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       #Post#: 22--------------------------------------------------
       COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MAJOR RELIGIONS
       By: SAJID SAEED Date: March 4, 2016, 1:28 am
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       Total Marks: 100
       Time Allowed: 3 hours
       NOTE: This paper is optional for only Non Muslim candidates.
       They may either opt Islamic Studies OR this paper as may suit to
       them.
       Introduction
       Definition(s) of religion
       Emergence of the study of religion as a discipline
       Theological and academic study of religion
       An overview of religious landscape of the World
       Hinduism
       Historical Background
       Indus valley civilization, Aryan invasion theory, Vedic
       Dharma, Brahmanism
       Scriptures:
       Sruti: Vedas, Upanishads, Smirti: Manu Smirti, Sutras,
       Puranas, Great epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata
       Hindu Doctrines:
       Dharma, Vedanta, Karma, Transmigration of Souls, Moksha
       (Liberation)
       Ways to Liberation:
       Karma marga (Works/Rituals), Jnana marga (Wisdom),
       Bhakti marga (Devotion)
       Hindu gods:
       Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Trimurti, other gods and
       divinities
       Major Hindu Sects:
       Vaishavism (Manifestation avatars), Saivism (Supreme God
       & Phallic worship), Saktism (Goddess worship)
       Hindu society:
       Caste System, Ashramas (Stages of life)
       Hinduism in the Modern World
       19th century reform and revival movements, Contemporary
       Hindu Tendencies and movements
       Buddhism
       Historical Background
       Life of Gautama Buddha, Formation and spread of
       Buddhism, Rivalry between Brahmanism and Buddhism
       Scriptures:
       Tripitaka: Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka, Abhidhamma
       Pitaka
       Teachings and Doctrines
       Three Jewels of Buddhism: Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, The
       four noble truths, Eight fold Path
       Buddhist Sects:
       Theravadas (Hinayana), Mahayana, other schools and sects
       Buddhism in the Modern world
       Judaism
       A brief history of Jews and Judaism:
       From Abraham to Moses, peace be upon them all, From
       Moses to establishment of Jewish rule, Destruction of Jerusalem
       and dispersion of Jews in the world,
       Jewish Scriptures:
       Tanakh (The Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings),
       Mishnah and Talmud
       Articles of faith and basic teachings:
       Ten Commandments, The thirteen principles of faith
       propounded by Moses Maimonides (1138-1204)
       Jewish holidays and festivals:
       Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), Pesach (Passover),
       Sukkot (Tabernacles) Purim
       Jewish Worship:
       Daily prayer, fasting, Sabbath
       Jewish sects and movements
       Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism,
       Zionism, Kabbalah, Hasidism
       Christianity
       Historical background:
       Jewish background of Christianity, Life and of Jesus
       Christ (Through the Four Gospels), Life and the role of Paul
       (Through the Letters of Paul), Formation and spread of the
       Christian Church, Christianization of the Roman Empire, Reform
       movement
       Scriptures:
       The Holy Bible (Old Testament and New Testament)
       Basic Doctrines:
       Original Sin, Incarnation of God, Crucifixion and
       Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Atonement, Trinity
       Christian Sects:
       Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestantism
       Sub-denominations: Lutherans, Reformed and Presbyterians,
       Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Unitarians
       Christian Festivals and Holidays:
       Advent, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost
       Christian worship and Sacraments
       Baptism, Eucharist, Communion, Lord’s Supper, prayer,
       fasting, psalms, music,
       Christianity in the Modern Times
       Encounter with modernity, modern theological trends,
       Missionary movement, Dialogue and relationship with other
       religions
       Islam
       Introduction and Historical Background
       Islamic concept of religion, universality of religion
       and diversity of shari‘ahs, Sirah (Life) of the Holy Prophet
       Muhammad, peace be upon him, The era of rightly guided caliphs
       of Islam
       Sacred Scriptures:
       The Holy Quran, Hadith
       Basic Doctrines and Creed:
       Tawhid (Oneness of God), Risalah (Belief in Prophets and
       finality of the prophet-hood with the Prophet Muhammad), Akhirah
       (Belief in Hereafter and the final reckoning by Allah the
       Almighty), Belief in angels, previous scriptures, predestination
       and human responsibility before God, infallibility of the Quran
       Five Pillars of Islam:
       Utterance of Shahadatayn (To proclaim the Oneness of
       Allah and that Prophet Muhammad is his messenger, salah (five
       daily prayers), zakah (compulsory charity), sawm (fasting in the
       month of Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah who can afford
       travelling to it)
       Other Teachings of Islam
       Equality of mankind, simplicity, spiritual purity and
       bodily hygiene, patience, contentment, moderation, social
       justice, Jihad, tolerance towards other religions,
       Sects and Schools
       Sunnis (mainstream Muslims), Shi‘ahs (Special devotion
       for Hazrat Ali and Family of the Prophet), Khawarij
       (literalists), Mu‘tazilah (rationalists)
       Contemporary Islamic movements and tendencies:
       Ikwan al Muslimun (Muslim Brotherhood),
       Jama‘at-i-Islami, Tablighi Jama‘at, Salafi movement, Fethullah
       Gulen movement in Turkey, Iranian revolution, extremist groups.
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