Comparative Religions

BY:
Faheem ul Hassan
(BF133002)
Asad ur Rehman
(BF133003)
Hamza
(BB133086)
Muddassra Afzal
(BB133005)

Islam

Islam

How It Began:

No Founder
Since Adam

Point of Origin:

Mecca

Where It Spread:

West and East Africa,

A Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca

once in their life. In the heart of Mecca, lays
the Kaaba. He/she must walk around the
Kaaba seven times and then, the Black
Stone.

Philippines, Central Asia,

Western China, India,
Malaysia, Indonesia,
North America, and
Europe.

Islam [cont.]
How It Spread:
Preach while Trade

Where Most Influential

Today:
India and Indonesia,

however being the

fastest growing religion,
North America is giving
way to many Muslims.
Followers, worldwide:
1,387,454,500

Prayer 5 times a day is part of the Five

Pillars. When praying it is important to face
the direction of Mecca, thus, everyone in
the above picture is facing the same
direction.

Islam [cont.]
Religious Leader

Organization:
Caliph is Islamic leader.

Sects Evolved Overtime:

Shiites
Sunnis

The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) in Mecca is

the most famous Mosque in the world and holds
the holy Black Stone, the Kaaba.

Islam [cont.]
Holy Book:
The Qur'an

Deity:
Allah

Basic Beliefs:

The sacred text of Islam is the Quran, which is shown

in the above picture.

Strictly monotheistic
Muslims must practice 5 Pillars of Islam
Submission to Allah
Fasting during Ramadan
Prayer 5 times a day
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Zakat (pay alms to needy)

Judaism

Judaism

How It Began:
Founder: c. 2000

B.C.E.
Founded: Moses

Point of Origin:
Israel

Where It Spread:
Mainly across Israel

and United States

For each night of Hanukah, a Jewish holiday,
one candle is lit on the menorah.

Judaism [cont.]

How It Spread:
Started by passing down through families.

Where Most Influential Today:

Israel

Followers, worldwide:
14,956,000

Judaism [cont.]

Holy Book:
The Torah

Main God/gods/deities:
God

Basic Beliefs:
Monotheistic
Stresses ethical

behavior
God has special
relationship with
Hebrews; they shall bear
witness to Gods mercy.
The Holy Book of Judaism, the Torah.

Judaism [cont.]

Religious Leader
Organization:
Other than the Rabbi, who

teaches and preaches

Judaism, there is no
overall religious leader.

Sects Evolved Overtime:

Orthodox
Conservative
Reform
Reconstructionist
Humanist

The Star of David.

Christia
nity

Christianity

How It Began:
Founder: Jesus (of

Nazareth)
Founded: c. 33
C.E.

Point of Origin:
Palestine

Where It Spread:
Europe, North

America, and South

America

A painting of Jesus Christ believed in religion.

Christianity [cont.]

How It Spread:
Constantine made it

the official religion of

the Roman Empire.

Where Most
Influential Today:
Europe, North

America, and South

America

Followers, worldwide:
2,199, 817,400

Jesus Christ died on the Cross in order to forgive

everyones sins, thus, the cross is a symbol to
represent Christianity.

Christianity [cont.]

Holy Book:
The Bible

Main God/gods/deities:
God

Basic Beliefs:
Monotheistic
Jesus died on the cross to forgive everyone's

sins
The Bible tells the life of Jesus
Heaven and Hell

Christianity [cont.]

Religious Leader
Organization:
The Pope is head of

the church.

Sects Evolved
Overtime:
Main sects include
Roman Catholic
Eastern Orthodox
Protestant
A church of Eastern Orthodox, one sect of Christianity.

Buddhis
m

BUDDHISM

How It Began:

Point of Origin:

Founder: Siddhartha
Gautama (The Buddha)
Founded: c. 525 B.C.E.
near present-day
Benares, India

Where It Spread:

Mainly throughout Asia

and North America.

The Life of a Buddhist Monk is

meant to be simplistic. Thus, the
shave their heads and wear robes
in order to rid themselves of vanity.

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

The Dharmashakra represents

the Eightfold Path.

How It Spread: By Trade and

as Ashoka the Great spread the
word throughout his Mauryan
Dynasty
Where Most Influential:
Buddhism is predominately
practiced in Asia
Followers, worldwide:
385,609,000
Holy Book: The Tripitaka and
Mahayana Sutras

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

Main God/gods/deities:

no divine being

Basic Beliefs:

Karma
Reincarnation

Birth, Life, Death, Rebirth

Four Noble Truths

Life means suffering

Origin of suffering is desire.
The stopping of all suffering is possible
By following the correct path, one can achieve Nirvana (the
state of no suffering).

The Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of suffering.

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

Religious Leader
Organization:

Monastic order
where traditions
passed down
between monks and
nuns

Sects Evolved
Overtime:

Mahayana (Zen &

Sokagakkai)
Theravada

One of the eight auspicious symbols for Buddhism,

the white lotus represents the state of spiritual
perfection.

Hindui
sm

Hinduism
How

It Began:

Founder: Not
Specified
Founded: c. 1500
B.C.E.
Point

of Origin:

India
Where
Symbol for Hinduism.

It Spread:

Mainly India, Nepal,

Malaysia, Guyana,
Suriname, and Sri
Lanka.

Hinduism [cont.]
How

It Spread:

Trade
Where

Most
Influential Today:
India and Nepal

Followers,

worldwide:
875,726,000

A statue of Shiva, a Hindu trinity God.

Hinduism [cont.]
Holy

Book:

Vedas, Upanishads, Sutras, Bhagavad

Gita
Main

God/gods/deities:

Brahman, Shiva, Vishnu, Devi

Basic

Beliefs:

Four Vedas
Karma
Reincarnation

Hinduism [cont.]
Religious

Leader

Organization:
Spiritual leaders
known as gurus
and sages.
Sects

Evolved
Overtime:
Shaivism
Vaishnavism
Vishnu, a Hindu trinity God.