Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A key terms

The Sustainer: Allah provides what his creation needs.

The pursuit of material prosperity and the resources needed to support life, guided by dharma.

A worship ceremony in which light is offered before a deity.

A fundamental principle of religious belief; the Six Beliefs summarise the foundations of Muslim faith, particularly in Sunni Islam.

Birth control using methods such as condoms, contraceptive pills or devices, rather than avoiding sex during fertile periods.

The regular Jewish evening prayer service, also called Maariv.

Jesus’ being taken into heaven after his resurrection.

A person who gives up worldly comforts and practises self-denial in pursuit of spiritual understanding.

A disciplined way of life that limits physical comforts and desires for a religious or spiritual purpose.

A stage of life in the traditional Hindu model: student, householder, retirement or renunciation.

The tenth day of Muharram. Shi’a Muslims especially commemorate Husayn’s death at Karbala; Sunni Muslims also remember Musa’s rescue from Pharaoh.

The Beautiful Names of Allah: names which express his attributes and help Muslims understand and worship him.

The Source of Peace: Allah grants peace, safety and security.

Helping someone to end their own life.

The Catholic belief that Mary was taken body and soul into heavenly glory at the end of her earthly life.

An absence of belief in God or gods; it does not by itself prescribe a particular moral approach.

A person who does not believe in God or gods.

The spiritual self within a living being.

Making amends for wrongdoing and restoring a damaged relationship, especially the relationship with God.

Clinging to possessions, relationships or desired outcomes so that they dominate one's state of mind.

A quality or characteristic. Allah’s attributes describe his nature, such as his mercy and power.

The recognised power of a source to guide beliefs and behaviour. Muslims regard the Qur’an as authoritative because they believe its words come from Allah.

A divine incarnation: a deity appearing on earth, such as Vishnu appearing as Rama.

Jewish mourning, including periods and practices through which bereaved people express grief and gradually return to ordinary life.

A verse of the Qur’an.

‘Prisoner Release Day’: the Sikh commemoration of Guru Hargobind’s release from imprisonment and the liberation of 52 other prisoners.

A sacred composition or utterance of the Gurus, recited or sung as part of Sikh devotion.