Abraham Granger

Filipino Era Precolonial – Neolithic

11. Universal
12. Culture

Shahada
Shahada – The profession of faith, is the first pillar of Islam. Muslims witness God’s oneness by
reciting the creed “There is no God but God and Muhammed is the messenger of God. “The simple
yet profound statement expresses a Muslim’s complete acceptance of and total commitment to
Islam.

 When reciting the Adhan, one says the shahada. Muslims must say the shahada Five times a
day, once or twice, during salah. A Muslim baby’s first word are the shahada, and it’s also
intended to be a Muslim’s final word before death.

The shahada has two parts: ‘la ‘ilaha ‘illa -llah’ (“There is no deity except God”) and ‘Muhammadun
rasulu llah’ (“Muhammad is the messenger of God”), which are sometimes referred to the as the first
shahada and the second shahada.

Shahada Prayer:
“Ash – hadu an la ilaha illa Alla, Wa ash – hadu anna Muhammadan rasulu – Allah.”

Translation:
“I bear witness that there is no God but God (Allah – allah – is there is non worthy of worship but
Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” It is the most sacred statement in Islam and must
be recited with full misunderstanding and mindfulness of its meaning.

History of Shahada
The shahada is a foundational creed that Muslims believe Allah revealed to Muhammad during his
prophetic career. It’s thought that Mohammad revealed the identity of this creed during a vision
experience by him in 610 AD. Then after reciting the verse for decades, he wrote it down on paper for
time in 643 AD.

Shahada means the profession of faith and it’s the first pillar of Islam. Shahada is the Arabic term for
the declaration of one Allah and his messenger, Muhammad. The prayer in shahada is the most
sacred statement in Islam and must be recited with full understanding and mindfulness of its
meaning.
The core element of the Islamic faith is the belief in one Allah, around which all else revolves.
Therefore, the shahada is recited before each of the five daily prayers and at many other significant
occasions in a muslim’s life to remind Muslims of this fundamental concept.

Salah
 Being the second pillar of Islam, has a great importance in the lives of Muslims of all ages, all
over the world. Allah has chosen an ideal life for Muslims, and prayer presents the real
picture of that life. In salah, you are getting an opportunity to speak to the all – powerful
God who created everything in this picture.

 Muslims are expected to pray five times a day. The salah, or the daily prayer should be
recited five times a day.

 Muslims can pray anywhere; however, they are meant to pray towards Mecca (Place) the
faithful pray by bowing several times while standing and then kneeling and touching the
ground or prayer that with their foreheads, as a symbol of their reverence and submission to
Allah.

 On Friday, many Muslims attend a mosque near midday to pray and to listen to a sermon
(Khutban).

 The Kaaba, granite masonry, covered with silk curtain and calligraphy in gold and silver –
wrapped thread, pre – Islamic monument, rededicated by Muhammad in 631 – 32 CC,
multiple renovations. Mecca, Saudi Arabia (Photo: Muhammad Mandi Karin, GNU revision
1 – 2 only)

 The khutbah, however, refer to khutbah ai – jum’a, usually meaning the address delivered in
the mosque at weekly (Usually Friday) and annual rituals. Other religious orator and
occasions of preaching are described as dares (a lesson) or waz (an admonition) , and their
formats differ accordingly.

 Shortly after Muhammad became a prophet, the performance of salah (worship) was one of
the first commandments given to him by Allah.

 Allah almighty tells us in the Holy Qur’an that mankind was only created for one reason to
worship him.

 Some have suggested that salah derives from the root (w – s – I ) which means “linking things
together”, hence why the obligatory prayers in Islam are referred to by the word salah ( in
the sense through the one “Connects to God”)

 By performing this ritual prayer five times a day, Muslims remember their Lord, express their
love and respect for him and evoke and strive to express their gratitude towards him.

Zakat
 Literally means “To increase”, and technically it means “that which purifies” therefore, it is a
basic tenet in Islam that purifies the earning of an individual in a year. It has to be donated
on excess wealth including money in the bank account or at home. Possession of
gold/silver, agriculture procedure, livestock earnings, and profits from stocks and
investment. In turn, it liberates an individual form creed and selfishness. It is a way to be at
peace and maintain Norming in society

History of Zakat
 Zakat literally means “to cleanse”. Through zakat, our wealth said is purified, increased and
blessed the prophet.
“Whoever pays the zakat on his wealth will have its evil remoured from him.” The evils are removed
from our wealth, our sins are forgiven, we are rewarded for our obedience to Allah and when we trust
Allah to provide for us, we can never be disappointed.

“And He (Allah) will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine, and whoever put his trust in
Allah he will suffice him.”

 There are two types of zakat that we are obligated to pay annually if we have the means to
do so. Zakat Al Fitr is paid at the end of Ramadan and must reach its recipients on the day of
Cid. Zakat Al Mal is paid annually on 2.5% of your new wealth.

 The history of zakat is the same as that of Salat (Prayer) it is evident from the Qur’an that
like, the act of zakat has always existed in the law of the previous prophets.

 All the followers of the religion of Ibrahim (Upon whom be peace), we’re fully aware of the
concept of zakat. For this very reason Surah Al – ma’ari (70:25) describes it as “A specified
right”. Because of zakat and charity being a pre – existing Junnah, the prophet (Peace be
upon with him), continued this act of worship with necessary reforms.

 The Qur’an gives examples in several revses tellin us how to zakat was imposed on the
previous prophets. For example:

 Zakat of prophet Isma’il (Upon who be peace). “Also mention in the book (The story of
Isma’Il. He was strictly), true to what he promised, and he was an apostle (And) a prophet.
He used to enjoin on his people Salat and Zakat, and he was most acceptable in the sight if
his Lord.

 The zakat is tiered on fire categories of property – food, grain, fruits, camels, cattle, sheep,
and goats; gold and silver; and movable goods and is payable each year after one year’s
possession

 The basic purpose of zakat to maintain economic balance in society so that circulation of
wealth continues from rich to poor and never stays in one hand. In this way, we can
overcome poverty and other social evils from our society. The zakat purifies our wealth as it
goes into the hands of rich to poor, stabilize economic condition of the society and ensures
that each person is benefited from the wealth.

 The payment of zakat is not only mandatory and obligation but as an institution and system,
zakat is an important source of stability of the society. The system of zakat ensure proper
distribution of wealth and has a wide impact on the entire setup of society.

2 Types of Zakat
 Zakat Fitrah which is payable only in ramadan, and 2. Zakat Hatra (On wealth) which is liable
on one’s wealth.

Zakat Fitrah
 In islam, zakat al Fitra, also known as Sadagat Al – Fitr or Zakat Al – Fitran is an obligatory
form of aims – giving required of every able Muslim at the end of Ramadan. The purpose of
Zakat Al – Fitr is to enable to poor people to celebrate eid al – Fitr, the festival to break fast
of Ramadam