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Course Code: GEE 101

Course Title: Religions, Religious Experiences and
Spirituality
Number of Teaching Hours: 54 Hours
Credit Units: 3 Units

MIDDLE TERM REVIEWER

ISLAM

Muhammad is considered by Muslims to be the last of the

prophets of the Bible, beginning with Adam right through to Jesus.
Muslims believe that Muhammad was sent by God to rectify
misunderstandings of followers in this line, and so he is revered as the
seal of the prophets.
Born in Makkah (Mecca) around 570 CE, Muhammad lost his
father before he was born and his mother when he was six years old.
He was cared for first by his grandfather then his uncle. He worked
for and later married Khadija, a widow some fifteen years older. It
was she who helped and supported Muhammad when he had doubts
about his revelations. Muhammad used to go into a mountain cave to
meditate and it was when he was about forty years old that he began
having visions. On what became known as ‘the Night of Qadr’ (Power
or Glory), recorded in Surah (Section) 97 of the Qur’an, We revealed
this on the Night of Qadr. Would that you knew what the Night of
Qadr is like! Better is the Night of Qadr than a thousand months. On
that night the Angels and the Spirit by their Lord’s leave come down
with each decree. That night is peace, till break of dawn.

He had a vision of the Angel Jibril (Gabriel), who instructed him to

‘Read’ or ‘Recite’ (Qur’an means recitation). This is recorded in Surah
96 of the Qur’an, which begins, In the name of God, the
Compassionate, the Merciful Recite in the name of your Lord who
created – created man from clots of blood. Recite! Your Lord is the
Most Bountiful One, who by the pen taught man what he did not know.
According to Muslims, Muhammad was illiterate, but the word of God
was imparted directly to him. It was a message to Jews and Christians
as well as to the pagan polytheists of Arabia, to bring them back to
the essential message, to the worship of God alone. He received the
Qur’an over a period of 23 years, committing it to memory. It was not
written down until after Muhammad’s death when it is generally held
that Abu Bakr compiled the surahs, arranging them by length,
beginning with the shortest. For 12 years Muhammad taught the
supremacy of the all-powerful, merciful creator Allah, establishing
Islam, which in Arabic means ‘submission’ (to the will of Allah). There
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was much hostility to his teachings and in 622 CE, in what is known
as the Hijra, Muhammad moved to Yathrib, later known as Al-Madinah
an-Nabi (the City of the Prophet), then simply Madinah (Medina).
However, in 630 he returned and conquered Makkah, which
eventually became the main site of the Hajj (pilgrimage) which all
Muslims are enjoined to undertake as one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
The other four are the instruction to pray five times a day in the
direction (qibla) of the Ka’aba in Makkah, almsgiving, fasting during
the lunar month of Ramadan and the repetition of La Ilaha illa Allah:
Muhammad rasul Allah (there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is
his prophet). Apart from his revelations, Muhammad had another
extraordinary experience, that of the ‘Night Journey’. On a steed
named al-Buraq and accompanied by the Angel Jibril, he went to the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem and prayed in the company of Abraham
and Moses. He then ascended to the seventh heaven, where teachings
were given to him. On the way home he saw a caravan approaching
the city, and was able to substantiate the events of the night by
announcing their arrival in advance in order to silence his critics.
After a long and successful life, Muhammad died in 632 CE. He was
succeeded by four early followers Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali
but there was argument about the leadership and the Muslims split
into Sunnis, the majority, who initiated a caliphate and upheld Shari’a
law, and the Shi’as, who were led by Imams, thought to be infallible in
their interpretation of the Qur’an. In the eighth century the mystic
Sufi movements began and despite some hostility are now a part of
both Sunni and Shi’a life. However, controversy still surrounds Sufi
movements which are banned in Saudi Arabia.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

The most important Muslim practices are the Five Pillars of Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every Muslim
must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to
Islam.
The Five Pillars consist of:
SHAHADAH : sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith
SALAT : performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each
day
ZAKAT : paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the
needy
SAWM : fasting during the month of Ramadan
HAJJ : pilgrimage to Mecca

Carrying out these obligations provides the framework of a

Muslim's life, and weaves their everyday activities and their beliefs
into a single cloth of religious devotion.
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No matter how sincerely a person may believe, Islam regards it as

pointless to live life without putting that faith into action and practice.
Carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates that the Muslim is
putting their faith first, and not just trying to fit it in around their
secular lives.

JUDAISM

At its heart, Judaism is a religion founded on the relationship of a

covenant between God and his chosen people with the terms set out in
the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, also known as the
Pentateuch. In the book of Genesis, the story of the first covenant is
told, that between God and Noah, a covenant wider than just with the
Jewish people. At the time of a great flood, sent by God to destroy his
creatures because of their wickedness, Noah followed God’s
instructions in building an ark and he and his descendents were
saved. The sign of the covenant was that of a rainbow.29 The second
covenant was with Abraham, formerly Abram or Avram. He left Ur of
the Chaldees in Mesapotamia for Canaan and was to be the father of
the nation. The twelve tribes of Israel are his descendents through his
grandson Jacob. According to the book of Genesis, Abraham conceived
his first child at 99 years old. His obedience to God was tested when
he was instructed to sacrifice his son Isaac, who was only spared at
the last minute.30 Although Abraham is seen as the first monotheist,
it is Moses who is usually accepted as the founder of the Jewish
religious tradition, as it was to him that the Torah was given. Moses
was born in the 13th Century BCE, while the people of Israel were
captive in Egypt. As a baby, Moses was hidden in a basket among the
reeds and was discovered and adopted by an Egyptian princess. His
loyalties were, however, with his own people, and he killed an
Egyptian who had beaten a Hebrew slave. He subsequently fled
Pharaoh’s court, and became a shepherd. It was while tending sheep
that Moses had his first recorded spiritual experience, of seeing a
burning bush, which was not consumed by the fire and of hearing the
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voice of God instructing him to liberate the Israelites and to lead them
to the promised land. This was the land of Canaan, nowadays known
as Israel or Palestine. Assisted by his brother Aaron, Moses brought
down extraordinary plagues upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh to let
the people go. The Exodus is still commemorated by Jews today at
Pesach (Passover). The covenant between God and his people was
fully revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai with the commandments
recorded in the Torah (which means ‘divine instruction’). Moses was
seen as standing before God in a unique way, subsequently reflecting
the glory of God.

And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write these words; in accordance

with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.’
And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither
ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of
the covenant, the ten commandments. When Moses came down from
Mount Sinai, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand as he
came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of
his face shone because he had been talking with God.

Moses is revered not only by Jews, but also by Christians. Muslims

too hold him in high esteem, referring to him as Musa, one who
conversed with God. Both these religious traditions have their roots in
the Jewish tradition. After the time of Moses, the Prophets of Israel
including Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, reported
revelations from God, giving warnings and advice. Jesus too was
considered to be a prophet in this line, but one whose entire will was
so submitted to God, that he was later called the Son of God.

THE HEBREW BIBLE (24 Books of the Palestinian Jews)

TORAH (LAW) NEBI’IM (PROPHETS) KETHUBIM

(WRITINGS)
5 Books 8 Books 11 Books

FORMER PROPHETS (4)

Genesis Joshua Psalms
Exodus Judges Job
Leviticus Samuel Proverbs
Numbers Kings Ruth
Deuteronomy Song of Songs
LATTER PROPHETS (4) Ecclesiastes
MAJOR (3) Lamentations
-Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Esther
MINOR (1) Ezra-Nehemia
-12 minor prophets Chronicles
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DAOISM (TAOISM)

Laoze (Lao-Tsu), meaning ‘Old Master’, was said to have been the
author of the Daode Jing (Book of the Dao or Way and Its Virtue) some
time between the sixth and fourth century BCE in China. Legend has
it that the wise teacher was so disillusioned with humans that he was
on his way into exile when the city gatekeeper asked him to write
down the principles of his philosophy before he left. The Dao or Tao is
a mystical work advocating a way of life in harmony with nature as
well as society, a way of spontaneous action and inner peace. This may
be summed up as wu wei or going with the flow of life and the natural
world. Feng shui, meaning wind and water, is a method of aligning
dwelling and working places in harmony with nature in order to bring
prosperity and good health. From the Dao we have the principles of
Yin (feminine, passive, dark, associated with the moon and night) and
the opposite, Yang (masculine, active, bright, associated with the sun
and day). The concept of Qi (Chi) meaning air, breath and energy is
also important. Energy permeates the universe and also human
beings, and qigong is a way of getting oneself into harmony with this
essential energy. In Oriental art the brushstrokes used in calligraphy,
writing and painting are infused with Qi and the paintings include
spaces for the energy to flow. The Dao or Tao is a mystical work which
points beyond the everyday world, and this is expressed in its well-
known opening sentence,
“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao”

ZOROASTRIANISM
Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) lived in Persia, probably in the 7th Century
BCE. He was a priest, married with children and had a series of
illuminating visions, which led to new teachings. When he was thirty
years old, one early morning, he went to fetch some water from the
river. It was around dawn. The sky had just turned colour and the sun
was about to rise. As he had gone into the waters of the river, Vohu
Mana (the angel of the Good Mind) appears to him, and opens the
portal to the Divine Light of Ahura Mazda. This was the first moment
of Illumination and the first Revelations of Zarathushtra. In his vision,
he perceived Ahura Mazda as the Wise Lord of Creation, and the six
emanations of Ahura Mazda, the Amesha Spentas as the guardians
and artisans of this physical world. He perceived the laws upon which
the universe operated, and understood the inter-relationship between
Ahura Mazda, the Amesha Spentas and the Creation.26 Although he
converted some members of his family, his teachings were initially
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rejected and he left his home. After many years of persistence, he

managed to convert Kavi (King) Vishtaspa, in northern Persia, and the
new religion was launched, which subsequently spread throughout
the Persian Empire. Zarathushtra initiated the worship of ‘Ahura
Mazda’ the one God, who was opposed by Angra Mainyu. The world
was seen as offering a choice between the forces of good and evil.
Worship took place in temples where fires, burning continuously,
symbolized the light of the One God and rituals included purification
and the singing of hymns known as Gathas, which still survive.
Zoroastrians still prefer not to bury their dead, avoiding pollution of
earth, air and water. The corpses are exposed on so-called Towers of
Silence for vultures to devour. Priests were called Magi and it is
thought that the wise men who visited Bethlehem when Jesus was
born may have been Zoroastrians. Today the main followers of
Zoroastrianism are the Parsis in India.
JAINISM

The founder was known as Mahavira, which means ‘Great Hero’. It is

said that he was a Prince who probably lived in the 6th or 5th Century
BCE in the Ganges valley. He left home at the age of 30 and spent the
31 next twelve and half years practicing meditation and fasting,
freeing himself from desires, feelings and attachments. After a time,
he also freed himself from clothes, and went about naked. In the
thirteenth year he achieved enlightenment, the clarity of insight
known as kevala. Mahavira spent the next 30 years travelling around
India preaching about the eternal truth. His ultimate objective was to
show how to attain total freedom from karma – rebirth according to
one’s just deserts – and achieve moksha or liberation. He was
considered to be the 24th and last Tirthankar or ‘Fordmaker’
providing humans access to salvation. On his death at the age of 72 he
was considered to have become a Siddha or pure consciousness,
having attained Nirvana. His teachings were based on a view of the
universe as eternal, uncreated. Mahavira enjoined complete non-
violence, or ahimsa, and his teaching of not harming any form of life
led monks to sweep the ground before walking to ensure no loss of
insect life and even to wear a mask to avoid swallowing any living
creature. His teachings were written down after a period of oral
transmission as the Agam Sutras. It was into this religious world, in
about 500 BCE in India, that the Buddha was born.

Sikhism
The first of the ten gurus of the Sikhs, was Guru Nanak. He lived from
1469 to 1539 in Lahore, in the Punjab. He declined a life in business,
instead pursuing an interest in the Hindu and Muslim religions. While
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bathing in the river, he had a revelatory experience and subsequently

went missing for three days. On his return he proclaimed ‘There is no
Hindu, there is no Mussulman’, meaning that in God’s eyes such
categories are unimportant. Guru Nanak practised bhakti or loving
devotion to one God, Waheguru – True Guru, and adhered to a strict
moral code. He enjoined his followers, known as ‘Sikhs’ which means
‘learners’, to recite the name of the Lord, to work honestly and to
share their food with others. He was a bridge between the Hindu and
Muslim communities, attempting to avoid ritualism and intolerance by
offering a new spiritual vision. After his death nine other gurus
followed until the last, Guru Gobind Singh (1666 – 1708) announced
the end of the line and established the 39 order of the Khalsa. Since
that time, Sikh authority is believed to reside in the Adi Granth, the
holy scripture, called the Guru Granth Sahib. This was compiled by
Guru Arjan (1563–1606) who also built the Harimandir or Golden
Temple at Amritsar. Sikhs keep the 5 Ks: Kesh – long, uncut hair;
Kangha – comb to tend the hair; Kara – iron bangle, a reminder of the
unbroken circle of truth; Kaccha – shorts for chastity; Kirpan – sword
for defending freedom from oppression. Sikhs freely share food with
others of any social position or religion by means of the ‘Langar’ or
community kitchen, which was a concept established by Guru Nanak
and endures to this day. At the 2004 Parliament of the World’s
Religions in Barcelona a huge tent became the Langar, where free
food was served to hundreds of delegates of all faiths and none.