Robinson,+Rafiq

The belief that all religions have things in common is one never truly proved. The belief that all religious worshiping rituals are the same is a question not usually asked. This is a question that should be asked more and a question that will be confronted here. My belief is that all religions are not the same and their religious worships are no different.

The religious worship I will talk about is Judaism. Recitation of prayers is the central characteristic of Jewish worship. As with most religious services, the length and content of the synagogue service depends on the sect and the customs of the particular community. In general, one can expect to hear the most Hebrew used in an Orthodox service and the least in Reform services, and services in Reform temples also tend to be shorter than those held in Orthodox // shuls // and Conservative synagogues. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book. Observant Jews are expected to recite three prayers daily and more on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. While solitary prayer is valid, attending synagogue to pray with a minyan is considered ideal. Many synagogues have a hazzan who is a professional or lay-professional singer employed for the purpose of leading the congregation in prayer. Many Jews sway their body back and forth during prayer. This practice is not mandatory, and in fact the kabbalist Isaac Luria felt that it should not be done. Proper concentration is considered essential for prayer, and there are certain prayers that are invalid if recited without the required awareness and intention. These are the first line of Shema Yisrael and the first of the nineteen benedictions of the Amidah.

The religion I will discuss is Islam. It combines the mundane with the spiritual, the individual with the society, and the internal soul with the external body. Worship has a unique role in Islam, and through worship, a person is regarded as a true Muslim who accords his entire life to the Will of God. It may include everything a person perceives, thinks, intends, feels, says and does. It also refers to everything that God requires, external, internal or interactive. This includes rituals as well as beliefs, work, social activities, and personal behavior, as human being is a whole, such that every part affects every other. The importance of worship may be seen in the fact that it has been prescribed by God in all religions prior to Islam. The most general meaning of worship in Islam is inclusive of everything, which is pleasing to God, whether they deal with issues of belief, or deeds of the body. Worship may be classified into two types. Specific Beliefs, feelings and visible acts of devotion paid in homage to God, which He has commanded. All other acts of goodness generally encouraged in the life of a Muslim. The last one I will talk about is Buddhism. The earning of merit is a key concept in Buddhism. Merit essentially refers to good karma, which will lead to a good rebirth in the next life. The code of ethics is the Dharma, the Buddha is the recipient of worship, and the sangha receives the support of the laity. In addition to the regular worship that takes place in daily, monthly and annual religious cycles, other forms of worship are common. The most public is reverence for the Buddha's image. While the monks earn merit primarily through their achievements in meditation the people earn merit in supporting the monks, worship, and in living an ethical life. This arrangement can be understood as the application of the Three Refugees to lay life. The Three Refuges, as they are regularly recited, are: I take refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the Sangha. Such images appear everywhere in Buddhist countries. They are in homes, in small shrines on the side of the road or the street, and in village chapels or city temples. They receive both regular worship and, especially for the larger temples, special visits by lay people on auspicious occasions or at times of particular need. Worship is usually rather simple. It will include Puja (usually an offering of flowers, water, food or the lighting of candles), bowing to the statue to show reverence, and the speaking of various devotions, ritual formulas and requests. Worship may also involve the use of hand-held prayer wheels. As can be seen in the picture to the left, a prayer wheel is essentially a cylinder on a stick that has a weight attached to it. When the weight is spun around, the cylinder rotates. Inside the cylinder is a long paper with mantras written on it. When a person swings the wheel so that the cylinder rotates, it is equivalent to each mantra is uttered.

All religions have different beliefs and apparently they have different religious worships. I believe that to know the things they are the same you must first know what is different. Islam, Judaism and Buddhism all have their own unique religious worships and that’s is what makes them special in their own way.