Religious Beliefs, ŌMO-’DO
Our religious beliefs can affect our lifestyle, our perceptions, and our way of relating to fellow human beings. Is there a higher power (or powers) that governs the universe and judges all of us? Does committing a mortal sin mean the death of a soul, or is there a chance for forgiveness? The answers to such questions differ widely across different religions.
Religious Beliefs Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Ōmoto, religious movement of Japan that had a large following in the period between World War I and World War II......
Ōyōmeigaku, one of the three major schools of Neo-Confucianism that developed in Japan during the Tokugawa period......
žaltys, in ancient Baltic traditions, a harmless green snake highly respected as a symbol of fertility and wealth.......
ʿalenu, (Hebrew: “it is our duty”), the opening word of an extremely old Jewish prayer, which has been recited......
ʿavera, in Judaism, a moral transgression (or sin) against God or man. It may vary from grievous to slight and......
ʿiddah, a specified period of time that must elapse before a Muslim widow or divorcee may legitimately remarry.......
ʿilm al-ḥadīth, form of investigation established by Muslim traditionists in the 3rd century ah (9th century ce)......
ʿolam ha-ba, in Jewish theology, either “the world after death” or the new creation or restoration of the world......
ʿolam ha-ze, (Hebrew: “this world”), in Jewish theology, present life on earth, as opposed to ʿolam ha-ba (“the......
ʿulamāʾ, the learned of Islam, those who possess the quality of ʿilm, “learning,” in its widest sense. From the......
ʿumrah, the “minor pilgrimage” undertaken by Muslims whenever they enter Mecca. It is also meritorious, though......
ʿuqqāl, in the Druze religion, an elite of initiates who alone know Druze doctrine (ḥikmah, literally “wisdom”),......
ʿĀshūrāʾ, Muslim holy day observed on the 10th of Muḥarram, the first month of the Muslim calendar (Gregorian date......
ʿādah, (Arabic: “custom”), in Islāmic law, a local custom that is given a particular consideration by judicial......
ʿāqil, (Arabic: “knowledgeable”), in Islāmic law, one who is in full possession of his mental faculties. Such a......
ʿārīyah, (Arabic: “gratuitous loan”), in Islāmic law, the gratuitous loan of some object—e.g., a utensil, a tool,......
Ḥabad, Jewish movement and its doctrine, an offshoot of the religious and social movement known as Ḥasidism; its......
Ḥanafī school, in Islam, one of the four Sunni schools of religious law, incorporating the legal opinions of the......
Ḥanbalī school, in Islam, one of the four Sunni schools of religious law, known especially for its role in the......
Ḥasidism, (from Hebrew ḥasid, “pious one”), a 12th- and 13th-century Jewish religious movement in Germany that......
ḥalitẓa, (Hebrew: “drawing off”), Jewish ritual whereby a widow is freed from the biblical obligation of marrying......
ḥaqīqah, (Arabic: “reality,” “truth”), in Sufi (Muslim mystic) terminology, the knowledge the Sufi acquires when......
ḥol ha-moʿed, (from Hebrew ḥol, “weekday,” and ha-moʿed, “[of] the festival”) in Judaism, the less festive days......
al-ḥudūd, in the Druze religion, five cosmic principles that are emanations from God, the One. Al-Ḥākim, the 11th-century......
ḥuppa, in a Jewish wedding, the portable canopy beneath which the couple stands while the ceremony is performed.......
ḥāl, in Ṣūfī Muslim mystical terminology, a spiritual state of mind that comes to the Ṣūfī from time to time during......
ṣawm, in Islam, any religious fast, but especially the fast of the month of Ramadan during which Muslims abstain......
Ṭohorot, (Hebrew: “Purifications”), the last of the six major divisions, or orders (sedarim), of the Mishna (codification......
Ṭu bi-Shevaṭ, (Hebrew: “Fifteenth of Shevaṭ”), Jewish festival of the new year of trees, or arbor day. It occurs......
ṭahāra, system of ritual purity in Islam. This system is based on two premises: the first is that humans lapse......
ṭallit, prayer shawl worn by male Jews during the daily morning service (shaḥarit); it is also worn by the leader......
Ẓāhirīyah, followers of an Islamic legal and theological school that insisted on strict adherence to the literal......
’dod-yon sna-lnga, in Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, pleasurable sense perceptions presented to honour tranquil deities.......