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Exam board: AQA

Alien Abduction: Islam – Orbiting Earth at this very moment, the alien survey ship “Pantheon” is abducting people to collect data about their belief systems. Ajmal is beamed into the interrogation chamber to answer questions about Islam.

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices – Beliefs and teachings - Key Beliefs - Islam -

Tawhid - (the Oneness of God), Qur’an Surah 112.

Akhirah (life after death), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and hell.
Risalah (Prophethood) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad

Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il.

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices- Islam -Practices and Duties - Five Pillars of Sunni Islam

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices- Islam - Practices, Duties and Festivals. -Festivals and commemorations and their importance for Muslims in Great Britain today, including the origins and meanings of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 1 - Section 1: Muslim Beliefs -The nature of Allah: how the characteristics of Allah are shown in the Qur’an and why they are important. Tawhid (oneness), including Surah 16: 35–36, immanence, transcendence, omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice, Adalat in Shi’a Islam.

Akhirah: Muslim teachings about life after death; the nature of judgement, paradise and hell; how they are shown in the Qur’an, including Surah 17: 49–72; divergent ways in which Muslims teachings about life after death affect the life of a Muslim today.

RiSalah: the nature and importance of prophethood for Muslims, including Surah 2: 136; what the roles of prophets teach Muslims, exemplified in the lives Adam, Ibrahim, Isma’il, Musa, Dawud, Isa, Muhammad.

"Malaikah: the nature and importance of angels for Muslims; how angels Jibril,
Izra’il and Mika’il are shown in the Quran, including Surah 19, 32: 11 and 2: 97–
98, and their significance for Muslims today."
Section 3: Living the Muslim Life - The nature, origins, activities, meaning and significance of the celebration/ commemoration of Id-ul-Adha, with reference to Surah 37: 77–111, and Id-ul-Fitr
in Sunni Islam.

 

OCR

Componet Group 2–Religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world from a religious perspective - the existence of God, gods and ultimate reality, and ways in which God, gods or ultimate reality might be understood; through revelation, visions, miracles or enlightenment. Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah. The importance of practices - Islam as a way of life, lived in total submission to Allah • The importance of the Five Pillars of Islam to Sunni Muslims • The meaning of the Five Pillars: •• Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith •• Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day •• Zakat/Zakah: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy •• Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan •• Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca • The analogy of the house and pillars

 

WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Islam - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices - The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam -Prayer/ Salat  Adhan call to prayer, praying at mosque and Friday Jummah prayer (Qur'an 15:9899, 29:45)  Praying at home, private prayer (Du'ah)  The preparations and intention for prayer: wudu and niyyah  The significance and symbolism of the different prayer positions that make a rakat (sequence of prayer) Obligatory Acts  Shahadah: the Muslim profession of faith in Allah and the prophet Muhammad; occasions when the Shahadah is recited, e.g. aqiqah ceremony, conversion to Islam  Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit others, what zakat tax may be used for, and additional charity (saddaqah)  Sawm: Fasting during the month of Ramadan. How and why Muslims fast during Ramadan and rules about halal and haram diet (Qur'an 2:183)

 

Eduqas

Component 3 (Route A): Study of a World Faith: Option 3: Islam:Beliefs and teachings: The Nature of Allah ➢ The teaching about the nature of Allah: the belief in the oneness of Allah (Tawhid): Qur'an 3:18 ➢ Nature of Allah: immanence, transcendence, omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice: Qur'an 46:33 ➢ Adalat in Shi'a Islam Prophet hood (Risalah) ➢ The nature of prophet hood; why are prophets important? Qur'an 2:136 ➢ The importance of Adam as the first prophet ➢ Ibrahim as father of Isaac and Ishma'il and his significance for the Muslim religion ➢ Isa as a prophet for Muslims: Qur'an 2:87 ➢ Muhammad as the seal of the Prophets Angels (Malaikah) ➢ The significance of angels in Islam: Qur’an 2:97-98,Qur’an 2:285 ➢ Diversity in belief between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims regarding angels and free will ➢ The significance of Jibril's revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad: Qur’an 2:97-98 ➢ The significance of Mika'il placed in charge of plants and rain ➢ The significance of Israfil to announce the Day of Resurrection Akhirah (Afterlife) ➢ Al-Qadr (Predestination):Implications for human freedom ➢ Akhirah: Human responsibility and accountability; Muslim beliefs and teachings about the afterlife ➢ Human Freedom and its relationship to Day of Judgement ➢ Heaven; Muslim beliefs about the nature, stages and purpose of heaven ➢ Hell; Muslim beliefs about the nature and purpose of hell

Alien Abduction: Islam

Robot      Survey ship Pantheon. Orbiting planet: Earth. Dominant life form: Human. Belief system: various. More information required. Scanning for samples.

Robot      Welcome to survey ship pantheon. Our mission is to investigate the culture of your planet, and you have been selected to represent your belief system. Please state your name.

Ajmal       Ajmal Masroor.

Robot      Religion.

Ajmal       Islam, and therefore I'm a Muslim.

Robot      Holy book.

Ajmal       the Qur'an.

Robot      Holy building.

Ajmal       The Ka'bah that is in Makkah, mosques as well as masjids.

Robot      Symbol.

Ajmal       People associate Crescent and the star with Islam.

Robot      You will now be asked a series of questions from the categories on screen. You have 30 of your Earth seconds to provide a satisfactory answer to each one. Failure to comply will result in matter dispersal. Are you ready?

Ajmal       Yes.

Robot      Standby. Choose the first category.

Ajmal       God.

Robot      What do you believe about God?

Ajmal       God in Islam is known as Allah. He is one and the only, he has no partners, in other words, there is nobody else like him. He does not have a father or a mother. He is absolute, he is most powerful, his most kind, most merciful, most loving. He is present everywhere. He is in control of the whole universe. He decides on our future and he, out of his love and mercy, has created everything for us. We must have a good relationship with him and that relationship must be direct without anyone else.

Ajmal       Okay, life after death.

Robot      What do you believe will happen to humans after death?

Ajmal       We will all die, but will be raised again in our flesh and blood with a soul and all our actions, good and bad, to be present in front of God. We'll be asked questions about what we did on this Earth with our time, with our good looks, with our youth, with our money, with our family and everything that we had. If we were good, we would be given heaven as a return, and if we were wicked and bad, we would be sent to hell. Hell is a place where people will be punished and tormented. Whereas heaven is a place where people will live forever in happiness and bliss.

Ajmal       Beginnings.

Robot      How did your religion begin?

Ajmal       It began a long time ago, in fact, with Adam, but Muhammad, specifically, the prophet of God being the final messenger, who was born in Makkah. In the year 610, when he was around 40 years old, he was meditating in a cave near his home, wondering, what should I do with life? Suddenly, God sent his archangel Gabriel, Jibra'il, with message, message of reading, writing and enlightening people, becoming better, being good to God and being good to human being. Having the right to live on this earth freely and without any fear.

Ajmal       Everyday life.

Robot      How does your religion affect everyday life?

Ajmal       It's about being aware of good and bad. It's being aware of God's presence in your life. It's being about, leading a good life, eating halal food, eating organic food is probably most close to halal food, actually. Being good to your fellow human beings, being kind, sharing, caring with your neighbours, praying five times a day, giving charity, fasting in the month of Ramadan, going to Hajj once in your lifetime, but most importantly, being decent with your fellow human beings and being good and loyal to God.

Ajmal       Festival.

Robot      What is the most important festival in your religion?

Ajmal       Most important festival in Islam is Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr, those two. Eid ul-Fitr follows Ramadan 30 days of fasting. You have not eaten, you have not drunk whole day for 30 days, and that's an achievement that you celebrate by joining your friends and families eating, celebrating, and that's called Eid-ul-fitr. Eid-ul-adha follows Hajj people who have gone to Hajj once in a lifetime opportunity for them. That achievement is marked by you and I in our own home by celebrating, enjoying and doing the same thing.

Ajmal       Rites of passage.

Robot      How does a Muslim family celebrate the birth of a baby?

Ajmal       As soon as the baby is born, we do call to prayer into the ear of the baby, it's called the adhan. We believe every child is born a Muslim in their natural state, we would like to reconnect them with God. We celebrate also by shaving their hair, weighing their hair against gold or silver, and giving that money to the poor and the needy, the first act of charity for this baby. Some babies, boys especially, would have circumcision done in the earlier days or later. We also do aqiqah, where we slaughter an animal and eat the meat and celebrate with friends and family.

Ajmal       Random.

Robot      Why do Muslim women cover themselves up?

Ajmal       In the Quran, God says men and women must dress up modestly. Part of modesty for a woman is to cover her entire body except her face and her hands. Some don't, but that's their choice. Most do, to keep themselves within the lines and teachings of Islam, of modesty. Shyness and bashfulness is a good trait Islam celebrates.

Robot      Thank you. Your answers are satisfactory. Matter dispersal beams powering down. You will now be returned to Earth, human. Goodbye.

 

Alien Abduction: Islam

Video length - 5.48
Published date - Jun 2013
Keystage(s) - 3
Downloadable resources

Alien Abduction: Judaism – Orbiting Earth at this very moment, the alien survey ship “Pantheon” is abducting people to collect data about their belief systems. Rabbi David is beamed into the interrogation chamber to answer questions about Judaism.

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Judaism - Introduction to Judaism - Introduction to the idea of common and divergent views within Judaism. Key beliefs: The nature of God - God as one. Key beliefs: Beliefs about life after death - Beliefs about life after death, including judgement and resurrection. The origins and value of the universe - Religious teachings about the use and abuse of animals, including animal experimentation and the use of animals for food. Family life and festivals - Festivals and their importance for Jews in Great Britain today, including the origins and meaning of Pesach. The synagogue and worship - Shabbat in the home and synagogue and its significance. Worship in the home and private prayer.

Edexcel

Area of Study 1 – Judaism - Section 1: Jewish Beliefs - The nature of the Almighty: how the characteristics of the Almighty are shown in the Torah, and why they are important in Jewish life today, including One, Creator, Law-Giver and Judge. Jewish beliefs about life after death: divergent Jewish understandings of the nature and significance of life after death including reference to different forms of Orthodox and Reform Judaism; Jewish teachings about life after death including interpretations of Ecclesiastes 12; the nature of resurrection and judgement; why belief in life after death may be important for Jews today. Section 3: Living the Jewish Life -The nature and purpose of Jewish public acts of worship: the nature, features and purpose of Jewish public worship, including interpretations of Psalms 116:12–19; the nature, features and importance of synagogue services for the Jewish community and the individual. Jewish festivals: the nature, history, purpose and significance of Jewish festivals; the origins and meaning of specific festivals, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, including interpretations of Leviticus 23 (Rosh Hashanah); divergent understandings of why festivals are important to different forms of Orthodox and Reform Judaism today. Section 4: Matters of Life and Death - Jewish teachings about life after death: Jewish teachings and beliefs that support the existence of a life after death 

OCR 

Component Group 1 - Judaism - Practices- Rituals • The meaning and importance of rites of passage • The form and meaning of Jewish birth ceremonies including: •• The welcoming of a baby girl •• The connection between Brit Milah and the covenant with Abraham •• The circumcision •• The roles of the father •• Mohel and Sandek •• The importance of birth rituals for the community • The form and meaning of Bar/Bat Mitzvah including: •• The preparation •• The nature of the service •• Subsequent preparations •• The meaning and nature of Bat Chayil The meaning and importance of burial rites including: •• The nature of burial •• The tearing of clothes •• The Kaddish Dietary laws • The origin and nature of dietary laws •The mitzvoth and traditions regarding the slaughter and consumption of animals •The mitzvot and traditions regarding the consumption of poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables •The mitzvot and traditions regarding the consumption of meat and milk together • The importance and impact of dietary laws on Jewish lifestyle • The meaning of the terms Kosher and Terefah • Issues related to the dietary laws, including pikuach nefesh and breaking the laws of kashrut • Common and divergent emphases placed on the dietary laws by different Jewish groups, including the preparation of food by non-Jews
Festivals • The origins and importance of Rosh Hashanah, including Teshuva, the Shofar, symbolic foods, the synagogue service and Tashlich • The origins and importance of Yom Kippur, including the connection to Rosh Hashanah, the Book of Life, Kapparah, the rules of Yom Kippur, the importance and nature of fasting, the synagogue services and Neilah •The origins and importance of the Pilgrim Festivals, including the story of the Exodus, the importance of chametz and the Seder meal • The origins and importance of Sukkot, including the building of sukkah and the four species • The origins and importance of Hanukkah • The origins and importance of Pesach
Law• The form and content of the Tenakh (the Written Law) • The Chumash and the Sefer Torah • The nature of the Talmud (the Oral Law) •The relationship between the Talmud and the Torah, including the ways in which the Talmud is used in relation to the Torah • The use of the Torah in the synagogue • The use of the Tenakh in private worship • The way that the Torah provides structure to the life of a Jew, including the use of the Neviim and Ketuvim in public and private worship •The significance of the use in daily life of the Tenakh and the Talmud •Issues related to the law, including the different views held amongst religious Jews regarding the nature of the Torah and the Talmud • Common and divergent emphases placed on the Tenakh and Talmud by different Jewish groups •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Jewish groups Beliefs and Teachings - Sanctity of life• The meaning and concept of sanctity of life •The siginifcance that Judaism places on the sanctity of human life • The concept and meaning of Pikuach Nefesh (the obligation to save life) •The significance of Pikuach Nefeshin Jewish personal, social and community life •Issues related to the sanctity of life, including what kinds of life are sacred • Common and divergent emphases placed on the concept of the sanctity of life by different Jewish groups, including the difference between human and non-human lives • Common and divergent emphases placed on the concept of Pikuach Nefesh by different Jewish groups, including whether the principle extends to relieving suffering/illness Nature of G-d• The meaning of the terms G-d as One, Creator, Law-Giver, Judge and Eternal •The signifa nce of the following characteristics for Jews: •• All-powerful •• All-good •• All-knowing •• Everywhere •• Beyond time and space •• Concerned with humanity •• Intervening in the world •• Transcendent and immanent • Issues related to the nature of G-d, including the problem of evil and suffering • Common and divergent emphases placed on these characteristics by different Jewish groups, including beliefs about the Last Day of the world as Judgement day and the judgements made by G-d on Rosh Hashannah Promised Land • The concept of the Promised Land: to whom was it promised and in return for what? • The origins of a belief in the Promised Land in the Covenant with Abraham •The significance of the Covenant with Abraham • The role of Abraham and his importance in Judaism • Issues related to the Promised Land, including whether this concept is equally important for all religious Jews
WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Christianity - Core beliefs, teachings and practices – Practices - Church  Diversity of Christianity: Catholic, Anglican, Church in Wales, non-conformist churches and chapels  Role of the local church  Diverse features of churches and chapels and diversity of worship practices.  Importance of prayer, communal and private - Matthew 6:5-13, Matthew 18:20  Social and community functions of churches, examples in Wales: food banks, the work of the Salvation Army, the work of Shelter Cymru  Christian groups working for Social justice, Reconciliation, Inter-faith dialogue e.g. Interfaith Council for Wales, World Council of Churches, Christian-Muslim Forum, Council of Christians and Jews  Persecution of Christians in the modern world (Matthew 10:22)

EDUQAS

Component 3: Study of a World Faith - Option 4:Judaism - Beliefs and teachings - The nature of God ➢ Issues of God as: One, Creator: Genesis 1: 3-5; 1: 26-28, The Shema ➢ Law-Giver and Judge: Exodus 20:1-15 ➢ The nature and significance of shekhinah (the divine presence) Messiah (Mashiach) ➢ Different views within Orthodox and Reform Judaism about the nature and role of the Mashiach (Messiah); special person who brings an age of peace, ourselves, his arrival as signaling the end of the world, praying for his coming, concerned more with living life according to the mitzvot Covenant ➢ The meaning and significance of the Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-3, 17:6-8, 17:11-14 including the importance of the ‘Promised Land’ ➢ The meaning and significance of the Covenant with Moses at Sinai: Exodus 3:11-15 including the continuing importance of the idea of a ‘Promised Land’ ➢ Importance of the Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:2-14 The afterlife ➢ Orthodox and Reform beliefs and teachings about life after death, judgement and resurrection; spiritual and/or bodily resurrection, immortality of the soul and the belief that we must focus on this life in preparation for whatever happens in the next. Practices - Worship: practices in Britain and elsewhere ➢ The nature and importance of Orthodox and Reform synagogue services; Shabbat service, the significance of prayer including the standing prayer (Amidah) ➢ Worship in the home; siddur, recitation of Shema and Modeh Ani, display of mezuzah. The importance of preparing for and celebrating Shabbat: Exodus 20:8-10 ➢ Items worn for worship; tallith, tefillin and kippah The Synagogue ➢ Features of different synagogues in Britain: significance of bimah, aron hakodesh, Torah scrolls, ner tamid, seating, minyan; Exodus 20:4-5 ➢ Worship, social and community functions of Orthodox and Reform synagogues serving Jewish communities in Britain. Rituals ➢ The role and importance of Brit Milah: Covenant, identity, features of the ceremony ➢ Bar Mitzvah: Law and personal responsibility, features of the ceremony ➢ Orthodox and Reform views regarding Bat Mitzvah and Bat Chayil and features of the ceremonies ➢ Marriage: Genesis 2: 24, features of the ceremony ➢ Mourning rituals: onan, kaddish, sheva, yarzheit. Role of chevra kaddisha Daily life ➢ Significance of use of the Tenakh and the Talmud in daily life; ➢ Dietary laws: kosher/treyfah, parev, the prohibition of milk with meat, requirements of a kosher kitchen: Leviticus 11:1-23 ➢ Keeping kosher in Britain: benefits and challenges Festivals: practices in Britain and elsewhere ➢ The origin, meaning and celebration of the following festivals among different Jewish communities in Britain ➢ Rosh Hashanah ➢ Yom Kippur ➢ Pesach: Exodus 12:14 

Alien Abduction: Judaism

Robot          Survey ship Pantheon orbiting planet: Earth. Dominant life form: Human. Belief system: Various. More information required. Scanning for samples. Welcome to survey ship Pantheon, our mission is to investigate the culture of your planet, and you have been selected to represent your belief system. Please state your name.

Rabbi David Lister      Rabbi David Lister.

Robot          Religion.

Rabbi David Lister      Judaism.

Robot          Holy book.

Rabbi David Lister      Torah.

Robot          Holy building.

Rabbi David Lister      Synagogue, sometimes referred to as a shul.

Robot          Symbol.

Rabbi David Lister      The Star of David or a seven branched lamp called a menorah.

Robot          You will now be asked a series of questions from the categories on screen. You have 30 of your Earth seconds to provide a satisfactory answer to each one. Failure to comply will result in matter dispersal. Are you ready?

Rabbi David Lister      Yes.

Robot          Standby. Choose the first category.

Rabbi David Lister      God.

Robot          What do you believe about God?

Rabbi David Lister      We believe that God is a creator, just the one, and he made everything in the universe, and he looks after people in this world by giving them a spiritual job to do. If they do that job very well, then they will develop themselves, and after death they will be able to enjoy a special closeness to God.

Rabbi David Lister      Life after death.

Robot          What do you believe will happen to humans after death?

Rabbi David Lister      A person's body is put in the ground, their soul is released from the body and returns to God. The better we have worked in this life on doing the things that God has asked us to do, the more we will be able to understand and appreciate what it's like to be with him after we die. We don't understand much about what it's like after death, but we know that it is a good thing to be in that state.

Rabbi David Lister      Beginnings.

Robot          How did your religion begin?

Rabbi David Lister      It started when God spoke to Abraham, nearly 4000 years ago. Abraham had a family that went down to Egypt, and their descendants came out of the slavery in Egypt after 210 years there. We went to Mount Sinai in the Sinai desert. God came down on the mountain, spoke to us, said the Ten Commandments, and then we received the Torah from Moses.

Rabbi David Lister      Everyday life.

Robot          How does your religion affect everyday life?

Rabbi David Lister 2   In lots of different ways. We have rules about what we eat so all our food must be kosher. We have rules about what we wear. We're not allowed to wear a garment that has both wool and linen in it. Jewish men are supposed to wear a kippah on their heads. We have to pray. We have to behave to each other in a kind and gentle way, and most of all, I think, we're supposed to think about ourselves and the world in a cheerful and positive way. Festivals.

Rabbi David Lister      In lots of different ways. We have rules about what we eat so all our food must be kosher. We have rules about what we wear. We're not allowed to wear a garment that has both wool and linen in it. Jewish men are supposed to wear a kippah on their heads. We have to pray. We have to behave to each other in a kind and gentle way, and most of all, I think, we're supposed to think about ourselves and the world in a cheerful and positive way.

Rabbi David Lister      Festivals.

Robot          What is the most important festival in your religion?

Rabbi David Lister      There are many important times in our year. There's Pesach or Passover when we remember and relive the Exodus from Egypt. And there's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which is a big new start for everybody. My favourite festival, if you can call it that, is Shabbat, which happens every single week. That's our Sabbath starts on Friday afternoon and finishes Saturday night. It's a time when we can't do lots of things, and we have to calm down and listen to each other.

Rabbi David Lister      Rites of passage.

Robot          What is a bar mitzvah?

Rabbi David Lister      Bar mitzvah means son of commandment. It's a time when a boy turns 13, and we celebrate the fact that he's now obliged to keep the commandments like every other Jewish adult. He will normally celebrate this by going to the synagogue and reading a portion of the Torah, and having a party afterwards. A girl will have a bat mitzvah, which means daughter of the commandment, when she turns 12, and she will also celebrate this by going to the synagogue and perhaps reading a speech.

Rabbi David Lister      Random.

Rabbi David Lister      What's so bad about pigs?

Rabbi David Lister      Um, pigs aren't such a big deal in Judaism. They're part of a non-kosher group of animals, like the horse, the rabbit, um, any animal that doesn't have both split hooves and many stomachs is not kosher, and we may not, we may not eat it. We're a bit worried about the symbolism of the pig, because on the outside it looks kosher, because it has split hooves, but inside it only has the one stomach, so it's regarded as a faker.

Robot          Thank you. Your answers are satisfactory. Matter dispersal beams powering down. You will now be returned to Earth, human. Goodbye.

Alien Abduction: Judaism

Video length - 5.44
Published date - Jun 2013
Keystage(s) - 3

Alien Abduction: Christianity – Orbiting Earth at this very moment, the alien survey ship “Pantheon” is abducting people to collect data about their belief systems. Reverend Harry is beamed into the interrogation chamber to answer questions about Christianity.

Alien Abduction: Christianity

Robot      Survey ship Pantheon orbiting planet: Earth. Dominant life form: Human. Belief system: Various. More information required. Scanning for samples. Welcome to survey ship Pantheon. Our mission is to investigate the culture of your planet, and you have been selected to represent your belief system. Please state your name.

Harry       Harry.

Robot      Religion.

Harry       Christian.

Robot      Holy book.

Harry       The Bible.

Robot      Holy building.

Harry       The church.

Robot      Symbol.

Harry       Um, that would be the cross or a crucifix.

Robot      You will now be asked a series of questions from the categories on screen. You have 30 of your Earth seconds to provide a satisfactory answer to each one. Failure to comply will result in matter dispersal. Are you ready?

Harry       Yep.

Robot      Stand by. Choose the first category.

Harry       God.

Robot      What do you believe about God?

Harry       I believe that God created the whole world, the universe and everything in it. That God created humanity for a purpose and a reason, and that God wants to know us and wants us to know him. God revealed himself to us through the Trinity. There is one God, but there are three parts of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and God lives through us through the Holy Spirit, he's with us in the power of the spirit always.

Harry       Life after death.

Robot      What do you believe will happen to humans after death?

Harry       Um, Christians believe that death is really the beginning, not the end, so when we die, we can go to be with God in heaven. The Bible teaches that there's some kind of judgement, God wants to judge sin and remove sin from his ultimate creation, so all of us will stand before God and will be judged. The good news is, is that Jesus takes that judgement for us, so the Bible says that if we turn to Jesus, then he will bear that judgement for us. So that's what I believe.

Harry       Beginnings.

Robot      How did your religion begin?

Harry       The beginnings of Christianity are in Judaism. Jesus, the founder of Christianity, was a Jew, he lived as a Jew, but he developed Judaism and taught his own message. So Jesus lived his life in a in a provocative way, he performed miracles, he taught different teachings. But ultimately the beginnings of Christianity, certainly the beginnings of the church, are in the death and resurrection of Jesus, that's when our religion began and broke away from Judaism, and that's where we are today.

Harry       Everyday life.

Robot      How does your religion affect everyday life?

Harry       Um, as a Christian, I try and read my Bible and pray every day, but also as a Christian we have to try and live the teachings of Jesus. So everything that Jesus taught, we have to put into action. That means we need to love people, we need to show justice, we need to seek to change the wrongs that are in the world and really demonstrate the love of God to everyone we meet. That's not always easy, but every day we need to be trying to do that, to demonstrate the love of God for his creation. Festivals.

Robot      What is the most important festival in your religion?

Harry       The biggest festival in our religion is probably Christmas, that's the one that most people know, but I don't think it's the most important. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus and Jesus had to be born, but the central message of what Christians believe is that Jesus died and rose again, and we celebrate that at Easter. At Easter we remember that Jesus died, he was crucified, nailed to a cross, but he rose again three days later. The festival of Easter celebrates that, his death, his coming back to life, his rising again.

Harry       Rites of passage.

Robot      What is a baptism?

Harry       Oh, good question, baptism. There's two kinds of baptism. Sometimes we baptise babies, and often that's with a sprinkling of water, sometimes when we baptise adults, it's by a full immersion, fully underwater. Baptism marks a new life, so the sprinkling of water is washing away our old life and our old sins, or even in a full immersion, we're kind of buried under the water, and then we come back out into new life. It's a symbol of new life, new beginnings and starting again.

Harry       Random.

Robot      Why are there so many different types of Christian?

Harry       Oh gosh, good question. There are different kinds of Christians, like, there are Roman Catholics, Church of England, Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists. Not because they believe different things, largely we believe the same thing, but because people express themselves in different ways. So we all like different types of music or different food or things like that, and so the different types of Christians emerged, because we want to talk to God in different ways, and we hear from God in different ways, and that's why different types of Christians emerged today.

Robot      Thank you. Your answers are satisfactory. Matter dispersal beams powering down. You will now be returned to Earth, human. Goodbye.

Alien Abduction: Christianity

Video length - 6.05
Published date - Jun 2013
Keystage(s) - 3

Proving God Exists – For most people who believe in God, their faith is enough to know that he is real. But is there a way for them to prove to non-believers that God exists? This film takes a look at the various arguments for the existence of God, and wonders how convincing they are… Animation by Ceiren Bell

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 2 - Religious, philosophical and ethical studies in the modern world: Theme C - The existence of God and Revelation: The Design Argument:The Design Argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.

The First Cause Argument: The First Cause Argument, including its strengths and weaknesses.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 3 - Section 2: Philosophy of Religion: religious experience: Cosmological argument: the cosmological argument for the existence of God and its use by religions as a philosophical argument for the existence of God, including reference to Thomas Aquinas' First Three Ways of showing God's existence; divergent understandings of the nature and importance of what the cosmological argument shows about the nature of God ; religious responses to nonreligious (including atheist and Humanist) arguments against the cosmological argument as evidence for the existence of God.

Design argument: the classical design argument for the existence of God and its use byreligions as a philosophical argument for the existence of God; divergent understandings about what the design argument may show about the nature of God for people of faith, religious responses to non-religious (including atheist and Humanist) arguments against the design argument as evidence for the existence of God.

 

OCR

Component Group 2–Religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world from a religious perspective - the existence of God, gods and ultimate reality, and ways in which God, gods or ultimate reality might be understood; through revelation, visions, miracles or enlightenment.

 

WJEC

Component Group 2 - Religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world from a Christian perspective- The existence of God - The nature of reality - Key philosophical concepts: • Arguments about the existence of God • Ideas about the purpose of the world • Ethical living •Christian philosophical views on the nature of reality and the reasons for belief in God, including: •• The world as designed and the argument from the evidence of design and purpose •• The world as requiring a cause and the argument from the concept of first cause •• The world as formed for humanity, as expressed in Genesis by the Anthropic principle •• The world and moral consequence, soul-making and judgement • The value and importance of arguments for the existence of God

Proving God Exists

Is it possible to prove that God exists? Well, probably not, but it hasn't stopped people trying over the years. You see, it's not enough for some people to believe there's a God just because it says so in a holy book. How do I know the Holy book is true, they say. And the answer, because God wrote it, doesn't seem to satisfy them. Ah, but what about religious experiences? Say the believers Surely, they prove that God exists? Well, not necessarily. People who say they've had religious experiences could be mistaken, or making it up, or mad. Sorry. Science and coincidence can often explain the rest. So where does our sense of right and wrong come from, say the believers? It must come from God. Well, again, not necessarily. Humans could have worked it out for themselves. For example, if a man is living in a small community. it's not going to work if he steals someone's food, sleeps with someone's wife, or shoots someone's brother. And if he did, the rest of the community would have something to say about it. Probably along the lines of don't do that, it's wrong.

While the search for solid evidence goes on, there are three main arguments that try to prove, from what we already know, that there is without any doubt, a God. So let's start with the cosmological argument or first cause argument, which goes like this. God must exist because who else could have made the universe? Everything has a cause. Nothing just happens. A vase doesn't smash by itself. A ball doesn't bounce by itself. A child doesn't just suddenly appear. They all have causes. And so, the argument goes, the universe must have a cause as well. A first cause. Therefore God exists. And what caused us? We don't have to be here, but we are. So something, or someone, must have had a reason for creating us. Or to put it another way, the universe is big. In fact, the universe is a bigger place than it's comfortable to imagine. Each person is a tiny dot on the planet, which is an even tinier dot in the solar system, which is an even tinier dot in the galaxy, which is an even tinier dot in the universe. If we didn't exist, the cosmos wouldn't even notice, and yet here we are. So there must be a cause, therefore God exists.

But there are problems with this argument. It's all built on the idea that everything has a cause. So who or what caused God? And if the universe is so big, then it's highly likely that in all that space with countless billions of planets to choose from, other life forms exist on some of them. And like our alien friends, we could be here just because we got lucky.

The teleological argument, fortunately also known as the argument from design, states that because the world is the perfect environment for humans to live in, it must have been designed specifically with humans in mind, therefore God exists. In 1802, a man called William Paley had a best seller on his hands when he wrote an explanation of the argument. It goes like this. Say you're walking in the country and you find a stone. You pick it up and look at it. It doesn't do anything, however much you shake it. The stone obviously has no purpose. So you throw it away and you walk on a bit and find a watch. You pick it up and look at it. It ticks. It has numbers. It has hands that go round. Unlike the stone, it's obvious that the watch has a purpose. And so it must have been designed by someone. Now, take a look at the world. It's the perfect environment for human beings. There's air, food and water. It's the right temperature. It has the right amount of gravity, and everything seems to work together to provide humans with a good home. It's obvious that it has a purpose. In fact, it's just the sort of place someone might design for humans to live in.

Well, said, Mr. Paley, it's staring you in the face, isn't it? It was designed. Therefore God exists. For a little while this argument seemed to clinch it. Nice one, Mr. Paley. But then, along came Charles Darwin and turned the whole argument on its head. The world, he said, wasn't made to suit people, people changed to suit the world. The Earth appeared by chance, and as plants and animals grew, they adapted over millions of years to deal with what was already here. And that wasn't the only problem with the argument from design. People pointed out that the design isn't perfect. There are lots of dangerous and nasty things out there diseases, for example, that spread without check, causing suffering and death. So if the world was designed, they said this must be the prototype, and as a parting shot, they added, if God designed us, then who designed God? So that just about wraps it up for the teleological argument.

But there's one more to look at, the ontological argument, and it's a bit of a mind mangler. It goes like this. If God is the greatest being in the universe, then he must exist, because if he doesn't exist, he wouldn't be the greatest being in the universe, therefore, God exists. Or to put it another way, something that exists is greater than something that doesn't exist. So in order for God to be the greatest possible being in the universe, he must exist. The general opinion of this argument is that it's trying to confuse people into believing in God. Eminent philosophers are divided on whether it's brilliant or a bucket full of gibbon dribble, but it's not as mad as it might sound. Describing something in a certain way can sometimes mean that it must exist. For example, the tallest man alive. Even if you had never met the tallest man alive, you would know that he exists. Because somewhere in the world there is a man who's taller than the second tallest man alive, therefore the tallest man alive must exist. Or think of how you'd describe a triangle, a three sided shape. As soon as you start mucking about with the number of sides it has, it stops being a triangle. A three sided shape is always, by definition, a triangle.

So what about the description of God as the greatest possible being? Philosophers have argued that something doesn't have to exist for it to be great. Greatness is so hard to define. Someone could describe the greatest possible chocolate bar, the size of a tower block and full of marshmallow pieces, but that doesn't mean it must exist. But if it doesn't exist, then can it really be called the greatest? And so on, but you can argue about the meaning of words as much as you like. The ontological argument doesn't prove the existence of God.

These arguments have made a lot of theologians, philosophers, and scientists very famous over the years, but they have failed to prove that God exists. But then no one has managed to prove that God doesn't exist either. Some would say that it's pointless to try and prove or disprove the existence of a God who is, if he exists, completely beyond our understanding anyway. In the end, what it comes down to is this. Do you believe in God or not?

Proving God Exists

Video length - 8.32
Published date - Apr 2013
Keystage(s) - 3 and 4
Downloadable resources

Life After Death? – Is there life after death? TrueTube took to the streets to ask members of the public (and a policeman) what they think will happen when they die…

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

AQA 

Component 2 - Religious, philosophical and ethical studies in the modern world: Theme B - Religion and life - The origins and value of human life - Religious teachings, beliefs and attitudes about death and an afterlife.

Edexcel 

Area of study 1 -Section 1 - Muslim/Buddhist/Christian/Sikhism/Hinduism/Judaism beliefs about life after death Area of Study 1 - Section 4: Matters of Life and Death

OCR 

Component Group 1–Beliefs and teachings & Practices - Judaism - Eschatological beliefs and teachings - Islam - Life after death (Akhirah) - Buddhism - Attitudes to death and mourning - Hinduism - The cycle of birth, life and death - Christianity - Eschatological beliefs and teachings

WJEC 

2.2 Unit 2 PART A - Christianity - Core beliefs, teachings and practices Beliefs - The Afterlife Ø Belief in life after death (John 3:16, John 11: 25-26 and Gospel records of the Resurrection) Ø Judgement, responsibility for actions (Matthew 25:31-46) and free will Ø Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 20-22) Ø Heaven and Hell (John 14:1-4; Luke 16:19-31)

Eduqas

Component 1 (Route A):Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World - Christianity - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Christian beliefs and teachings about life after death, including soul, judgement, heaven and hell: John 11:24-27, 1 Corinthians 15: 42-44 ➢ Diverse Christian beliefs about the afterlife ➢ How Christian and Humanist funerals in Britain reflect beliefs about the afterlife - Judaism - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Orthodox and Reform Jewish beliefs and teachings about life after death, including soul, judgement, heaven and hell, resurrection, sheol, olam ha-ba ➢ How Jewish and Humanist funerals in Britain reflect beliefs about the afterlife. Islam - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Islamic beliefs and teachings about life after death, including soul, judgement, akhirah, heaven and hell: Qur'an 46:33, 3:16 ➢ How Islamic and Humanist funerals in Britain reflect beliefs about the after life. Hindusim - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Hindu beliefs and teachings about life after death, including atman, samsara, reincarnation/transmigration and moksha: Bhagavad Gita 2: 12-13, 22, 27. Sikhism - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Sikh beliefs and teachings about life after death, soul, samsara, reincarnation/transmigration and mukti: Guru Granth Sahib 13. Buddhism - Beliefs about death and the afterlife ➢ Buddhist beliefs and teachings about life after death, including anatta, (s)kandhas, karma, samsara, nirvana, re-birth, realms of existence. Diverse views of Triratna Tradition which is not required to believe in life-to-life re-birth but rather, moment-to-moment rebirth

Life After Death?

 

Interviewee 1 I believe that when when I die, that I will cease to exist and my consciousness will no longer, uh, exist in any form.

Interviewee 2 I believe that after that we can meet with God, meet with God, and we can see the God.

Interviewee 3 I sort of believe in Buddhism, which um, um, uh, which which is about, uh, reincarnation and karma.

Interviewee 4 I believe when I die, basically, my body, my body's just manifestation of matter, and like, my soul is energy, so it's just going to transform into different forms, you know what I mean? I don't know what form it will be, but I don't think in the reincarnation sense, like I'll come back as another animal or living being, but I just know that my energy will transfer to where it needs to go.

Interviewee 5 As a Muslim, I believe after I die, my soul will be taken to my creator, where my creator tells me that I'll have to return to my body and wait till the day of judgement.

Interviewee 6 Uh, that you will face judgement, and depending on if you believe that Jesus is your saviour then you go with him to heaven, or you go to hell which is separation from God.

Interviewee 7 I believe that after death, I don't really know what's going to happen. I mean, I hope there's going to be something because I don't really like the idea of nothing happening after it, but I don't know what's going to happen. I don't really know what to believe in.

Interviewee 3 Nirvana is like, um, the stage of enlightenment once you've completed the cycle, so I guess you stop all suffering.

Interviewee 7 I don't have a word for it. I just like to believe that there's something out there, like a higher power, but whether it's God or just like some cosmic thing, like, I don't know. A force.

Interviewee 8 I think we're in hell on Earth now, and I think, um, after death, depending on how you live your life, you know, your principles and mor- your morals and principles, um, depends on whether or not you're going to go to heaven, but I think we're in hell now.

Interviewee 6 My beliefs come from the Bible, which is Christianity.

Interviewee 5 Um, most of my belief comes from the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. How the continuation of the three main great faith from Judaism to Christianity.

Interviewee 1 My beliefs come from the fact that I was brought up in an atheist household, and I've never had religion in my life at all.

Interviewee 8 Um, basically, this belief comes from just, just oh its just my general belief. I just think that this is hell now.

Interviewee 4 Well it's accumulation of looking into all religions and away from that, it's also my life's experience, you get me? I'd like to see myself as what they call the Five Percenters. The Nation of Gods and Earths.

Life After Death?

Video length - 2.51
Published date - Jan 2013
Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Life is a Journey

How many new beginnings have you been through? Here is an animated introduction to ‘Rites of Passage’, thinking about life as a journey and the things that happen along the way.

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

AQA

No link to GCSE spec

Edexcel 

No link to GCSE spec

OCR 

No link to GCSE spec

WJEC 

No link to GCSE spec

Eduqas

No link to GCSE spec

Life is a Journey

So they say, life is a journey. You were born, you were blessed with a name, you cry, you crawl, you walk, you talk, you grow. You learn, you question what you learn. You study, you achieve. You work and you get paid. You will meet many. You may love, you may lose love and then may love again. You may marry. You may have children. You may get lost along the way. You might retrace your steps. Change course. Start again. You may win. You may lose. You visit new places and find somewhere to settle. You will celebrate and you will mourn. You will grow old and you will grow wise. You will slow down. Eventually, someday, your journey will come to an end, or maybe a new journey is just beginning.

Life is a Journey

Video length - 01.17
Published date - Jul 2012
Keystage(s) - 3
Downloadable resources

The Formation of the Khalsa

What would you die for? A report from the Punjab in India where the Sikh leader, Guru Gobind Singh, is asking people to stand up for their faith with an unusual question: “Who will give their head to my sword?” Animation by Ceiren Bell

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Sikhism - The Festival of Vaisakhi (Baisakhi) - This covers the what, how, why, who, when of the festival.

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Sikhism - The Sikh initiation ceremony (Amrit Sanskar) - This includes the meaning and importance of the Khalsa and the five Ks, and the different perspectives of sahajdhari and amritdhari Sikhs.The use and significance of Singh and Kaur can be covered too.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 1 - Sikhism - Section 3: Living the Sikh Life - Birth and naming rituals and ceremonies: the celebration and significance of Naam Karan and Hukamnama; the significance of Amrit sanskar (the initiation ceremony) for Sikh families, including reference to the Rahit Maryada Chapters 11 and 13; divergent understandings of these ceremonies between khalsa and non-khalsa Sikhs; the significance of the names Singh and Kaur in the naming and Amrit ceremonies, and for Sikh identity today.

 

WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Sikhism- Core beliefs, teachings and practices –Practices -Ceremonies  Naming a Sikh child – meaning and significance  The significance and use of the names Singh and Kaur  Sikh initiation ceremony (Amrit Sanskar) – importance and significance in a Sikh’s life and consideration given to the perspective of non-khalsa Sikhs  Meaning of the main features of the initiation ceremony  Wearing of the 5k’s and their symbolism and significance – kesh, kangha, kirpan, kara, kacch.

 

Eduqas

Option 5: Sikhism: Beliefs and teachings: The sangat:Basis for acts of sewa (selfless service), nihangs, khalsa. Practices: Ceremonies:The meaning and significance of birth and naming ceremonies ➢ The significance of Amrit Sanskar: (the initiation ceremony): Bhai Gurdas Var 3.11. The significance and use of the names Singh and Kaur ➢ The different views of khalsa and non-khalsa (sahaj-dhari) Sikhs towards Khalsa and the Five K's. Component 1 (Route A) Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World :Theme 4: Issues of Human Rights: Prejudice and discrimination: Sikh beliefs, teachings and attitudes towards racial prejudice and discrimination, including Guru Gobind Singh's formation of the Khalsa

The Formation of the Khalsa

Anandpur in the Punjab and the scene today of extraordinary events. Sikhs have come here from far and wide to celebrate the harvest festival of Besakih. There has been particular interest this year as Guru Gobind Rai, the Sikh leader, asked people to make a special effort to come.

All very intriguing. In front of the castle, a tent had been put up on a specially built stage, and tens of thousands of Sikhs gathered in expectations of the Guru's arrival, no doubt hoping that he would have some words of inspiration for them, in these troubled times when so many have faced persecution for their faith. Then the crowd was on its feet, cheering and waving as the guru walked out and took centre stage. He made an impressive sight, waving a sword above his head that flashed in the sunlight. He waited for the crowds to fall silent and then said: Who among you is willing to die for God and for their guru? Who will give their head to my sword? Certainly an unusual way to start a speech, and there was some confusion in the crowd.

But then a man got to his feet and made his way to the stage. This was Dharam, a young man from a well to do family. The guru welcomed him like a brother and took him into the tent. People were muttering to each other, wondering what was going on. Then the guru emerged alone from the tent and waved the bloodied blade above his head. Shock ran through the crowd like a wave. Had the guru beheaded Dharam? But the guru was speaking again. Who else is willing to give their life for God and for me? This time everyone remained absolutely still, frightened even to move. But finally another man stood up and walked calmly to the front, a farmer called Dharam Das. Again, the volunteer was welcomed by the guru and led inside the tent. I, like everyone else in the crowd, held my breath.

This time we distinctly heard the swish of a sword and a sickening thud. The guru came out and brandished his sword for all to see and fresh blood splattered over the crowd. A woman near to me screamed and panic began to spread. But above the noise I heard Guru Gobind Rai's words. My sword is still hungry. Who else is willing to give their head to serve me? Unbelievably, three more men pushed their way to the front. The tailor called Mokham Chand, a barber called Sahib Chand, and a humble water carrier called Himmat Rai. Some of the crowd were crying, some were angry. Some even tried to stop the men from reaching the stage. But one at a time the guru took them into the tent, and each time he came out alone, his sword sticky with congealing blood. The guru appealed for calm and threw back the flaps of the tent.

We stood spellbound as all five men, alive and well, walked out onto the stage. They were wearing saffron robes like the guru and smiling. Then the crowd was cheering and clapping, and the men stepped forward to acknowledge the applause. Five men from very different backgrounds standing shoulder to shoulder with the guru. Five men who were willing to stand up for what they believed, and the guru announced they would be known as the Panj Pyara, the Beloved Five, the first members of the Khalsa. The Pure Ones, a group of Sikhs who are truly committed to the guru. They will be given new names. Singh, that means lion, for men and Kore, meaning princess, for women. So goodbye Guru Gobind Rai, from today we'll be calling you Guru Gobind Singh. The people surged forward, all wanting to join the Khalsa.

I suspect there are some in the Emperor's court who will not be pleased. This is Abu Turani reporting for the Emperor Aurangzeb. Anandpur.

The Formation of the Khalsa

Video length - 04.09
Published date - Jan 2012
Keystage(s) - 2 and 3
Downloadable resources

The Enlightenment of the Buddha

Why do we get old, get ill and die? How can we escape from suffering? The story of how Prince Siddhartha Gautama left a life of luxury to embark on a search for the answers, and how he eventually became the Buddha – the Enlightened One.

Animation by Ceiren Bell

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions - beliefs, teaching and practices: Buddhism - The Buddha’s life and its significance - The birth of the Buddha and his life of luxury.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 1 – Section 1: Buddhist Beliefs -Buddhism -The life of the Buddha: the nature and history of the events in the life of the Buddha and why they are important to Buddhists today; including ancestry, birth, princely life, marriage, the Four Sights, including Buddhavamsa XXVI, the enlightenment of the Buddha and founding of the Sangha.

 

OCR

Buddhism-Beliefs and teachings & Practices (J625/04) - Buddha and Enlightenment • The life of Buddha •• The early life of Buddha •• The Four Sights •• Defeat of Mara •• Enlightenment •• Nibbana • Issues related to the life of Buddha, including the importance of Buddha for Buddhists in the modern world • Common and divergent emphases placed on the life of Buddha by different Buddhist groups •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Buddhist groups

 

WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A - Core beliefs, teachings and practices Beliefs - The Buddha The Teachings of the Buddha  Types of suffering (dukkha); causes of suffering (tanha); enlightenment as the end of suffering (nirodha);  Following the Eightfold Path as a way to end suffering (magga) (Dhammapada 1, 5)  The three sections of the Eightfold Path – Wisdom (panna) right understanding, right intention  Morality (sila) right speech, right action, right livelihood  Meditation (samadhi) right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration  Challenges of living according to Buddhist teachings

 

Eduqas

Component 3 (Route A) - Option 1: Buddhism - The Buddha ➢ Stories of his early life: pre-birth, birth, prophecy, palace ➢ The Four Sights: old age, sickness, death, the holy man ➢ His Enlightenment following renunciation and meditation

The Enlightenment of the Buddha

And so the wheel turns. There's no escape from the wheel of life. There's no escape from suffering. Listen to me, Siddhartha. I am Mara, Lord of hell. I know what I'm talking about. But I've got to admire your determination. You've been sitting there for weeks hoping that a solution to life's problems will drop into your lap like a ripe fig. Give up now and save yourself the effort. Wiser men than you have tried and failed to find an answer. And you will fail too, Siddhartha. And so the wheel turns.

And yet it all looked so promising at the start. Born on the full moon of May, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Asita, the seer, prophesied that you would grow up to be a great leader, either a king or a holy man. Of course, your father wanted you to be a king and reign after his death, not become some wandering fortune teller. So he decreed that you should live in luxury and never see the world of pain outside the palace, and so never see the need for religion.

And so the wheel turns. Silk and honeysuckle, sarangis and spice. Every sense was sated, but you still weren't satisfied. All you could do is ask questions. What is life? Why are we here? Is this all there is? And then one day you asked, what lies beyond the palace walls?

For the first time, you went out into the city, riding in a gilded carriage. But you wanted to see the city by yourself, so you escaped into the maze of alleyways, and you were horrified by what you saw. An old woman wrinkled, toothless and crooked. A man eaten up by disease, coughing and sweating, and covered in boils. Then by the banks of a river, a funeral procession. The dead body was carried to the water's edge and laid gently on a pile of wood. The family trailed behind, crying and wailing in their grief. You stayed until the pyre was lit, and watched as oily black smoke billowed to the sky. It was the end of your innocence. There is no point to life. All that happens is that you get old, get ill and die.

But on the way back to the palace, a holy man was sitting serenely at the side of the road, begging for alms. He had nothing, but he seemed at peace. Here, you thought, must be the answer. And so the wheel turns.

You left the palace in the dead of night and rode to the far reaches of the kingdom. You exchanged your robes for rags, and in a forest you found a group of five holy men. They were naked and dirty, unkempt and scrawny. They said that by making their bodies suffer, their spirits could be free. So you joined them and starved yourself until you were nothing but skull and sinew. Yet still there were no answers. And so the wheel turns.

A young woman came to give an offering to the forest gods, and thought she'd found a tree spirit. You took her food, and ate your fill, you gave up a life of comfort, and you gave up a life of suffering, but neither pleasure nor pain will give you the answer. And so the wheel turns through birth, youth, and to this moment, it will turn on through old age, illness and death. It will turn on through all your lives beyond, over and over again, in a never ending and meaningless cycle. And you will learn nothing. Experience will not give you the answer.

So, how long are you going to sit here? It's been 49 days. It's full moon again and the morning star is rising once more. What's this? A new idea forming. What's this fleeting thought I cannot grasp? It's there, on the edge of your consciousness. But getting closer. Show me. A middle way. What's that? You say life can never satisfy us because we always want more. You say the only way to achieve peace is to stop wanting. You say the answer is to sit at the centre of a wheel detached from the world that revolves around you. Only then can a person achieve peace. Brave words Siddhartha, but they are wasted. There is no one here to behold your enlightenment. No, the Earth itself is his witness. She conspires with Siddhartha to reject me. He has awoken. He is enlightened. He is the Buddha.

The Enlightenment of the Buddha

Video length - 05.53
Published date - Jan 2012
Keystage(s) - 3
Downloadable resources

Muslim Prayer

How do Muslims pray? A young Muslim woman explains how she prepares for worship and demonstrates the movements she performs during prayer.

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices- Islam -Practices and Duties - Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam
Salah and its significance: how and why Muslims pray including times, directions, ablution (wudu), movements (rak’ahs) and recitations; salah in the home and mosque and elsewhere; Friday prayer: Jummah; key differences in the practice of salah in Sunni and Shi’a Islam, and different Muslim views about the importance of prayer.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 3 - Section 3: Living the Muslim Life- Islam - Salah as one of the Five Pillars, including reference to Surah 15: 98–99 and 29: 45: the nature, history, significance and purpose of Salah for Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, including different ways of understanding them; how Salah is performed including ablution, times, directions, movements and recitations, in the home and mosque and Jummah prayer.

 

OCR

Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah - The importance of practices - The importance of the Ten Obligatory Acts to Shi’a Muslims • The meaning of the Ten Obligatory Acts: •• Salat Prayer •• Sawm: Fast •• Zakat/Zakah: similar to Sunni Islam, it applies to money •• Khums:an annual taxation of one-fifth of gains in a year •• Hajj: Pilgrimage •• Jihad: Struggle •• Amr-bil-Maroof: commanding what is good •• Nahi Anil: Munkar forbid what is evil •• Tawalla: expressing love towards good •• Tabarra:expressing disassociation from evil •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Muslim groups

 

WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Islam - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices - The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam -Prayer/ Salat  Adhan call to prayer, praying at mosque and Friday Jummah prayer (Qur'an 15:9899, 29:45)  Praying at home, private prayer (Du'ah)  The preparations and intention for prayer: wudu and niyyah  The significance and symbolism of the different prayer positions that make a rakat (sequence of prayer) Obligatory Acts  Shahadah: the Muslim profession of faith in Allah and the prophet Muhammad; occasions when the Shahadah is recited, e.g. aqiqah ceremony, conversion to Islam  Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit others, what zakat tax may be used for, and additional charity (saddaqah)  Sawm: Fasting during the month of Ramadan. How and why Muslims fast during Ramadan and rules about halal and haram diet (Qur'an 2:183)

 

Eduqas

Component 3 (Route A): Study of a World Faith: Option 3: Islam:Practices: The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam: practices in Britain and elsewhere:Salah: the practices of prayer in Islam in the mosque and at home, including Jummah prayer: Qur'an 15:98-99, Qur'an 29:45

Muslim Prayer

S1           Muslims have five duties in life. They are called the Five Pillars of Islam. The second pillar is Salah, the duty to pray five times a day. Muslims say these prayers in Arabic and go through a series of movements called Rak'ah. The number of rak'ahs will depend on which prayer is being performed. Before Muslims pray, they must remove their shoes and perform a special wash called wudhu. Then they must make sure that their body is fully covered. Women should wear a headscarf. Finally, they need to find a clean space in which to pray. A prayer mat will do and must face in the right direction, the direction of the Kaaba in Makkah. This is called the qibla. Now let's see how the prayers are performed.

S1           (Prayer is said in Arabic)

S1           This series of movements is known as one rak'ah, and is repeated a number of times depending on the prayer. Then, the rest of the prayer is continued.

S1           (Prayer is said in Arabic)

S1           After the prayer is complete, it is common for Muslims to make Du'a to God, asking for forgiveness and blessings. The prayer is said in Arabic, but the Du'a be said in any language. And that's how Muslims perform their Salah.

Muslim Prayer

Video length - 02.36
Published date - Mar 2011
Keystage(s) - 2, 3, 4 and 5
Downloadable resources

Eid ul-Fitr

Eid ul-Fitr is the Muslim festival following Ramadan. In this film, Danya discusses with her family and friends, how they celebrate and what it means to them.

TrueTube films are designed for use in a number of ways. Some ideas of where this film could link to your curriculum are below:

 

AQA

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices- Islam - Practices, Duties and Festivals. Festivals and commemorations and their importance for Muslims in Great Britain today, including the origins and meanings of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Ashura.

Zakah: the role and significance of giving alms including origins, how and why it is given, benefits of receipt, Khums in Shi’a Islam.

Sawm: the role and significance of fasting during the month of Ramadan including origins, duties, benefits of fasting, the exceptions and their reasons, and the Night of Power, Qur’an 96:1-5.

 

Edexcel

Area of Study 1 -Section 3 - Living the Muslim Life - Islam - The nature, origins, activities, meaning and significance of the celebration/ commemoration of Id-ul-Adha, with reference to Surah 37: 77–111, and Id-ul-Fitr in Sunni Islam, with reference to their place within Shi’a Islam; and Id-ul-Ghadeer, with reference to Hadith and the interpretation of Surah 5: 3, and Ashura in Shi’a Islam, with reference to their place within Sunni Islam.
Section 3: Living the Muslim Life -Islam - Sawm as one of the Five Pillars: the nature, role, significance and purpose of fasting during Ramadan, including Surah 2: 183–185; those who are excused from fasting and why; the significance of the Night of Power: the nature, history and purpose of the Night of Power; why Laylat al-Qadr is important for Muslims today."

 

OCR

Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah. The importance of practices - Islam as a way of life, lived in total submission to Allah • The importance of the Five Pillars of Islam to Sunni Muslims • The meaning of the Five Pillars: •• Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith •• Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day •• Zakat/Zakah: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy •• Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan •• Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca • The analogy of the house and pillars Festivals/special days • The origin and meaning of: •• Eid-ul-Adha: the festival of sacrifice at the end of Hajj. Origins in Ibrahim ’s sacrifice of an animal instead of his son, Isma’il •• Eid-ul-Fitr: celebrated at the end of Ramadan. A public holiday in Muslim countries where gifts and cards are exchanged, and new clothes are brought for children.

 

WJEC

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Islam - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices - The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam -Prayer/ Salat  Adhan call to prayer, praying at mosque and Friday Jummah prayer (Qur'an 15:9899, 29:45)  Praying at home, private prayer (Du'ah)  The preparations and intention for prayer: wudu and niyyah  The significance and symbolism of the different prayer positions that make a rakat (sequence of prayer) Obligatory Acts  Shahadah: the Muslim profession of faith in Allah and the prophet Muhammad; occasions when the Shahadah is recited, e.g. aqiqah ceremony, conversion to Islam  Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit others, what zakat tax may be used for, and additional charity (saddaqah)  Sawm: Fasting during the month of Ramadan. How and why Muslims fast during Ramadan and rules about halal and haram diet (Qur'an 2:183).

 

Eduqas

Component 3 (Route A): Study of a World Faith: Option 3: Islam: Practices: The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam: practices in Britain and elsewhere: Sawm: How Sunni Muslims fast during Ramadan: Qur'an 2:184. Issues relating to Muslims fasting in Britain. Festivals and commemorations: practices in Britain and elsewhere:Id-ul-Fitr: The festival of fast-breaking following Ramadan. How Muslims celebrate Id-ul-Fitr in Britain and worldwide

Eid Ul-Fitr

Hello. Hello!

Eid Mubarak! Eid Mubarak! Come and meet the family?

Muslims all over the world celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

When a new crescent moon is sighted at the end of Ramadan.

This day, which is called Eid al-Fitr. Basically, it's celebrating the end of the previous month, which was Ramadan. And that is the month where Muslims, um, fast every day for about 12 hours.

Fasting is when Muslims don't eat or drink during daylight hours, but people get together to break their fast at sunset.

Even though the month obviously is such a so beautiful because you're closer to God, you have a stronger faith. And people just, you know, pray and read Qur'an. So now they're celebrating the end of that month.

Hello, my name is Danielle. I'm 24 years of age. We're on our way to the mosque because today is Eid, yay!

We usually wake up in the morning. We go to the Eid prayer. When you're going to the mosque, we invite people in the car and then we go together. When we're going, we say, (speaks in Urdu) There's no God except Allah. And prophet Muhammad is his messenger. And then God is greatest. God is greatest.

When you get to the mosque, how do you feel?

I feel so happy actually, because I'm praying to God. And then you pray with a group of people, which is so much better and it's fun.

Hello. We just prayed the Eid prayers, and, um some people might be on their way home. Some people might be on their way to visit friends and family. But now it's the whole day of celebration and food. See you later.

Eid means to me, uh, a time to spend with family. It's a celebration after, uh, the finishing of the fasts. And, uh, it's a time to enjoy and be with family.

Well, they, it's the day that you spread the love. It's, um, it's a day that we all cherish.

After a long month of fasting and, you know, all the worship you've been doing and when you're trying your hardest for your fast, it's just like a nice break. For me personally, it's like I get to, um, see lots of cousins and family I don't see usually, and go out to eat and things like that. And, you know, dress up nice and stuff like that in the evenings as well. See your friends. It's just a nice day for everyone to get together.

We might play some football, and then, uh and then we might go, and then we're gonna go home and, uh, have our eating.

To mark this joyous occasion and to spread the Eid cheer. Children are given money gifts by their parents and relatives. This is known as an Eidi or Eidiya.

This is your Eidiya, your Eid present, there you go, you're welcome.

Eid, for me is an occasion where you're not just celebrating the holy month of Ramadan coming to an end, but it's about people coming together and celebrating that Islam is a religion of peace and purity.

Don't hate people. People can, people learn to appreciate each other.

Same time, also have to remember the less fortunate people as well. You know who are, sort of, less fortunate than us in this day and every day as well.

On Eid, um, we give money to poor people and homeless people, because whatever you give, you get good deeds from Allah. And he thinks a good, a good, thing of you.

All Muslims are expected to give a small percentage of their income to charity. This is called Zakat and is one of the five obligatory duties of Islam, and any extra donations they want to give is called Sadaqah.

When I give money to people, homeless people, especially homeless people, I feel so proud of myself because I've done a very good thing, that God likes and loves.

It's an opportunity for people to recognise that there's a lot of love out there, that is focussed around understanding different people's cultures, but at the same time also maintaining the idea that humanity should know one another and everyone is welcome to celebrate Eid.

To celebrate, we're gonna go to a restaurant during daylight, because we can. We're gonna eat.

Enjoy your food.

We will.

Eid ul-Fitr

Video length - 05.08
Published date - Dec 2010
Keystage(s) - 3 and 4
Downloadable resources
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