0.4g:The Abrahamic Religions

hajj

"pilgrimage;" 5th pillar of Islam; duty of Muslims if they are in good health & financial standing to travel to Mecca at least one in their lifetime during the holy month of Ramadan

Ramadan

9th month of the Islamic/lunar calendar (11 days shorter); observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief; devout Muslims are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset.

charity

another common practice in is the giving charity as an act of kindness, to help the the poor or as a way to make up for bad deeds. Also wealth can be purified through giving. In Islam, it is 1 of the 5 Pillars of Islam; Muslims are expected to give a 2.5% of their income to charity. In comparison, Roman Catholics are expected to give 10% of income to the church (used to be called a title)

monotheism

belief in 1 God (because Judaism, Christians & Muslims all trace their lineage back to Abraham, either through the Issac or through the Ishmael bloodline), they all worship the same God. Whether he is called Yahweh (Hebrew), God or Allah (Arabic). They believe God was the creator of the universe, omnipotent (all powerful), he is merciful and will pass judgment on Judgment Day. However, while both Jews and Muslims reject the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity (God as father, son and Holy Spirit). Both Jews and Muslims believe in the singularity of God and forbid the worship of a person as a denial of monotheism and as a form of idolatry.

mosque

house of worship for Muslims; location for congregation worship (friday) & prayer; built facing Mecca adorned with a minaret calligraphy & geometric designs due to religious view idol worship

Dome of the Rock

located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; completed in 691 CE third most sacred site for Muslims; believed to be the site where Muhammad ascended into heaven (known as the Mi'raj) after falling asleep at the Kaaba in Mecca. He proceeded through the 7 levels of heaven meeting prophets Adam, John, John, Jesus, Moses, Abraham until he appears before God and where the obligatory prayer 5x a day come from.

monasticism

offers new roles to men and women in Christianity & Buddhism no monastic opportunity in Judaism & Islam. religious way of life in which one renounces worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work; common in both Catholicism and Buddhism; unlike priests/ministers, it is a way of life where the religious live in seclusion.

Jerusalem

A city in the Holy Land, regarded as sacred by Christians, Muslims, and Jews. Holiest of Holies- the most sacred site for Judaism, term refers to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle where God's presence appeared; former site of King Solomon's Temple in which the Ark of the Covenant (which housed the 10 commandments) was held above the floor. Church of the Holy Sepulcher-Sacred site for Christians; located in Jerusalem. Catholic Church located on the site of Jesus' crucifiction, burial, and resurrection; the first church was patronized by Roman Emperor Constantine in 300 CE. Dome of the Rock- located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; completed in 691 CE; third most sacred site for Muslims; believed to be the site where Muhammad ascended into heaven (known as the Mi'raj) after falling asleep at the Kaaba in Mecca. He proceeded through the 7 levels of heaven meeting prophets Adam, John, John, Jesus, Moses, Abraham until he appears before God and where the obligatory prayer 5x a day come from.

minaret

A distinctive feature of mosque architecture, a tower from which the faithful are called to worship.

Regular Prayer

A shared belief is the recognition of the public (congregational worship) and the personal and private prayer of each believer. Regular prayer is one of the most important signs of obedience to God. Each tradition prescribes specific words and requirements for prayer, which takes place at appointed times of day. One of the 5 Pillars, requires Muslims to pray 5x a day facing Mecca (based on Muhammad's night journey to heaven). In contrast, Jews pray 3x daily. For Christians, the most important is the Lord's Prayer and all prayers begin with a sign of the Cross.

Congregational Worship

All 3 religions also believe in the importance of adherents gathering together Public prayer in houses of worship is common to all three faiths: for Jews on Saturday, for Christians on Sunday, and for Muslims on Friday, and during celebrations throughout the year.

Heaven (salvation)

All three Abrahamic religions believe in the concept of Judgement Day & heaven & hell; Jews believe that people in other faiths who believe in God may reach salvation; but are not the chosen people. As a result, Jews do not engage in missionary activity. In contrast, Christians believe that people must accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah and savior to reach heaven. This is way Christians actively engage in missionary activity trying to spread the teachings of Jesus. Muslims believe that everyone is a descendent of Muslims since Adam & Eve were the first Muslims (h/o, with time, they belief that many strayed from Allah's original teachings); As a result, non-Muslims can get into heaven but it is predestined by Allah based on one's actions.

sacred text

All three religions have a sacred text; Judaism --> Torah, Christianity --> Bible, Islam --> Quran The Torah written in Hebrew includes first 5 books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Leviticus, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy); some of which tells the story about the history of Israel as told by the prophets Joshua, Samuel and more. Bible includes both the Old Testament (Torah) & a New Testament, (based on the life of Jesus), that includes the Gospels, the Act of the Apostles and the Book of Revolutions Quran (Islam) includes many stories from Judeo-Christian texts (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Jesus) but has variations to Judeo-Christian stories: viewed as a miracle "divinely dictated " --> reject translations Arabic (only)

Five Pillars

Basic teachings of Islam/ Guided principles 1- Profession of faith "There is no other God besides Allah and Muhammad is his prophet." 2- prayer 5x a time facing Mecca 3-charity 4-fasting during the holy month of Ramadan 5- hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca

Messiah

In the Old Testament, (after the destruction of the first Temple of Jerusalem & during the Babylonian captivity) the books of Ezekiel prophesied the coming of an anointed one, Savior sent by God. According to the prophecy, the Messiah would come from the lineage of the House of King David, allow the Jews to return to the Land of Israel, restore the Temple and resurrect the dead on a day of Judgement. Christianity began as a messianic Jewish sect. During Roman occupation of the Holy Land, many began to prophesying about the coming of the Messiah, including John the Baptist. Joseph (Jesus's father) did come from the House of David and because of Jesus crucifixion & resurrection, Christians believe him to be the Messiah and the Son of God in fulfillment of the prophecy. All 3 Abrahamic religions believe in this concept because it was prophesied in the Torah/Old Testament. Jews are still waiting for the coming of the prophecy. Muslims believe Jesus was a Messiah (an anointed one) another of God's prophets , but reject the idea that he was the Son of God (see view on monotheism)

Wailing Wall

Jewish holy site in Jerusalem that is the only remaining portion; The Second Temple of Jerusalem was built over the Holiest of Holies; The inner room, or Holy of Holies, was thought to be the actual dwelling place of the God of Israel, who sat invisibly enthroned above a solid slab in which a covenant was made and in which on the Ark of the Covenant once sat. This Ark was a gold-covered wooden box containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments.

Abraham

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are called the Abrahamic religions because of their origins. All Jews, Christians, and Muslims believe that God made a covenant, or agreement, with Abraham. This covenant made sure that believers would keep faith in God and worship Him and that this practice of worship would continue for generations. In return, God would protect the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of Abraham. This covenant became the legacy, or trust, for the children of Abraham to continue. Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac. He settled them in different parts of the Arabian Peninsula: Isaac near Jerusalem and Ishmael near Mecca. The descendants of Isaac became Jews and Christians, and the descendants of Ishmael became Muslims. The story where God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son. But, instead, God redeemed the sacrifice with a magnificent ram. While the story is the same among the monotheistic traditions, the Bible and Quran interpret it slightly differently. The story in the Bible says that the son to be sacrificed was Isaac, while the Quran says it was Ishmael. The lesson of obedience and strength of faith, however, is the same.