rEliGiuS
Islam
Islam, major world religion. The Arabic word islam literally means ?surrender? or ?submission?. As the name of the religion it is understood to mean ?surrender or submission to God?. One who has thus surrendered is a Muslim. In theory, all that is necessary for one to become a Muslim is to recite sincerely the short statement of faith known as the shahadah: I witness that there is no god but God [Allah] and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.
Christiany
Christianity, major world religion, having substantial representation in all the populated continents of the globe. Its total membership may exceed 1.7 billion people
Buddhism
Buddhism, a major world religion, founded in north-eastern India and based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha, or Enlightened One.
Hinduism
Hinduism, religion that originated in India and is still practised there, as well as in those countries within the Indian cultural sphere (chiefly within South East Asia) and those with resident communities of Indian stock (chiefly South East Asia, East Africa, South Africa, and Britain). The word Hindu is derived from the Sanskrit word sindhu (?river?, more specifically, the Indus); the Persians in the 5th century bc called the Hindus by that name, identifying them as the people of the land of the Indus. The Hindus' own definitions of their community are ?those who believe in the Vedas? or ?those who follow the way (dharma) of the four classes (varnas) and stages of life (ashramas)?.
Jews
Jews, in modern usage, employed synonymously with Hebrews and Israelites; historically and ethnically, however, the words have different meanings. As a general historical term, the word Hebrew has no ethnic connotation, being applied to any of numerous Semitic, nomadic tribes dwelling in the eastern Mediterranean area before 1300 bc. In Jewish history, the term is applied specifically to those tribes that accepted Yahweh as their deity, from the time of their prehistoric origins to the time they conquered ancient Palestine, called Canaan, and, about 1020 bc, became a united nation ruled by a king.