INTRODUCTION TO WORLD

RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEMS

MIDTERM
UNDERSTANDING JUDAISM
JUDAISM
● Judaism is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective
religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people, also
sometimes called Israelites. Judaism is considered by religious Jews to be the
expression of the covenant that God established with the Children of Israel.
JUDAISM BELIEFS
● Jewish people believe there’s only one God who has established a covenant—or
special agreement—with them. Their God communicates to believers through
prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil.

● Most Jews (with the exception of a few groups) believe that their Messiah hasn’t yet
come—but will one day.

● Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues, and their spiritual
leaders are called rabbis. The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.
TORAH
● The Jewish sacred text is called the Tanakh or the “Hebrew Bible.” It includes the
same books as the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, but they’re placed in a
slightly different order.

● The Torah—the first five books of the Tanakh—outlines laws for Jews to follow. It’s
sometimes also referred to as the Pentateuch.
FOUNDER OF JUDAISM
● The origins of Jewish faith are explained throughout the Torah. According to the text, God first
revealed himself to a Hebrew man named Abraham, who became known as the founder of Judaism.
● Jews believe that God made a special covenant with Abraham and that he and his descendants were
chosen people who would create a great nation.
● Abraham’s son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob, also became central figures in ancient Jewish history.
Jacob took the name Israel, and his children and future generations became known as Israelites.
● More than 1,000 years after Abraham, the prophet Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt after being
enslaved for hundreds of years.
● According to scriptures, God revealed his laws, known as the Ten Commandments, to Moses at Mt.
Sinai.
10 COMMANDMENTS
1. I am the Lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage.
2. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shalt not murder.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.
JEWISH HOLY BOOKS
● While the Tanakh (which includes the Torah) is considered the sacred text of
Judaism, many other important manuscripts were composed in later years. These
offered insights into how the Tanakh should be interpreted and documented oral laws
that were previously not written down.

● Around 200 A.D., scholars compiled the Mishnah—a text that describes and
explains the Jewish code of law that was previously orally communicated.
TALMUD
● Later, the Talmud, a collection of teachings and commentaries on Jewish law, was
created. The Talmud contains the Mishnah and another text known as the Gemara
(which examines the Mishnah). It includes the interpretations of thousands of rabbis
and outlines the importance of 613 commandments of Jewish law.

● The first version of the Talmud was finalized around the 3rd century A.D. The second
form was completed during the 5th century A.D.

● Judaism embraces several other written texts and commentaries. One example is the
13 Articles of Faith, which was written by a Jewish philosopher named Maimonides.
SHABBAT
● Shabbat is recognized as a day of rest and prayer for Jews. It typically begins at
sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday.

● Observing Shabbat can take many forms, depending on the type of Judaism that a
Jewish family may follow. Orthodox and Conservative Jews, for example, may
refrain from performing any physical labor, using any electrical device or other
prohibited activities.

● Most observant Jews celebrate Shabbat by reading or discussing the Torah, attending
a synagogue or socializing with other Jews at Shabbat meals.
TYPES OF JUDAISM

1. Orthodox Judaism: Orthodox Jews are typically known for their strict observance of
traditional Jewish law and rituals. For instance, most believe Shabbat shouldn’t
involve working, driving or handling money.

● Orthodox Judaism is a diverse sect that includes several subgroups,

including Hasidic Jews. This form started in the 18th century in Eastern Europe and
holds different values than traditional or ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Hasidic Jews
emphasize a mystical experience with God that involves direct communion through
prayer and worship. Chabad is a well-known Orthodox Jewish, Hasidic movement.
2. Reform Judaism: Reform Judaism is considered a liberal category of the religion that
values ethical traditions over strict observance of Jewish laws. Followers promote
progressive ideas and adaptation. Most of the Jews living in the United States follow
Reform Judaic traditions.

3. Conservative Judaism: Many people consider this form of Judaism somewhere in

between Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Typically, conservative Jews honor the
traditions of Judaism while allowing for some modernization.
4. Reconstructionist Judaism: Reconstructionism dates back to 1922 when Mordecai
Kaplan founded the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. This sect believes that
Judaism is a religious civilization that’s constantly evolving.

5. Humanistic Judaism: Rabbi Sherwin Wine founded this denomination of Judaism in

1963. Humanistic Jews celebrate Jewish history and culture without an emphasis on
God.
JEWISH HOLIDAYS

1. Passover: This holiday lasts seven or eight days and celebrates Jewish freedom from
slavery in Egypt. Specifically, Passover refers to the biblical story of when the
Hebrew God “passed over” houses of Jewish families and saved their children during
a plague that was said to have killed all other first-born babies in Egypt.

2. Rosh Hashanah: Jews celebrate the birth of the universe and humanity during this
holiday, which is also known as the Jewish New Year.
3. Yom Kippur: This “Day of Atonement” is considered the holiest day of the year for
Jews who typically spend it fasting and praying.

4. High Holy Days: The 10 days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom
Kippur are also known as the High Holidays, the Days of Awe or Yamim Noraim.
The High Holy Days are considered a time of repentance for Jewish people.
5. Hanukkah: This Jewish celebration, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” lasts eight
days. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
after the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greeks over 2,000 years ago.

6. Purim: This is a joyous holiday that celebrates a time when the Jewish people in
Persia were saved from extermination.
THE GOD OF JUDAISM
● Yahweh, name for the God of the Israelites, representing the biblical pronunciation of
“YHWH,” the Hebrew name revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus. The name
YHWH, consisting of the sequence of consonants Yod, Heh, Waw, and Heh, is
known as the tetragrammaton.
● After the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE), and especially from the 3rd
century BCE on, Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh for two reasons:
● (1) As Judaism became a universal rather than merely a local religion, the more
common Hebrew noun Elohim (plural in form but understood in the singular),
meaning “God,” tended to replace Yahweh to demonstrate the
universal sovereignty of Israel’s God over all others.
● (2) At the same time, the divine name was increasingly regarded as too sacred to be
uttered; it was thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word
Adonai (“My Lord”), which was translated as Kyrios (“Lord”) in the Septuagint,
the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures.
● The Masoretes, who from about the 6th to the 10th century CE worked to reproduce
the original text of the Hebrew Bible, added to “YHWH” the vowel signs of the
Hebrew words Adonai or Elohim. 

● Latin-speaking Christian scholars replaced the Y (which does not exist in Latin) with

an I or a J (the latter of which exists in Latin as a variant form of I). Thus, the
tetragrammaton became the artificial Latinized name Jehovah (JeHoWaH). As the
use of the name spread throughout medieval Europe, the initial letter J was
pronounced according to the local vernacular language rather than Latin.
● Although Christian scholars after the Renaissance and Reformation periods used the
term Jehovah for YHWH, in the 19th and 20th centuries biblical scholars again began
to use the form Yahweh. Early Christian writers, such as St. Clement of
Alexandria in the 2nd century, had used a form like Yahweh, and this pronunciation
of the tetragrammaton was never really lost. Many Greek transcriptions also
indicated that YHWH should be pronounced Yahweh.
● The meaning of the personal name of the Israelite God has been variously
interpreted. Many scholars believe that the most proper meaning may be “He Brings
into Existence Whatever Exists” (Yahweh-Asher-Yahweh). In I Samuel, God is
known by the name Yahweh Teva-ʿot, or “He Brings the Hosts into Existence,” in
which “Hosts” possibly refers to the heavenly court or to Israel.
● The personal name of God was probably known long before the time of Moses.
Moses’ mother was called Jochebed (Yokheved), a name based on the name Yahweh.
Thus, the tribe of Levi, to which Moses belonged, probably knew the name Yahweh,
which originally may have been (in its short form Yo, Yah, or Yahu) a religious
invocation of no precise meaning evoked by the mysterious and awesome splendour
of the manifestation of the holy.
MORALITY IN JUDAISM
● Morality in Judaism is very structured.

● There are many laws and rules that help the Jewish people distinguish proper
behaviour. In fact, Judaism is considered to be "a way of life." For all things, there is
a proper Jewish way to conduct yourself. To live morally is to follow this proper
Jewish code of conduct. Different people have different understandings of morality
depending on their interpretation of the common rules and laws. While some choose
to follow the laws as written, others choose to interpret the laws based on their
relevance to particular situations.
● For example, Reconstructionist Jews strive to follow Jewish traditions in a way that
is meaningful to the current society.

● While an Orthodox Jew would believe that it is necessary to strictly observe

the laws of Kashrut (dietary laws),

● a Reconstructionist Jew would not, on the grounds that these dietary laws are based
on health issues of that era, and are no longer relevant.
● However, while morality varies among different branches of Judaism, and even
among individuals, the common basis of right and wrong comes from God -
specifically, what the scriptures say God demands of them.

● Without God, there is no morality. This is because the entire basis of the Jewish faith
is on a covenant between God and humanity, as established by the patriarchs. The
proper Jewish way of life involves living in accordance with this covenant: loving
and honouring God, and keeping His commandments (mitzvoth).  Jews also honour
God by learning more about Him through study of the Torah, prayers, charitable
actions and more.
WOMEN IN JUDAISM
● In a Jewish household, the wife and mother is called in Hebrew akeret habayit. This
means literally the “mainstay” of the home. It is she who largely determines the
character and atmosphere of the entire home.

● In the traditional Judaism belief, women are viewed as separate but equal to their

male counterparts. In other words, although within the religion, women live under
heavier restrictions regarding their responsibilities and obligations, their roles are just
as important as those of the men.
JUDAISM AND WORLD ISSUES TODAY

1. Judaism and Ecological Crisis

● Judaism has always held a very pragmatic approach towards the environmental
impact of human beings - we cannot live on this earth without having a negative
environmental impact, yet there is no need to be wasteful at the same time. Chopping
down a tree is sad but occasionally necessary, but chopping down a fruit-bearing tree
is unnecessary.
2. Peace in Jewish Worldview
● The jews sees peace as the highest good. They condemn revenge and aggression.
They are people who see peace as desirable because it is what God desires or wils for
them.
UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIANITY
INTRODUCTTION TO CHRISTIANITY
● Christianity is considered the world’s largest religion, a religion based on the
teachings of Jesus Christ who is considered the Son of God and the Messiah or
Savior.

● Followers of Christianity are called Christians. As of 2010, there are more than 2
billion Christians all over the world, which make up more than 30% of the worlds
population of 6.9 billion.
THE CROSS
● The cross serves as a symbol of Jesus
Christ’s victory over sins when he died on
the cross for humanity’s redemption and
salvation. In Roman Catholic Churches,
the crucifix is a regular feature with the
image of Christ nailed on the cross-
emphasizing Christ’s sufferings for
humanity. Protestant churches often
feature only the cross without the image
of the body of Christ to emphasize
Christ’s resurrection and not His suffering.
● Historical Background of Christianity, regarded as an offshoot of Judaism, developed
in Palestine around 100 C.E. it was founded by Jesus considered to be the Son of God
and Messiah or Savior. Today Christianity is divided into three major sects- Roman
Catholicism, Greek Orthodox Church, and Protestantism.
FOUNDER OF CHRISTIANITY
● Jesus as the Founder of Christianity.

● Christianity started with a prophecy

in the Old Testament that God will
send his only begotten Son to save
humanity from eternal damnation.
Jesus, through his preaching and
healing, was seen by his followers
to be the Messiah they were waiting
for.
RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

● Religious Leaders of The Catholic Church follows a certain hierarchy based on the
Canon Law of the Catholic Church.

● At the top of the hierarchy is the pope, considered as Peter’s successors.

● The hierarchy also includes the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, and deacons.
Each member of the hierarchy has his own function for the efficiency of the Church.
POPE
● The pope is the head of the Catholic
Church and the Bishop of Rome.
The pope is also the head of the
sovereign city-state, Vatican City.
What this means on a daily basis is
that the pope, in this case Pope
Francis I, has duties both political
and religious.
CARDINALS
● Next to the Pope are the cardinals,
who are also appointed by the Pope.
The primary responsibility of a
cardinal is to elect a new pope when
a pope dies or abdicates the papacy.
Other cardinals have different areas
of responsibility, called
congregations.
BISHOPS
● Bishops alone have the right to
confirm and ordain members of the
clergy, and their main duty is to
supervise the clergy within their
diocese.
ARCHBISHOPS
● A bishop who moves to the level of
cardinal isn't ordained, but
handpicked by the pope, who also
appoints bishops. A bishop oversees
a diocese, which is a collection of
local parishes; and an archbishop
administers an archdiocese, which is
just a really large diocese.
PRIEST
● In the Catholic Church, a parish
priest(also known as a pastor) is a
priest appointed by the bishop to
represent him to the local parish,
which is a collection of
neighborhoods in one small region
of a county within a given state.
DEACONS
● Deacons are ordained as a sacramental
sign to the Church and to the world of
Christ, who came "to serve and not to be
served.“ The entire Church is called by
Christ to serve, and the deacon, in virtue
of his sacramental ordination and
through his various ministries, is to be a
servant in a servant-Church.
DEITY/GOD
● Christians believe in one God, therefore Christianity is a monotheistic religion.

● God is seen as the creator and maintainer of the universe, and is believed to be
omnipotent(all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-present),
and omnibenevolent (all- good).

● God is also sacred, moral, unchangeable, compassionate, graceful, and timeless.

HOLY TRINITY
● Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, which
means God is composed of three persons:
God the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and
the Holy Spirit.

● In Matthew 28:19, it is stated that: “Go

therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In 2
Corinthians 13: 1: “The grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ and the love of God and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
SACRED SCRIPTURES
● The Bible is considered the sacred scripture of Christianity.

● The Bible is a collection of songs, stories, poetry, letters, history, as well as literature.

● It is composed of two books, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old
Testament is considered the original Hebrew Bible, written between 1200 and 165
B.C.E. The New Testament was written by Christians around 100 C.E.
TWO SCRIPTURES
A. The Old Testament
● is the first part of Christian Bibles, based
primarily upon the Hebrew Bible, a collection
of ancient religious writings by the Israelites
believed by most Christians and religious
Jews to be the sacred Word of God. The
second part of the Christian Bible is the New
Testament.
B. The New Testament
C. is made up of twenty-seven different books
attributed to eight different authors, six of whom
are numbered among the Apostles (Matthew,
John, Paul, James, Peter, Jude) and two among
their immediate disciples (Mark, Luke).The New
Testament was not written all at once. The books
that compose it appeared one after another in the
space of fifty years, i.e. in the second half of the
first century. Written in different and distant
countries and addressed to particular Churches,
they took some time to spread throughout the
whole of Christendom. It discusses the teachings
and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-
century Christianity.
● Beliefs and Doctrines Beliefs and doctrines serve as moral guidelines for the
Christians.

● They should follow these teachings strictly if they want to redeem God’s promise of
eternal life. Not following them would lessen their chances of being called true
Christians and reduces their chances of salvation in the afterlife.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
● The Ten Commandments, also known
as the Decalogue, are a set of biblical
principles relating to ethics and worship,
which play a fundamental role in the
Abrahamic religions. The Ten
Commandments appear twice in the
Hebrew Bible, in the books of Exodus
and Deuteronomy.
SEVEN SACRAMENTS
● There are seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, which according to
Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church.

● Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of
God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition.
SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIANITY

1. Baptism - Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in
the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism
we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are
incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission.

2. Confirmation - Confirmation is meant to complete Baptism and bring the baptized the
graces of the Holy Spirit that were given to the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday. If
baptism is the sacrament of re-birth to a new and supernatural life, confirmation is
the sacrament of maturity and coming of age.
3. Eucharist - Holy Eucharist entails the reception Christ’s body and blood which helps Christians grow in
the likeness of Jesus Christ.

4. Confession - Confession is meant to reconcile Christians with God by confessing their sins.

5. Matrimony - This sacrament is the union of man and woman for the purpose of procreation and mutual
support.

6. Holy Orders - Considered as the continuation of Christ’s priesthood which He passed on to His apostles.

7. Anointing of the Sick - is administered to those who are on the verge of death or are seriously ill, or
about to undergo a serious operation, for physical and moral strength.
EIGHT BEATITUDES
● The Beatitudes comprise what is known as the “Sermon on the Mount” recorded in
Matthew 5-7. The Beatitudes refer to the eight sayings of Jesus at the beginning of
the “Sermon on the Mount.”
APOSTLES’ CREED
● The Apostles' Creed is Trinitarian in structure with sections affirming belief in God
the Father, Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit. The Apostles' Creed was based
on Christian theological understanding of the Canonical gospels, the letters of the
New Testament and to a lesser extent the Old Testament.
CREATION STORY
(GENESIS 1)
● Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night."
● Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
● Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered
waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation (plants and trees).
● Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and
the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.
● Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill
the waters and the sky with life.
● Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman (Adam and Eve)
in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to
rule over, care for, and cultivate.
● Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy.
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES OF CHRISTIANITY
1. Advent - Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and
preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas and the return of Jesus at the
Second Coming. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming".

2. Lent - Lent, in the Christian Church, a period of penitential preparation for Easter. In Western churches
it begins on Ash Wednesday, six and a half weeks before Easter, and provides for a 40-day fast
(Sundays are excluded), in imitation of Jesus Christ’s fasting in the wilderness before he began his
public ministry.

3. Easter - Easter is one of the most festive events among Christians worldwide. It commemorates Jesus
Christ's resurrection from death, as written in the Christian bible. Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus'
resurrection from death.
4. Pentecost - The day of Pentecost is noted in the Christian Church as the day on which
the Spirit descended upon the apostles, and on which, under Peter's preaching, so
many thousands were converted in Jerusalem 
BASIC TEACHINGS OF ISLAM
EARLY HISTORY
● Islam begins with the prophet Muhammad Islam started in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in
the 7th century when Muhammad was 40 years old in AD 160, he claimed to be
receiving messages from God that were later recorded into the Islamic Holy book-
The Qur’an
THE PROPHETS
● There are 25 prophets of Islam that Allah(the God) sent. The most important being
Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. The prophets were sent to offer
guidance and spread Islam and its concepts through the world.

● Muhammad is the last prophet.

● Muhammad is called the “Seal of the Prophets”

HOW IT STARTED
● Muhammad would share his visions and revelations with other people and try to
teach them about Allah and the belief in one God.

● It introduced the five pillars which every Muslim must follow:

1. confession of faith in God and in Muhammad as Gods messenger

2. daily prayer at the five appointed times
3. fasting during the month of Ramadan
4. paying an alms-tax and giving charity to the poor and
5. pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca and its sacred shrine the Kaaba
THE GOLDEN AGE
● Islam flourished as a religion during The Golden Age.

● The Golden Age took place during 750-1258 AD It has now become the second
largest religion in the world, after Christianity.

● Many people turned to Islam due to its solid belief system Islam spread wide and
fast across the world and soon became a major religion
DENOMINATIONS: SUNNI
● Islam has many denominations but the largest and most well known are the Sunni and
Shia Sunni is the largest sect of Islam.

● Sunni is about 80% of all Muslims.

● Sunni is the traditional path of the religion Sunnis believe that the first four caliphs
were the right successors to Muhammad and that a caliph should be chosen by all the
community
SHIA
● Shia is about 10-20% of Islam It is the second largest branch of the religion They
believe in the political and religious leadership of Imam.

● They believe that a caliph is appointed by divine will There are also many branches
that pertain to Shia Islam.

● The most famous is the Twelvers who follow a tradition called Jafari
jurisprudence.
SHORT TIMELINE OF ISLAM
● c. 570 CE Birth of Muhammad.
● c. 610 CE Muhammad receives first vision in a cave near Mecca.
● c. 610-22 CE Muhammad preaches in Mecca.
● 622 CE Hijira - Muhammad and followers flee to Medina.
● 624 CE Muslims successfully attack Meccan caravans at Badr.
● 625 Muslims are defeated by Meccans at Uhud.
● 630 Muslims capture Mecca. Kaba is cleansed, pilgrimage rites are Islamicized,
tribes of Arabia vow allegiance to Muhammad
● 632 Death of Muhammad. Abu Bakr chosen as caliph.
● 680 Death of Husayn marks beginning of the Shiat Ali ("party of Ali") or Shia sect.
Core Islamic Beliefs: Six Articles of Faith

1.  Belief in One God: The most important teaching of Islam is that only God is to be
served and worshipped.  Also, the biggest sin in Islam is to worship other beings with
God.  In fact, Muslims believe that it is the only sin that God does not forgive if a
person dies before repenting from it.

2.  Belief in Angels: God created unseen beings called angels who work tirelessly to
administer His kingdom in full obedience.  The angels surround us at all times, each
has a duty; some record our words and deeds.
3.    Belief in Prophets of God: Muslims believe that God communicates His guidance through
human prophets sent to every nation.  These prophets start with Adam and include Noah,
Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be upon them.  The main message of all the
prophets has always been that there is only One true God and He alone is worthy of being
supplicated to and worshipped.

4.    Belief in Revealed Books of God: Muslims believe that God revealed His wisdom and
instructions through ‘books’ to some of the prophets like the Psalms, Torah, and the Gospel. 
Over time, however, the original teachings of these books got distorted or lost.  Muslims
believe the Qu’ran is God’s final revelation revealed to Prophet Muhammad and has been
fully preserved.
5.    Belief in Day of Judgment: The life of this world and all that is in it will come to an end on an
appointed day.  At that time, every person will be raised from the dead.  God will judge each person
individually, according to his faith and his good and bad actions.  God will show mercy and
fairness in judgment.  According to Islamic teachings, those who believe in God and perform good
deeds will be eternally rewarded in Heaven.  Those who reject faith in God will be eternally
punished in the fire of Hell.

6.    Belief in Destiny and Divine Decree: Muslims believe that since God is the Sustainer of all life,
nothing happens except by His Will and with His full knowledge.  This belief does not contradict
the idea of free will.  God does not force us, our choices are known to God beforehand because His
knowledge is complete.  This recognition helps the believer through difficulties and hardships.
Core Religious Practice of Islam: The Five "Pillars" of Islam

1.    Declaration of Faith: The "Declaration of Faith" is the statement, "La ilaha illa
Allah wa Muhammad Rasul-ullah", meaning "There is no deity worthy of being
worship except God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God". 
The Declaration of Faith is more than just a statement; it must be shown with one's
actions.  To convert to the faith of Islam, a person has to say this statement.

2.    Daily Prayer: Prayer is a method by which a Muslim connects to God and gathers
spiritual strength and peace of mind.  Muslims perform five formal prayers a day. 
3.    Zakah: A type of charity.  Muslims recognize that all wealth is a blessing from God,
and certain responsibilities are required in return.  In Islam, it is the duty of the
wealthy to help the poor and needy. 

4.    Fast of Ramadan: Once each year, Muslims are commanded to fast for an entire
month from dawn to sunset.  The period of intense spiritual devotion is known as the
fast of Ramadan in which no food, drink and sex is allowed during the fast.  After
sunset one can enjoy these things.  During this month Muslims practice self-control
and focus on prayers and devotion.  During the fast, Muslims learn to sympathize
with those in the world who have little to eat.
5.    The Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca: Every Muslim strives to make once-in-a-lifetime
pilgrimage to the sacred sites in Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia.  It is the most
intense spiritual experience for a Muslim.  Typically, 2-3 million perform hajj every
year.
Core of the Quran: Surah (Chapter) al-Fatihah

● Scholars consider Surah al-Fatihah, the first chapter of the Quran, to be the core of

the Quran.  It is recited in every formal prayer in the Arabic language.  The
translation follows:

● "I begin with the name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   All praise
and thanks are for God, the Lord of the worlds.  The Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful. Sovereign of the Day of Recompense.  You alone we worship and You
alone we ask for help.  Guide us to the Straight Path (of Islam), the path of those
You have blessed, not the path of those who have incurred Your wrath nor of those
who have gone astray."
Core Teachings of Prophet Muhammad

● Classical scholars of Islam have condensed the teachings of Prophet Muhammad into a
few statements.  These comprehensive statements touch every aspect of our lives. 
Some of them are:

1. Actions are judged by the intention behind them.

2. God is Pure and does not accept anything unless it is pure and God has commanded the
faithful with what He commanded the prophets.

3. Part of a person’s good observance of Islam is to leave aside what does not concern him.
4. A person cannot be a complete believer unless he loves for his brother what he loves
for himself.

5. One should not harm himself or others.

6. Don’t let your focus in this life be to amass worldly gain and God will love you. 
Don’t be concerned with what people have, and they will love you.
Core of Islamic Law or Shariah

The core of Islamic Law is preservation of:

1. Religion
2. Life
3. Family
4. Mind
5. Wealth
6. Some contemporary scholars suggest either justice or liberty to be the sixth category.

● In the vision of Islam, they are known as "essentials" because they are considered essential to human
welfare.
● In conclude, if someone were to ask, what is the core of Islam in the fewest possible words, the answer
would be, "it is within the word Islam itself: to serve, worship, and lovingly submit to God."
WHY IS IT THAT SOME PEOPLE ASSOCIATE TERRORISM WITH ISLAM AND MUSLIMS? 

● There are small groups of Muslims who have distorted the practice of Islam and the
teachings of Prophet Muhammad by choosing terror and violence as a means of
fighting perceived injustice. They are extremists. This does not mean that all
Muslims are violent killers. The vast majority of Muslims oppose these violent acts.
Just because some Catholics and Protestants act violently in Northern Ireland does
not mean all Catholics and Protestants are violent. Most Christians and Muslims live
throughout the world in peace and harmony with their neighbors. There are
approximately 7,000,000 Muslims living as good neighbors in the United States
today. 
WHAT IS THE TALIBAN THAT WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT THESE DAYS? 

● The Taliban currently rules most of Afghanistan. The country has been torn by civil war for
the last thirty years. The rise of the Taliban and the United States' role in this is
complicated. The word, 'Taliban' in Arabic means "seekers of truth." The Taliban is an
extremist Islamic group that controls ninety percent of Afghanistan. Their interpretation of
Islam is not shared by the majority of Islamic people. Under their interpretation of the
"truth," television, dance, film, playing cards, chessboards, fashion catalogues,
neckties, photography, kite-flying, non-religious music have been banned. Women
cannot attend school or work and generally receive little or no medical care. Famous
statues of the giant Buddhas have been destroyed. The majority of Islamic scholars call the
Taliban interpretation of Islam a gross distortion.