World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam - Term Paper Example

I need a 6 pg term paper using one and only one source: Traditions and Encounters Volume 5th addition From the Beginning to 1500 by Jerry H. Bentley and Herbert F. Ziegler. I need a clearly defined thesis and references throughout the paper documented as this example (text, 123-132, 174). The paper is not actually due until November 23, so there is no immediate rush, however the sooner the better. Thanks.  Topic:  Briefly discuss the broad similarities and differences of the great world  religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam - what general  characteristics do they have in common, and how do they differ. Can you relate any of  these characteristics to the larger civilizations that follow these faiths? "Surely those who believe and those who are Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians and the Magians and those who associate (others with Allah) -- surely Allah will decide between them on the day of resurrection; surely Allah is a witness over all things.” Do you know what book this verse is from? Most people would figure out that this has something to do with Islam because of the word Allah which means God. Yet most people will have a difficult time knowing the origins of these verses. The Quran is the book of the Muslims while the Bible is the book of the Christians. The similarities that exist in the Abrahamic religions are prevalent. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have a sacred text and believe in a supreme law. In addition, all Abrahamic religions believe in group prayer, a concept that is almost lost in 21st century (Bentley, 124). Furthermore, all Abrahamic religions have similar points about purity and hygiene. For instance, all boys in Abrahamic religions need to be circumcised. Moreover, females that have periods must be clean themselves through a bath according to each guidelines of a particular religion. Although Christianity and Islam share many characteristic, they are different in numerous ways through creed, sacred text, and the concept of politics embedded in each religion. In Islam, a concept of believing in God is a must. Unlike other religions, God is mostly referred to as Allah. Although Allah is the primary term, Allah can be also mentioned by 99 names all which describe different aspects of him. Allah is referred to as the only one who mankind should worship to. It is extremely sinful to associate anyone with God or Allah. He has no children and no parents to be born too, nor is anyone equal to him and his power. To a Muslim, Allah is the sustainer, creator and the almighty. Islam teaches that Allah cannot be characterized in any human form (Bentley, 127). He has created the human beings as equal and does not favor any race or nationality. Though very merciful, Allah does not appreciate sinful people and as a result he tests all of his people in the worst of conditions. Although Allah is God the almighty, he is different from the Christian God. Islam teaches a person to be responsible of his own sin and has no belief in the original sin. There is no such thing as the original sin believed by the Christians (Bentley, 127). Islam teaches that humans were created to obey Allah (swt) and be destined to heaven unless they themselves deter from the correct path. Allah (swt) can only forgive one’s sin if he repents continuously and submits himself to the worship of Allah (swt). A person can be as sinful as you can get, but if he realizes his mistake and repents than Allah (swt) has no problem forgiving him. It has been stated in many ways that Allah (swt) loves to bestow his mercy and forgiveness on his creation. In order for a Muslim to reach heaven and please his God, he must obey Allah (swt) and his book the Quran fully as well as the Prophet Muhammad. Although the two religions might seem the same they have extremely opposite viewpoints about Original Sin. Unlike the Muslim, Christians do believe in original sin. Christianity preaches that all of humanity has inherited the sin of Adam. They believe that only a death or a sinless person can offset this heavy scale. They believe that everyone is sinful as soon as they enter the world. Christians are taught that through baptism and through the death of Jesus are the only ways to be saved from this sinful destiny (Bentley, 127). That is why the Christians believed that Jesus dies to save his people and that he has erased the people’s sin. Believing in original sin or not believing in it, is a major difference between the two religion. Although many characteristics of these two religions are the same, they are very much opposite from each other (Clark, 10). The Holy Quran is the book of the Muslim people. Islam whole heartedly teaches its followers to believe in the Quran. The stories of the prophets and their lives are all stored in this holy book. The glorious Quran also holds key information on how each and every Muslim should live their life (Bentley, 132). Every Muslim is required to read the Quran, starting from as early as four years old. Many Muslims memorize the whole Quran which is consisted of thirty chapters. One of the most fascinating aspects of the Quran is that it is written in Arabic and while only some people know Arabic, Muslims adapt and learn to read Arabic as sake to read the Quran (Bentley, 132). Most people do not understand Arabic so there are translated versions of the Quran as well as Scholars give speeches and lectures to explain to the people what the Quran actually means. This is because, the holy Quran is so glorious as to not make ordinary people translate it for themselves but to have scholars who are knowledgeable translate and explain to them what it means. The Quran is believed to be the last book to be sent to mankind. Also, it has been in its original form since the first day has come. No person has or will alter anything from the holy Quran as is preached by Islam. The book that is sacred to all Muslims is the Holy Quran, still different in many ways from the Bible. The Bible is the heart of all true practicing Christians. The Christians believe that the Bible is a book that is supposed to lead them all in the correct path. It is believed to be the faultless word of God to wisdom. The Bible is completed by two sets of books, the Jewish Bible and the New Testament (Bentley, 123). The Bible as of recently, is available in all the languages so that people may understand their role in living their lives. Many special verses are taken from the Bible so people may understand and implement it in their lives (Bentley, 126). Even though both religions have holy books then can help them lead their lives, these books are very different from each other making the two religions opposite. Not only do the Muslims believe in God, Christians worship a God themselves. In Christianity belief three Gods are merged into one God. But to refer to God as three is a highly committed sin. Christians believe that their God is comprised of three elements: God, the Holy Spirit and the son of God. In popular terms, God is also referred to as the Trinity. They believe that Jesus came to the world as God himself and was later crucified for his people. Christian’s belief states that Jesus of Nazareth died for his sinful people. Christianity teaches its people to follow their lives according to their savior Jesus and to repent for the committed sins (Bentley, 132). Islam believes in one God and the Christians believe in three Gods combined into one. Both of them refer to their superior as mostly other than God. Although the two religions, Islam and Christianity, teach a presence of God, they are nothing alike (Bentley, 124). One of the key issues relating to Abrahamic religions is politics. Without a doubt, Islamic politics has become a focal point even in the 21st century. Islamic politics differ from Democracy and Marxism views as Islam is strictly concerned with shariah (Bentley, 124) 8). While Christianity tends to shed light on Democracy, the Shariah is the Islamic law, which is essential as it pertains to specific governance of legislature and administration of the laws. The Shariah is unique since it is based on the fact that power is given by God. In Islam, a strong covenant is formed between the leader and God as he is given the rights of a leader through his mercy. In Islam, the political hierarchy consists of a Shurah, which is known as “consultation.” The caliph is appointed by a legal counsel of Shurah and must take in the opinion of his Shurah before making a decision. The core principle of Shurah is similar to the checks and balances system which is also incorporated in Democracy. In a system of an Islamic state, the selection of the governor is selected by the Shurah also (Bentley, 124). Hence, the shurah plays a critical role in the hierarchy of an Islamic government. Electing a person in an Islamic state is without a doubt not an easy task. The shurah must make this decision based on numerous factors. First and foremost is the fact that the elected leader should be inclined towards the values that are present in the Quran and the sunnah. Furthermore, that individual must be keen in his prayers and be God-conscious in all aspects of life. The elected leader should not be transgressor or be ignorant in his world views (Bentley, 132). The leader must account for the community as whole and should be honest in such a way that it would enable him to carry out his obligations. One of the most intriguing things in Islamic politics is the clear distinction between the separation of religion and the state. Since God is sole sovereign in human issues, there is a fine line between religious and state authority. Sonn mentions that the separation of religion and state was never a problem in Islam since the focal point has been on God’s supreme rule (Bentley, 124). This idea of state and religion was so deeply embedded in Christianity that Jesus even pondered upon this idea in the New Testament. Without a doubt, the Middle Eastern empire have embraced this very seriously. For instance, the Arabs practice the very strict version of shariah. In Shariah, men and women are segregated as prevalent in their society. In addition, the women are covered from head to toe according to Islamic law (Bentley, 132). Similarly in India, the Hindus are very strict in enforcing tradition in the rural villages. When a person passes away, he or she is burned and the ashes are flown in the river in order to keep the cycle of reincarnation engaged. Well, one cannot refute the fact that the conflict between Islam and Judaism since the era of Muhammad (Bentley, 132). The tensions that have developed between Muslims and Jews were present since the era of Muhammad. These same principles; a clash oh philosophies have evolved to even a more complicated and uglier problem. One of the main conflicts that have been an interesting point of notice throughout history is the Palestine and Israel war. This topic is exclusively special as it combines history, modern day politics, culture and religious aspects. In essence, the Jews have been persecuted and pushed around for centuries and decades. The initiation of World War II unfortunately forced the Jews to be displaced all over the world. The downfall of Hitler in World War II was a turning point for the Jews, who found themselves in search of a nation. The roots of the conflict can be found during the 19th century, with a rise in national movements, including Zionism and Arab nationalism. The Jews in search for a united nation went back and migrated to “Land of Israel.” This self-determination seemed as a catalyst for future problems. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the region of Palestine was given to the Jews. The Arabs felt threatened to the mass migration of the Jews due to the fact that it risked a huge threat to their national identity. Furthermore, Muslims and Jews have been the prime enemies of one another since the revelation of the Old Testament and the Quran. Hopefully, both sides can reach negotiations as the sake of innocent civilians are at stake in this huge issue. The Abrahamic religions of the world have very few similarities with religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Since Buddhism does not believe in one God, it does comply with the creed requirements of the Abrahamic religions. One interesting aspect that scholars have pondered upon the fact is that the polytheistic religions were founded before the advent of the Abrahamic religions. Many scholars insist that the Gods that Hindus worship have the direct correlation of the 99 qualities that are used to describe the qualities of Allah (the name of God for Muslims). This correlation is a unique trend but fails to assimilate itself in the mainstream of religions that are practiced today. Overall, the Abrahamic religions contain many similarities and differences as mentioned in this paper. Although Christianity and Islam share many characteristic, they are different in numerous ways through creed, sacred text, and the concept of politics embedded in each religion. These religions are considered to be monotheistic compared to other religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism is more a polytheistic religions and barely has any similarities with the Abrahamic religions. The roots of the rich history of each religion can be traced back and has dramatically impacted the society. The tensions that have been created by religious groups are due to the old rivalry that has existed for years. Together, unity and harmony can be achieved through tolerance and celebrating diversity. Works Cited Bentley, Jerry H., and Herbert F. Ziegler. Traditions & encounters: a global perspective on the past. 3rd ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2006. Print. Read More