Folk religion

In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized religion. The precise definition of folk religion varies among scholars. Sometimes also termed popular belief, it consists of ethnic or regional religious customs under the umbrella of a religion, but outside official doctrine and practices.[1] The term “folk religion” is generally held

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Smarta tradition

Smārta tradition (Sanskrit: स्मार्त) is a major Hindu denomination. It reflects a Hindu synthesis of four philosophical strands: Mimamsa, Advaita, Yoga, and theism.[1] The Smarta tradition rejects theistic sectarianism,[1] and it is notable for the domestic worship of five shrines with five deities, all treated as equal – Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, Ganesha, and Shakti.[2] The Smarta tradition contrasted with the older Shrauta tradition, which was based on elaborate rituals and rites.[3][4] There

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Islam

A monotheistic faith and the world’s second-largest religion. Followers of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, Allah) revealed his direct word for mankind to Muhammad and other prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims assert that the main written record of revelation to humankind is the Qur’an, which they

Sunni Islam

Sunni Islam (/ˈsuːni, ˈsʊni/) is by far the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world’s Muslims. Its name comes from the word Sunnah, referring to the behaviour of Muhammad.[1] The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the succession to Muhammad and subsequently acquired broader political significance, as well as theological and juridical dimensions.[2] According to Sunni traditions, Muhammad left no successor and the participants

Kharijites

The Kharijites (Arabic: الخوارج‎, al-Khawārij, singular خارجي, khāriji), also called the al-Shurat (Arabic: الشراة, al-Shurāt), were an Islamic sect that appeared in the first century of Islam during the First Muslim Civil War, the crisis of leadership after the murder of the third caliph Uthman. Some members of the army of the fourth caliph Ali seceded after he agreed to arbitration with his rival, Mu’awiya I, to decide

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Muʿtazila

Muʿtazila (Arabic: المعتزلة‎ al-muʿtazilah, English: “Those Who Withdraw, or Stand Apart”), also called Ahl al-ʿAdl wa al-Tawḥīd, is an Islamic group that appeared in early Islāmic history in the dispute over Alī’s leadership of the Muslim community after the death of the third caliph, Uthman. Those who would neither condemn nor sanction ʿAlī or his opponents but took a

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Murijite Islam

Murjiite Islam (Arabic: المرجئة‎, “Those Who Postpone”), also spelled Murji’as, Murji’ah or Murji’ites, were an early Islamic sect. Murji’ah held the opinion that God alone has the right to judge whether or not a Muslim has become an apostate. Consequently Muslims should practice postponement (ʾirjāʾ) of judgment on committers of major sins and not make charges of disbelief (’takfir’) or punish accordingly anyone who

Sufism

Sufism (Arabic: ٱلصُّوفِيَّة‎), also known as Tasawwuf[1] (ٱلتَّصَوُّف), is mysticism[2] in Islam, “characterized … [by particular] values, ritual practices,[3] doctrines and institutions”.[4] It is variously defined as “Islamic mysticism”,[4][5][6] “the mystical expression of Islamic faith”,[7] “the inward dimension of Islam”,[8][9] or “the phenomenon of mysticism within Islam”.[10][11] Sufism began very early in Islamic history,[10] and represents “the main manifestation and the most important and central crystallization of” mystical practice

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Shia Islam

Shia Islam or Shi’ism is the second largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him,[1] most notably at the event of Ghadir Khumm, but was prevented from succeeding Muhammad as the leader of the Muslims as a result of the choice made by some of Muhammad’s other companions at Saqifah. This view

Jesus Christ

Jesus, also known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure in Christianity. Most Christian groups believe that Jesus is God, and Muslims believe he was one of God’s prophets. Because of his significance in these religions, many consider him the one of the most influential historical figures of all time. The primary sources about

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Judaism

Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. It is also one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. The tenets and history of Judaism constitute the historical foundation of many other religions, including Christianity and Islam; sometimes known as the Abrahamic religions,

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Reconstructionist Judaism

Reconstructionist Judaism[a] is a modern Jewish movement that views Judaism as a progressively evolving civilization and is based on the conceptions developed by Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983).[1][2] The movement originated as a semi-organized stream within Conservative Judaism and developed from the late 1920s to 1940s, before it seceded in 1955[3] and established a rabbinical college in 1967.[4] (The central organization of the movement renamed itself to Reconstructing Judaism in

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Conservative Judaism

Conservative Judaism (known as Masorti Judaism outside North America) is a Jewish religious movement that regards the authority of Jewish law and tradition as emanating primarily from the assent of the people and the community through the generations, more than from divine revelation. It therefore views Jewish law, or halakha, as both binding and subject to historical development. The Conservative rabbinate employs modern historical-critical research, rather

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Reform Judaism

Reform Judaism (also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism) is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of the faith, the superiority of its ethical aspects to the ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous revelation, closely intertwined with human reason and intellect, and not centered on the theophany at Mount Sinai. A liberal strand of Judaism, it is characterized by lessened stress on

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Orthodox Judaism

Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and faithfully transmitted ever since. Orthodox Judaism therefore advocates a strict observance of Jewish law, or halakha, which is to be interpreted and determined exclusively according to traditional methods and in adherence to the continuum of received

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Lao Zi

Lao Zi was a famous Chinese philosopher who is believed to have lived in approximately the 4th century BC, during the Hundred Schools of Thought and Warring States Periods. He is credited with writing the seminal Taoist work, the Tao Te Ching. He became a popular deity in Taoist religion’s pantheon. His most famous

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Taoism

Taoism (/ˈtaʊ-/), or Daoism (/ˈdaʊɪzəm/), is a philosophical and spiritual tradition of Chinese origin which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (Chinese: 道; pinyin: Dào; lit. ‘Way’, or Dao). In Taoism, the Tao is the source, pattern and substance of everything that exists.[2][3] Taoism teaches about the various disciplines for achieving “perfection” by becoming one with the unplanned rhythms of the all, called “the way” or “Tao”.[2][4] Taoist ethics vary depending

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Moses

Moses or Moshe (Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic Musa), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. Legendary Hebrew liberator, leader, lawgiver, prophet, and historian. If he is a historical figure, he may have lived between the 18th century BC and the 13th century BC. According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses

Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad (also transliterated Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammed) was an Arab religious and political leader. Non-Muslims consider him the founder of Islam. Muslims view him as the final prophet of Islam, which is considered by Muslims to have existed prior to Muhammad, in the same tradition as Judaism and Christianity. Early Muslim sources report that in

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Sikhism

Sikhism is a religion that developed in an environment heavily influenced by conflict between the Hindu and Muslim religions. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which means a strong and able disciple. The core beliefs of Sikhism are belief in one God and the teachings of the Ten Gurus, enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib,

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