Which are the major Religions in the world?

RELIGION

A religion is a set of beliefs that helps explain life’s mysteries. People seek guidance from their religion on how they should live their lives. Most people with religious faith believe in either one God or many gods. They express their faith through rituals, such as gathering together with others to worship, and by studying sacred books. There are many different religions, but those included here have the most followers around the world.

  • HINDUISM

One of the oldest religions, Hinduism began 5,000 years ago in India. Hindus believe in a supreme spirit, Brahman, who reveals himself through hundreds of gods and goddesses. Hindus practise their faith in different ways, but share a belief in reincarnation – the idea that a person’s soul has lived before and will live on after death in another form.

Krishna This popular Hindu god is thought to bring great happiness to believers.

Ganesh Hindus pray to Ganesh, the elephant god of wisdom and help, when facing a new challenge.

Water shaker In one Hindu ritual, priests sprinkle water over the worshippers.

Om is a sacred Sound, Om, spoken after Hindu prayer.

  • ISLAM

Muslims believe that God revealed his words through an angel to the prophet Muhammad, who collected them in the Qur’an, the holy book. The faithful try to live by the rules in this book. The most important duties are the Five Pillars: prayer, helping the needy, fasting for one month a year, making a pilgrimage to Mecca, and showing faith in God.

Islamic scribe Because the Qur’an is believed to contain God’s exact words, great care is taken when Muslim scribes recreate them.

Prayer beads God, or Allah, is thought to have 99 names. This string of 99 prayer beads can be used to remind Muslims of the many names of the one God.

Qibla Muslims must face the holy city of Mecca when they pray, five times a day.

  • CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is based on the belief that Jesus Christ is God’s son. The Bible, Christianity’s sacred book, contains the story of Jesus’s life and how he was put to death. Christians believe his sacrifice means that followers will have an eternal life with God.

Chalice In the ritual of Holy Communion, bread and wine represent the body and blood of Jesus. The wine is often served in a chalice.

Icon of Christ Paintings remind Christians that God lived as a human through Jesus.

Cross Because Jesus died on a cross, it is a powerful symbol of the Christian faith.

  • BUDDHISM

Unlike most religions, Buddhism is not based on worshipping a god or gods. Instead, it is based on the teachings of the Buddha, who showed his followers how to live a good life and avoid sufffering by controlling their desires. Buddhists hope to achieve true wisdom, known as enlightenment.

Buddha The founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, was born in what is now Nepal in 563 BCE.

Statues of Buddha are often made of gold to show his importance

Merit sharing Buddhists believe that if they live caring lives, they will build up merit (good will) and have a better next life. They can pass on merit to others in a merit-sharing ceremony.

  • JUDAISM

This is the religion of the Jews, also called Hebrews. Judaism was the first successful religion based on the idea that there is only one God, and it formed the basis for both Christianity and Islam. Central to Jewish belief is that God chose the Jews as a special holy nation, and gave them a set of laws to follow. The story of the first Jewish people is told in the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament).

Chanukiah A nine-branched candlestick is used to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of light. The central branch holds the candle used to light the others.

Prayer wheel and prayer Buddhist prayer wheel turns, a mantra (a blessing or prayer) written on a scroll inside “repeats” itself over and over again.

Picture Credit : Google

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