Religious Education

Second Form

Topic: Sacred Writings

Subtopic: Sacred Writing in Islam (The Qur’an)

Key terms

Qur’an: this is the sacred text for the Muslims which means recitation

Surah: chapters in Qur’an

Hadith: a collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad with accounts of

his daily practice (Sunna). This book is a source of guidance for the Muslims apart from the

Qur’an.

The Origin and development of the Qur’an

The Qur’an is the holy book for all Muslims. The name comes from the Arabic word meaning

‘that which read or recited’. It contains all the revelations given by Allah to the Prophet

Muhammad.

Muhammad often went to a cave near his home city of Mecca to worship Allah. One day, the

angel Jibril, came to Muhammad with a message from Allah. Muhammad was not able to read.

The angel told Muhammad that he is the messenger of Allah. This is the beginning of the

revelations written in the Quran. They were received during the month of Ramadan in 610 CE.

The Prophet repeated these revelations to his companions and they were written down by scribes.

Within 20 years of Muhammad’s death, the Qur’an existed as a single book.

The Contents of the Qur’an

There are 114 surahs (chapters) in the Qur’an. The surahs are not written down in the order in

which they were revealed. Instead they are written down in the order in which they were
collected by Muhammad’s followers after his death. Each surah has its own title. The title is

taken from a word or theme in the surah.

Religious Education

Second Form

Topic: Sacred Writings

Subtopic: The Sacred Writings in Hinduism

Quote of the day “hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny”

-C.S. Lewis

The information below (notes) should be written in your RE notebook (head up your work properly).

Most Hindu scriptures were originally written in the ancient language of Sanskrit. There are two main
categories of the Hindu Scriptures: Shruti and Smriti.

The Shruti

Shruti means ‘that which is revealed’. The shruti books contain the four vedas and the Upanishads which
explain the teachings of the vedas. Each veda is divided into four section Samhitas (mantras), Bramanas
(explain the mantras and rituals, Aranyakas (meditation) and upanishads.

The word vedas means ‘knowledge’ and Hindus believe that these books have come directly from the
Supreme Being. The four vedas include:

-Rig Veda-(Praise)

-Sama Veda-(Chants)

-Yajur Veda-(Sacrifice)

-Artharva Veda-(Priets)

The Smriti

Smriti means ‘that which is remembered’. The smriti is a collection of Hindu beliefs, laws, practices and
epic stories. The three most important smriti literature are:
-The Bhagavad Gita-contains teachings of the god Krishna

-The Mahabharata-A very long epic poem

-The Ramayana-This is another epic poem in India about Rama (an avatar of Vishnu)

Religious Education

Second Form

Topic: Signs & Symbols

Subtopic: Symbols in Christianity

Fish: Hinding from terrible persecution in the Roman Empire, the early Christians drew symbols on the
walls to highlight their religious belief. When other Christians saw the symbols, they were encouraged by
the knowledge that they had friends nearby. One of the most popular symbols was the fish. It was used
because each letter of the Greek word (icthus) stood for a meaningful word:

I-Jesus C-Christ TH-(of) God U-Son S-Saviour

The Cross: This is the most powerful and the most important Christian symbol. This symbol is found in
most churches as well as on many gravestones. It reminds people of the death of Jesus for the sins of the
whole word.

The Crucifix: This is a cross with an image of Jesus on it. The crucifix is a symbol of the death of Jesus.

Wine: The most important Christian service is that of Holy Communion. Different denominations have
different names

Oil: This is a traditional Christian symbol used to anoint people when they have been given a particular
task to carry out by God. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit’s anointing.
Dove: The dove is a symbol of peace and has remained so among Christians. As Christians believe that
God’s Holy Spirit is the bringer of peace, they have retained the dove as a symbol for the Holy Spirit.

The laying on of hands: In Catholic and Anglican churches, people who wish to renew their commitment
to Christ are confirmed. During this service the bishop who usually performs this ceremony lays his
hands on the head of each person being confirmed.