Religious Studies key terms

An account reporting Muhammad’s sayings or actions; collections of these accounts help Muslims understand his example.

Bleeding; the woman in Mark 5:24b–34 had experienced persistent bleeding for twelve years.

The text used at the Pesach Seder to guide its rituals and retell the Exodus story.

The Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah, obligatory for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake it.

Jewish law: the rules and practices that guide Jewish life and apply the commandments.

Permitted under Islamic law, including food that meets Islamic dietary requirements.

A person devoted to worshipping the one God rather than idols; Ibrahim is described as a hanif.

The monkey deity whose devotion, strength and selfless service help Rama rescue Sita in the Ramayana.

An Islamic term meaning forbidden by Allah.

The historical Sikh gurdwara in Amritsar, Punjab, India, also known as Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple.

Intense hostility towards a person or group.

A crime motivated by hostility or prejudice towards a person because of their identity, such as their race, religion, disability or sexuality.

Intense dislike or anger towards others, including wishing them harm.

Ego or self-centredness: putting oneself and one's desires first, obscuring awareness of God.

A fire ritual in which offerings such as grains and ghee are placed into a sacred fire while mantras are chanted.

The ceremony marking the end of Shabbat and its separation from the ordinary working week.

A cantor who leads the congregation in prayers, which may be spoken, sung or chanted.

The state of eternal happiness and loving union with God, free from sin, suffering and death.

The state of eternal separation from God resulting from freely persisting in serious sin and rejecting God’s merciful love.

The hiding of God's face: the idea that God may be present without visibly intervening in human affairs.

A relationship between people of opposite sexes, such as a man and a woman.

The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, a Jewish-founded organisation that assists refugees escaping persecution and advocates for their rights.

A system in which people or groups are ranked according to status or authority.

The leading Jewish priest, who questions Jesus and declares that his answer is blasphemy in Mark’s trial account.

Muhammad’s migration from Makkah to Madinah, where he became the leader of a Muslim community.

Whether a reported person or event belongs to actual history; for a miracle story, whether the event really happened.

The Hindu festival of colours, celebrating spring, devotion and the victory of good over evil.