The main rituals that are characteristic of the most widespread world religions.

Basic rituals in Islam

Rituals of believers in Islam.

Reading the Quran

Reading the Quran. In the liturgical ritual, a great deal of attention is paid to the reading of the Koran. The presence of the Koran in a house, regardless of whether they can read it or not (only very few Muslims can read the Koran), is considered very commendable and is understood as keeping a sacred relic. Among Muslims, the oath in the Koran is common. In Muslim countries, all significant public events, holidays, celebrations are opened by reading the Koran on radio and television. The Qur'an is also recited before the daily radio broadcasts.

Namaz

Namaz (prayer). A Muslim is ordered to pray (perform namaz) five times a day - this is one of the main duties of believers in Islam. The first - morning prayer at dawn (salat assubh) is performed during the period from dawn to sunrise and consists of two so-called rak-ata, i.e. worship, prostration; the second - midday (salat asazuhr) - of four rak-ata; the third - in the afternoon before sunset (salat al-asr), called the evening prayer, - of four rak-ata; the fourth - at sunset (salat al-maghrib) and the fifth - at the beginning of the night (salat al-isha consist of three rak-ata. In addition to these obligatory prayers, the most faithful and zealous Muslims also perform additional prayers with a certain number of back bends and touches the forehead of the floor, and in the month of Ramadan a special prayer was introduced - tarauih-na-maz, performed after the day of fasting.Namaz can be performed anywhere, but it must necessarily be preceded by ritual ablution. The best place for prayer - a mosque, prayer there is led by an imam. The midday prayer on Friday should be performed in the mosque.

Circumcision of the foreskin

Circumcision of the foreskin. It belongs to the number of rituals prescribed by the Sunnah, the Muslim sacred tradition. Done in infancy. There is a widespread belief among Muslims that circumcision is beneficial and even necessary for men. Some consider it to be a hygienically appropriate procedure.

Alms

Alms. The rite of giving alms (to the beggars, in favor of the mosque) is carried out in accordance with the instruction of the Koran: "You will not achieve piety until you make sacrifices from what you love." Muslims believe that charity frees from sin and contributes to the achievement of heavenly bliss. Hajj (pilgrimage). Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina (the place where Muhammad's activities took place) is not an obligatory obligation, but every adult Muslim should strive to perform Hajj at least once in his life. The holiness and goodness of the Hajj are infinite. It is allowed to send instead of yourself and others. Those who have made a pilgrimage enjoy special honor and respect in Muslim society, they often wear special clothes, for example, a green turban.

Basic Rites in Judaism

Religious rites of the Jews.

Prayer

Prayer. It is the most common ritual in Judaism. In the minds of Jewish believers, the word of prayer and chants reach the sky and influence the decisions of the inhabitants of heaven. During morning prayer (except Saturday and holidays), the believer is instructed to put Tefillin (phylacteria) on his forehead and left hand - two small cubic leather boxes with belts. The boxes contain quotations from the Torah written on parchment. The believer is also obliged to pray "betsibur" three times a day, i.e. perform divine services in the presence of a dozen of prayer, a minyan (community quorum) and, in addition, any action (eating, sending out natural needs, etc.) accompanied by praise to Yahweh. The believer is ordered to thank the Almighty every day for the fact that God did not create him as a pagan, woman and Amhaarian.

Mezuzah and tzitzit

Mezuzah and tzitzit. Judaism instructs the believer to hang a mezuzah and wear tzitzit without fail. Mezuzah - a piece of parchment on which verses from Deuteronomy are written; the rolled scroll is placed in a wooden or metal case and attached to the door frame. Tsitsit - brushes made of woolen threads attached to the edges of the arbakanfot, i.e. to a rectangular piece of cloth worn by religious Jews under their outer garments.

Capores

Capores. Magic rite capores is performed on the night before the day of judgment and consists in the fact that a man turns a rooster (a woman - a chicken) over his head three times, saying a special prayer three times. Then the bird is slaughtered and the meat is eaten on the night of the end of the day of judgment.

Lulav

Lulav. The ancient ritual of the lulav is performed during prayer on the days of the autumn Jewish holiday of tabernacles (sukkot). The praying person must hold in one hand a lulav, consisting of a palm branch tied with three myrtle and two willow branches, and in the other - an esrog, a special kind of lemon, and shake the air with them, which supposedly serves as a magical means to call the wind and rain Tashlikh. On the day of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashana), believers gather by the river, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Micah and sing religious hymns. While reading prayers, believers empty out their pockets and throw crumbs of bread into the water, believing that thereby they are freed from sins. Kosher n clubs. According to Jewish doctrine, poverty is divided into permissible (kosher) and unlawful (tref). You can eat meat of ruminants, poultry, slaughtered according to the rules of she-hita (ritual slaughter). It is forbidden to eat meat and dairy foods at the same time. Pork is a taboo food.

Circumcision

Circumcision. The performance of this rite in Judaism is given special meaning: the fulfillment of this great covenant of Yahweh is considered a guarantee of the religious exclusivity of the Jewish people. Ablution. The believer is instructed on the eve of Saturday and other religious holidays to bathe in a mikveh - a specially equipped pool with rain or spring water, preceding each prayer with washing his hands.

Basic rituals in Christianity

Christian sacraments

The sacraments in Christianity are called cult actions, with the help of which "under a visible image the invisible grace of God is communicated to the believer." Orthodoxy and Catholicism recognize all seven sacraments; Lutherans - baptism and communion; Anglican Church - baptism, communion, marriage.

Epiphany

Baptism is a sacrament that symbolizes the acceptance of a person into the bosom of the Christian Church. The baptismal ritual consists either in immersing newborns in a font (in Orthodoxy), or in sprinkling them with water (in Catholicism). IN protestant churchesas a rule, adults are already baptized.

Anointing

Confirmation is a sacrament closely associated with baptism. Its purpose is to endow man with divine grace. The ritual of anointing consists in smearing the forehead, eyes, ears and other parts of the face and body of the believer with aromatic oil - the world.

Communion

Communion (Eucharist) is a sacrament in which believers are treated to bread and wine, symbolizing the "body and blood" of Christ. "Communion of Christ's Mysteries" is intended to spiritually change a person.

Repentance

Repentance (confession) is the disclosure of their sins to the priest by the believer (the confessing person must sincerely repent of these sins) and receiving from him "absolution" by the name of Khripa. At the same time, the Church guarantees the secret of confession.

Priesthood

Priesthood is a sacrament through which the ordination of a priest is performed.

Marriage

Marriage is a sacrament performed at the conclusion of the church (Castle. Grace unites spouses in the image of Christ's union with the Church.

Blessing of oil

Blessing of oil (unction) is a sacrament performed over a sick person and consisting in the recitation of certain prayers, which are accompanied by the anointing of the forehead, cheeks, lips, chest and hands with blessed oil. Faith and repentance are required from a person. Under this condition, sins are forgiven him.

Basic Rites in Hinduism

Hinduism has a significant impact on the life of modern India. Through a complex system of religious ritual, ceremonies, behavioral and everyday prescriptions, traditional food prohibitions, it permeates the entire life of an orthodox Hindu. Religion and the rituals associated with it are still active factors that have a profound impact on the thinking, behavior and value orientations of the majority of the country's Hindu population, despite the gradually developing process of religion erosion caused by changes in the economic and social structure of modern India.

The code of conduct, obligatory for every Hindu, is contained in the ancient Indian treatises - dharma-shastras.

No orthodox Hindu can neglect the performance of the most important rites prescribed by the laws of his caste. It should be noted that dharma, i.e. rituals and ritual complex of the upper and middle castes, in many respects differs from the dharma of the lower castes (sudra) and the untouchables (harijans), since the latter retained more features of the tribal cults of the pre-Aryan era. The rites also vary in different parts of the country. With the right life path members of the higher "varnas" (castes) had to go through four stages: 1) in adolescence and youth, learn and observe chastity (brahmacharya); 2) get married and lead a socially useful life (grhastashram); 3) after the appearance of grandchildren, settle in the forest for spiritual purification and curb the passions (vanaprastha); 4) renounce worldly vanity and lead the life of a wandering ascetic for the salvation of the soul (sannyas). The fourth stage was prescribed mainly for the brahmanas.

Pooja

The most common type of religious ceremony is puja or worship. Almost every Hindu home has sacred images or statues of beloved gods, in front of which prayers are read, hymns are sung, and offerings are made. In poor dwellings, puja is modest. The mother of the family reads prayers at dawn and rings a bell in front of the bazaar color pictures of the gods, which are hung in the corner of her room. In the homes of wealthy people, puja is performed with offerings of exquisite dishes and flowers, lighting smoking sticks in a special room that serves as a family temple, where the sacred fire never goes out. In such houses, on special occasions, the family priest, the purohita, is invited to the puja. Religious services of this kind are most common among the followers of the cult of bhakti.

The main modern temple ritual, as well as the domestic one, is puja, which replaced the Vedic-Brahmanic Yajna. They try to do it correctly, that is, in compliance with all the subtleties prescribed by special texts. There are many such texts: Agamas, which describe and explain the temple ritual; short reference books of temple rituals, something like missives; astrology guides with exact dates for rituals; collections of magic formulas and spells. The most important source of knowledge of the ritual was and remains the oral tradition.

Temple puja usually begins in the early morning. The priest carefully prepares for it, purifies himself with ritual ablution and prayer. Then he turns to the local deity - the guardian of the city or village, in whose magical jurisdiction is the temple, and asks him for permission to enter this temple. Opening the doors of the temple, "God's house", the priest enters the bedroom of the god and wakes him up, singing hymns of praise. In the old days, musicians and temple dancers were used to awaken the gods. Wanting to attract the attention of the deity, they beat the gong, blow the shells, ring the bell. The central role in the ritual belongs to a procedure called abhishek - sprinkling. A statue or other image of a deity is poured over with water or milk, greased with ghee or sandalwood paste, and sprinkled with gold coins or precious stones. The purpose of such a ceremony is either to express endless and selfless devotion to the deity, or to receive mercy from him.

Tilak

Followers of various Hindu cults often demonstrate their belonging to them through colored marks on the forehead and sometimes on the body. For example, the Shaivites draw three white horizontal stripes on their foreheads, the Vaishnavas draw a white Latin V cut with a vertical red line.

Upanayana

An ancient Indian rite performed on a boy from the Brahmin caste in the eighth year from conception or from birth, over a boy from the Kshatriya caste in the 11th and over a boy from the Vaisya caste in the 12th. The deadline for initiation was the 16th, 22nd and 24th years. The performance of the Upanayana rite was mandatory for all Aryans (three higher castes). The uninitiated was absent, and all communication with him was forbidden. The Upanayana rite was recognized as a second, spiritual birth and was accompanied by the naming of a new name to the initiate. It marked the boy's entry into the first of the four stages of life, obligatory for every Aryan - the stage of a brahmana disciple (brahmacharin). Only after passing this stage, the Aryan could establish his own household by getting married.

The brahmanas invited to perform the ceremony, among whom was the boy's future teacher, made a sacrifice; the boy was dressed in new clothes, girded with a special belt twisted from three threads of sacred grass (for a kshatriya - from a bowstring, for a vaisya - from sheep's wool) and gave him a staff, which he had to constantly wear.

The boy's future teacher, entrusting him to various deities, gives him a short instruction: "You are a brahmacharin: drink water, do (sacred) deed, do not sleep during the day, refrain from verbosity, put wood on the fire." After that, the student put wood on the fire and went to collect alms for himself and his teacher. After fasting for three days, and sometimes on the same day, the first lesson was taught to the student. Falling to the knees of the teacher, the student asked to teach him the sacred stanza Savitri (a verse in honor of the god Savitar). The teacher and student sat down opposite each other, near the fire; the first pronounced first in parts, then the entire sacred stanza, and the boy repeated after him. Remains of the Upanayana rite, detailed description which we find in the ancient Indian rules of the house ritual (grhya-sutras), have survived in places in India to this day.

Shraddha

For Shraddha, there are established canons: 4 pandits participate in its implementation. One of them conducts Puja for the rest of the Pandits, who are the personification of various Natural forces. Before the Ceremony, the three Pandits observe fasting all day on the eve and on the day of the Ceremony; before the ceremony, they take a bath and put on new clothes. They are the personification of three different Divine powers. The first Pandita personifies Pitra - our ancestors: grandfathers, great-grandfathers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. During Shraddha, he sits facing south, because the south is the direction of Yama - the God of death, the spirit of deceased ancestors comes from this direction. The second Pandita personifies Vishva Dewas - they are considered the bodyguards of departed souls. Vishwa Dewas is always accompanied by the departed souls of Pitra to protect them. For Vishwa Devas, an offering should also be made. The third Pandita is the personification of Vishnu, he is the main deity when performing Shraddha. Further, these energies are revitalized by reciting Mantras, performing certain rituals.

This is followed by a treat. During the meal, the Pandits are offered two or three kinds of sweets, and several other dishes cooked in oil, two or three kinds of vegetables, as well as rice and other dishes. After the feast, the Pandits are offered new clothes, and then the Chief Pandita prepares Pinda.

For cooking, rice, curdled milk, and special black seeds are used, which personify the energy of Saturn. Balls are made of all this, 3-6 pieces. It is believed that such food, the preparation of which is accompanied by the chanting of Mantras, is filled with strength and energy. Then it is offered to the souls of the ancestors.

Usually, it is the responsibility of the eldest family member to conduct the Shraddha Ceremony, but any family member can also perform this ceremony. After the ceremony, the balls of rice are left to feed the crows, placing them so that no other animals can reach them. Ravens are believed to represent the souls of the dead.

This is an ancient tradition that has been observed for millennia. All these ceremonies are described in the Vedas. Another type of ceremony is Pitru Puja. Two Pandits are invited to perform this type of ceremony. During the ceremony, the Chief Pandita recites Mantras, performs rituals, and then offers clothing and food such as rice, dal, vegetables, salt, etc. Pandits are offered uncooked food because they can only eat food that they cook themselves, or food that their family members cook.

During this ceremony, the person who conducts it must remember the ancestors, wish them well, say that an offering is being brought to them, and in return he will receive the blessing of his ancestors. If the person conducting the ceremony clearly knows the names of all his ancestors in three generations, then Shraddha is performed. Six balls of rice are being prepared for them, for their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. If he does not know exactly the names of his ancestors, then Pitru Puja is performed.

.

Other forces of nature are also spirits. Not all of nature is deified by the Shoshone, but certain natural phenomena, such as mountains and lakes, are associated with specific spirits. Mother Earth is one of the most important spirits to whom offerings are made during the "dance of the sun" and other religious practices. As we will see later, the erection of the dwelling during the "dance of the sun" ceremony symbolizes the re-creation of the world, the macrocosm.

The habitats of spirits are sacred, and some of them are so inhabited by evil spirits that it is dangerous for a person to visit them: they approach the sacred or dangerous places, taking precautions, or avoid them altogether. Some of them are especially sacred or dangerous, but, as a rule, the nomadic tradition of the Shoshone suggests that such places are found throughout the territory; the house or permanent habitat of the Indians, such as a village, is not sacred. Supernatural beings can appear anytime and anywhere, and a person should always be ready to recognize them and show them a sign of respect. In any case, the Shoshone should live in harmony with these spirits, respecting them and addressing them in their prayers and incantations, honoring sacred places and avoiding dangerous ones.

Figure: 3.The Shoshone religious path

There are special rules, such as not to say the real name of the Teton peaks or to point a finger at them. Honoring spirits and sacred places brings good luck in life; neglecting them brings misfortune.

These spirits and sacred sites are important, but the core of the Shoshone religion is the concept of fluff, or the supernatural strength of the spirit of the patron, which an Indian can gain through the ritual of seeking a vision or in a dream. As has consistently been emphasized, the flexibility of the Shoshone religion stems mainly from the emphasis on adapting rituals and beliefs to new revelations received through communication with spirits in visions or dreams. In the old days, every man had to perform the ritual of seeking communication with a patron spirit, subjecting himself to long and difficult trials; later, natural dreams came to the fore as a means of obtaining supernatural power. Religious leaders of the Shoshone are "possessors of power" - they are healers, visionaries and shamans who received their supernatural powers, usually after a difficult test in the ritual of seeking a vision or in the "dance of the sun". These religious figures have the ability to heal people, take leadership in important ritual ceremonies such as the "sun dance," and consecrate the beginning of the hunt. The essence of the Shoshone religion is to honor and respect spirits and sacred places while seeking supernatural power in visions and dreams. It should be noted that while this quest is individual, the power gained is usually beneficial to the community as a whole, as seen in the collective blessing of the “dance of the sun” or the help of an antelope medicine man in a joint hunt.

As we have already mentioned, the religions of the American Indian are in sharp contrast to the religions of the world because they are not based on the precepts of a particular founder and are not organized according to written traditions and theological dogmas. American religions are built on the basis of oral tradition and an openness to new revelations and visions. The Shoshone tradition is good example this tendency towards greater flexibility and mobility of religious life. However, the fact that the Shoshone religion has no specific founder or written doctrine or credo should not lead us to conclude that this religion is inconsistent or incoherent. The Shoshone religion, like other American Indian religions, has a logical system that is strictly embedded in a specific structure of beliefs and practices.

The religious structure of the Shoshone can be illustrated in fig. 3. At its top point are the highest world forces, headed by Tam Alo. Below There Apo are various spirits and specific powers, as well as the supernatural power itself (fluff); even lower - people and their lives. The center of the scheme is the concentration of all divine forces, on the left is their decrease, and on the right is their increase. To the left of the center, starting from the top, we find the coyote (hero of myths) and hostile spirits, as well as conditions such as ritual impurity, which lead to a lack or loss of strength and to hunting failures, illness or punishment. To the right of the center we find good spirits and patron spirits, as well as rituals such as the "dance of the sun" and means, such as dreams and visions, to achieve general or individual supernatural power (and the opportunity to become a successful hunter or medicine man) ... Broadly speaking, the scheme is based on the two main emphases of the Shoshone world, maximizing divine power and minimizing it. This diagram will become clearer if it is illustrated with a concrete example of Shoshone religious life, as will be done in the next chapter; the structure of the Shoshone religion can also be interpreted as a general way of life.

The Shoshone worldview is based on the concept that people live in this world and should use it with care, fulfilling their roles as husband and wife and tribal members. The success of their life depends on their attitude to the supreme being (Tam Apo, "Our Father"), blessing with spirits and abstaining from ritual impurity. The highest figure in the Shoshone picture of the world is the supreme being, Tam Apo, who rules the world and renews it every year. In the center of this picture lies fluff, or strength. Many spirits of the atmosphere and nature possess this power, but they are less powerful than the supreme being. Some of these spirits, such as the water spirits, are hostile and dangerous, while others can patronize. Patron deities are helpful because they can bestow supernatural power directly on humans.

The nature of a person's life depends on how he relates to the various forces of the world. If people have correctly built their communication with the supreme being and other forces of the Universe, then their well-being is more stable; rituals such as the "dance of the sun" and general ritual purity enable individuals, society and the world to get in touch with these forces and experience rejuvenation or renewal of the essence. Individuals may be gifted with supernatural power in dreams or through vision seeking (gaining the power of fluff). People who have received such power are called healers (puhagana). They become successful hunters and healers.

On the other hand, the connection of people with various spirits and forces of the world can be negative due to improper behavior and violation of the norms of the tribe. In other words, non-participation in the ritual of the "dance of the sun" and other ceremonies means that a person loses the opportunity to improve health, well-being and personal strength. If a person tries to come into contact with unclean spirits (especially in connection with menstruation or death), he may be punished by them ... Some perfumes, such as water perfume, are often malevolent and should be avoided because they can be harmful. When the spirits of the atmosphere and nature are not treated with respect, they can attack a person. Some places are especially sacred or dangerous and should be approached with respect or avoided because they can pose a threat to the well-being and life of a person. All these examples of negative behavior, expressed either by refusal to participate in the ritual or by committing unseemly acts, lead to a weakening or loss of strength. For the Shoshone, this means being a bad hunter, sick, or otherwise handicapped.

The dynamics of the Shoshone religion: rituals of human change, "dance of the sun", healing

many ideas and concepts of the supernatural are not simply philosophical categories for the Shoshone - tools of thinking to explain the world around them, although they, of course, pay tribute to this intellectual tradition. These ideas are "lived through", they pass through themselves in everyday experience, "are created by dance", as the great European scientist RR Marett put it at the beginning of this century. Supernatural concepts are associated with everyday life, rituals and observations.

Here, however, one must be careful not to jump to conclusions. Beliefs are transformed into ritual life, but myths are not. We have seen how mythology diverges from religious beliefs and beliefs, sometimes even contradicts them. Mythology represents an older worldview and thus does not reflect, with a few exceptions, everyday religious reality. For example, the ritual "dance of the sun" is based on a legend - a meeting of the supernatural with mere mortals in historical times, as it is described. However, there is no myth or narrative of divine decisions in distant mythical times. The Sun Dance is a creation of the Prairie tribe religion and has nothing to do with the mythology created during the time when the Shoshone were part of the Great Basin culture.

In this regard, we should note that the Shoshone have relatively few rituals compared to, say, the Zuni. As Indian hunters, they concentrated on the rituals of human transformation, healing, and thanksgiving. The original ritual of thanksgiving was transformed into the prairie Indians' sun dance, which, in fact, is a ceremony in the same direction, but only more complicated.

We may wonder what happened to the animalistic ritualism so characteristic of the hunting tribes of the north of the continent. The answer is that it still exists among the Shoshone, but in a rudimentary state. Mythology provides numerous examples of the resurrection of slain animals from bones preserved and folded in an orderly manner; sometimes the bones are required to be thrown into the water. There is also a legend about a healer with supernatural power received from a bison, who built a circle of buffalo skulls on the ground, sang a song to them and asked them to get up. Then the buffalo were resurrected, and there were ten times more of them than before.

This myth actually reflects what happened to animalistic ritualism: it has been modified to fit the dominant religious structure, the visionary complex. The visionary, the witch doctor, the puhagan took on the role previously played by the "patron master" of the species, and put in place a mysterious mechanism that we sometimes call magic. The visionary complex, that is, communication with spirits through visions and dreams, has developed so strongly that it practically supplanted ritualism with animals and belief in supernatural patrons of animal species16. Even the cult of the bear fell into oblivion. There are only stories about the mysterious abilities of the bear, its strong fluff, which can turn a person with supernatural power received from a bear into this beast itself, and the witchcraft power bestowed on it.

The rituals preserved in the Shoshone religion are very simple, with the exception of the "dance of the sun", which, of course, is not of Shoshone origin (although the Shoshone themselves claim the opposite). This ritual reflects the rich ritualism of the Prairie Indians, albeit modified to suit the taste of the Shoshone.

Rituals of Human Change: Puberty, Birth and Death

The rituals of human change - rituals marking critical milestones in human development - were called rituals of transition by Arnold van Gennep. According to Gennep, the main phases of each ritual of transition are first separation, then transition, then inclusion or attachment, and these phases mark the transition of an individual from one state of existence (or rank or prestige) to another17. Thus, in the Wind River Shoshone, puberty, childbirth and death are accompanied by rites of passage. In this context, the rituals of illness can be mentioned, but they deserve attention primarily in connection with the healers, so we will omit them here.

Puberty rituals for girls and boys are different or different, but both types were designed to prepare them for the transition to adulthood with its trials and responsibilities. Boys do not seek visions (as is the case in the Indian cultures of the North and East of North America), but participate in the "sun dance", usually on their own initiative. However, today the motives for their participation were mainly social character: Show other boys your strength and stamina and of course impress girls. In a sense, their participation in the "dance of the sun" replaces the ritual of seeking a vision - a sign of coming of age.

For girls, puberty officially began with the onset of menstruation, 18 which was viewed as a state of uncleanness, very dangerous for men. The menstruating girl is placed in a wigwam made from branches or (in later times) in a wooden shed a stone's throw from the village. She refrains from eating meat, but can eat roots and drink water. A few days later, the girl reappears in the village, dressed in new clothes and painted. One Indian complained to me that this custom is not strictly observed now, and as a result, people do not experience pure visions and dreams and do not receive spiritual strength.

They will be brought into line with the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has specified the places where religious rituals can be held. The department has prepared a draft law. The document establishes which actions relate to religious rites and where they can take place without the consent of the authorities.

The bill provides for amendments to Article 16 of Federal Law No. 125-FZ of September 26, 1997. In accordance with the amendments, paragraph 1 is proposed to be worded as follows:

Religious organizations have the right to found and maintain religious buildings and structures, other places and objects specially designed for services, prayer and religious gatherings, as well as other religious rites and ceremonies, religious worship (pilgrimage).

Public religious rites and ceremonies include open, accessible to everyone religious rites and ceremonies, including worship, prayer and religious gatherings.

In addition, paragraph 2 specifies in detail where ceremonies can be held:

Divine services, other religious rites and ceremonies, including public ones, are performed without hindrance:

• in places of worship and other buildings (premises) for religious purposes belonging to religious organizations on the basis of ownership or granted to them on other property rights, as well as on land plots related to them;
• in other buildings (premises) owned by religious organizations on the basis of property rights or provided to them on other property rights;
• on land plots owned by religious organizations on the basis of property rights or provided to them on other property rights;
• in places of pilgrimage;
• on the territory of organizations created by religious organizations;
• in cemeteries and crematoria;
• in living quarters

At the same time, the draft law specifies that public religious rituals and ceremonies in other places are held exclusively in agreement with the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation or with local government bodies.

Amendments to the law “On freedom of conscience and on religious associations” are being made in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court. The court found the provisions of the document to be inconsistent with the Basic Law. The complaint came from the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation.

Let us recall that for a bill to become law, it must be approved by the Federal Assembly and signed by the President of the Russian Federation, after which the document must be officially published. Federal laws enter into force upon the expiration of ten days after their official publication, unless the laws themselves establish a different procedure for their entry into force.

Religion not only gives a person hope for the help of higher powers, for the afterlife, and serves as one of the forms of social consciousness. Religion creates certain moral foundations of society, defines the boundaries of good and evil, teaches morality and respect for others. In addition, each type of religion imposes certain obligations on its followers, requires compliance with the canons, the performance of rituals, and rituals corresponding to a particular event in a person's life.

Types of religions and their characteristic rituals, ceremonies and customs

The oldest of all forms of religion is Judaism, which originated in ancient Palestine. Judaism is characterized by strict observance of customs, it is impossible to violate the prohibitions in any case, upon reaching a certain age, all boys must be circumcised. One of the main prohibitions concerns food - Jews are strictly forbidden to eat meat products of kosher origin, that is, the meat of animals whose limbs end in a forked hoof. The wedding rituals of the Jews are extraordinarily beautiful, and the funeral rites will touch the soul of even those who have no idea about this type of religion.

But Islam is considered the youngest world religion, the date of its first mention in historical annals is the 7th century AD. The adherents of Islam sacredly revere the Prophet Muhammad, perform the so-called namaz every day, that is, say a prayer five times a day, consider it their duty to help the poor. The peculiarities of this religion is that a man can have several wives at the same time, and even of another faith, but an Islamic woman is obliged to marry only. True devotees of Islam never drink alcohol, once a year they observe the strictest fast, the so-called Ramadan, and make a hajj - a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Christianity is the religion of the majority of people. The Christian faith is divided into Catholic and Orthodox, and each of them has its own customs and rituals, some of them are similar, and some are completely opposite. Against the background of these disagreements, wars broke out more than once, during which a brother killed a brother, and a son killed a father. But both directions are characterized by the observance of such rituals as the rite of baptism, communion, weddings, regular repentance of their sins. All rituals are carried out by priests and must be fixed by ablution or irrigation with holy water.

The most unusual religious rituals

But on the features of ritual rituals great importance impose and customs characteristic of a particular ethnic group, nationality.

For example, in one of the Indian states, Islamists dump newborns from a pretty temple on a rag cloth stretched below and firmly believe that this is a healthy child.

In Scotland, a Catholic bride must have rotten eggs, molasses and flour on the night before the wedding - this ritual is a guarantee of the happiness and well-being of the future family.

For some peoples of the Christian faith, it is still customary to use real blood during the sacrament, and among some African peoples, according to religious custom, a woman receives a metal ring around her neck for each year of family life. But in the event of her betrayal to her husband, all the rings are removed, and the woman's neck simply breaks.

The role of national-religious ceremonies and their ordering in the formation of the religious consciousness of Tajiks

islam tajikistan religion

Today Islam in Tajikistan is a complex and varied phenomenon that includes the most diverse and sometimes contradictory concepts, teachings and practices. She is recognized as an integral part of our national culture. Islam is not only a religion, but also a culture and way of life. Within the framework of Islamic civilization, one of the most advanced systems of spiritual, moral and political and legal values \u200b\u200bhas developed. It is safe to say that a huge intellectual potential has been accumulated and a rich ideological heritage has been formed. The role of Islam as one of the developed monotheistic religions and as an advanced form of culture in the spiritual progress of mankind, in the history of world civilization, no one can dispute.

So that the positive moral and intellectual achievements of Islamic civilization become an integral part of the national culture and make a creative contribution to spiritual renewal without a reform of religious thinking due to the fact that it remains and, apparently, in the next few decades will remain the main and mass consciousness of the Tajik population, the formation of religious consciousness seems impossible. Simultaneously ordering and settling religious and folk traditions and rituals is an important stage in the reform of religious consciousness. One of the main reasons for the disorganization and excessive wastefulness of our religious and folk rituals and ceremonies is the low level of religious education of the population and the preservation of superstitious layers in their minds. The level of religious enlightenment is of great importance in the formation of national and religious traditions and the way of life of the people of the republic. It is necessary to modernize religious thinking as a necessary step towards optimizing the religious factor, largely depends on the improvement of the religious educational system.

Customs, rituals, traditions and rituals are one of the most important forms of social consciousness for every nation and society. The Tajik people, depending on historical conditions and their socio-economic situation, already in very ancient times created positive and instructive rituals and customs that have developed and improved over the millennia and today have become part of its national culture.

Religious traditions have long been perceived as an integral part of national culture, national customs and are observed precisely as a tradition even by those who do not consider themselves to be believers; at the same time, believers identify national traditions with religious rituals that permeate the entire everyday life of people. And the religious traditions themselves have absorbed many folk rituals and traditions that originated in the pre-Muslim period of the history of the people. Folk and national traditions and customs, mixing with religious values, acquire sacredness and legitimacy. Thus, they act as a regulator in the process of the entire life of people, in the role of an unwritten moral law and a way of transferring social experience and traditions to subsequent generations.

The traditions, customs and rituals of our people were formed and improved mainly within the framework of two historical civilizations - Aryan and Islamic. A significant part of these traditions, customs, ceremonies, holidays and rituals observed by our people today are the product of the Islamic period. Their formation, formation and transformation are associated with social functions religions that she performs in society.

In modern Tajik society, the regulatory-ceremonial and related communicative functions of religion remain. Although the significance of religion as a complex of ideas, beliefs, moral norms, forms of behavior, legal and social institutions is much broader than theological concepts and the sum of rituals. The fact is that any religion includes significant elements of traditional culture and established everyday (civil) rituals in its composition, interacts with them, subjecting them to a certain transformation in accordance with its worldview doctrines. And when we talk about the regulatory and ceremonial function of religion in our society, we mean not only the cult side of religion, but also the civil and everyday side of the life of the people, inseparable from religion. Rituals in religion, as an important component of a religious cult, perform not only a purely religious function (that is, worship of God), but they, being integrated with civil rituals, carry with them important social, moral and consolidating functions.

Islam (more precisely, the so-called popular Islam) among the Muslims of Central Asia and especially Tajikistan in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods had and still has more of a ceremonial and ritual character than an ideological one. This character of Islam is limited precisely by the framework of civil-religious rites, such as marriage, circumcision, burial and post-funeral rites.

If we classify the traditional so-called Islamic rites, they can be divided into at least three groups:

• 1) rituals of worship (worship), such as prayer (namaz or salot); fasting (ruza, savm) in the months of Ramadan, Rajab and in other cases; pilgrimages; sacrifices; various kinds of praises and requests from God (du "o, dhikr, munojot), etc .;
• 2) religious and civil rites, such as circumcision (khatna), marriage (nikokh), funeral service for the deceased (janoza), funeral alms (iskot, khairot), commemoration (kudoi);
• 3) rituals of a magical and healing nature, such as reading the "Ya-Sin" surah of the Koran for forty times (chilyosin), making talismans (tumors, bozubands), blessing water (tashtob), etc.
• 4. The so-called women's rituals - mushkulkusho, bibiseshanbe, mavlud, etc. (Where the official ideology or religion does not adequately respond to the needs of women, does not incorporate (does not include) them as full members in their ritual activities, and also does not provide good role models for them, women, one way or another, create their own system of religious beliefs and rituals, this system, intricately intertwined with culture, plays a large, if not leading, role in the spiritual life of women).

All these rituals relate to the life of society, and none of the members of society, even if he is an unbeliever, can not fail to observe a number of generally accepted national and religious traditions. This is especially true for funeral and post-funeral rites.

It should be noted that veneration of the memory of ancestors - one of the most ancient rituals among believers has not ceased to be a necessary basis of religiosity and an important element of religious ideas to this day. Religious elements of the funeral rite have always been observed, even with severe persecution by the organs of the communist regime under the Soviet Union, and even against the communists, regardless of his or her beliefs during life.

The funeral rite also combines other social and emotional functions of religion. These are compensatory, ideological, regulatory, integrative and moral and psychological functions. During the funeral rite, a person who has lost his loved ones and relatives has a very heightened sensitive and emotional state, depression of grief and is ready to comply with all the necessary traditional prescriptions so as not to offend the spirit and memory of the deceased and, moreover, not to become a target of ridicule and censure of others and neighbors ...

On the other hand, the wide participation of people: relatives, close ones, friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues, in such a completely separable from religion, but also to religion, but also the civil and everyday side of the life of the people. Ury and the prevailing everyday concepts and Sumy ritual itself by itself indicates its integrative function. It is, as it were, an indicator of cultural and religious community and social cohesion of society. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and during the civil war, cultural and religious communities turned out to be more viable and left a deep and lasting imprint on various aspects of social life. This helped us to preserve the collectivist consciousness.

These rituals in themselves spontaneously serve in the reproduction of religion. All ceremonies and rituals (from funerals to commemorations and anniversaries, marriage, etc.) are held with the participation of a clergyman and their active instruction and propaganda of the foundations of religion. These ceremonies are of exceptional importance in the reproduction and preservation of a high level of religiosity among the population of the country.

The functions of religion were preserved even under the communist regime and, of course, are becoming more open and active in modern realities. Observance of such obligatory provisions of religion as daily fivefold prayer, fasting in the month of Ramadan, pilgrimage and others is becoming more widespread every year. Although, in comparison with other Muslim countries, the five-time prayer is not massive, but the observance of fasting in the month of Ramadan is becoming more and more widespread year after year, and this month is becoming a religiously saturated season. The number of worshipers, donations and other religious rituals this month is much higher than at any other time of the year. The celebration of Ramadan - the end of fasting - along with other Muslim holidays, such as the Azha holiday, known among our people as Idi Qurbon, and among the Turkic-speaking peoples like Eidi Qurbani, Mavludi Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, are also becoming more widespread.

The study of the influence of rituals and rituals is of more scientific and practical importance due to the need to reform the religious thinking of the population and due to the fact that in the current conditions of our society, one of the main areas of confrontation between Islamic conservatives and revivalists is precisely the problem of rituals and ceremonies.

Respect for a person, honoring the memory of ancestors and strengthening family ties should be the essence and basis of these rituals and traditions. After all, the logic and meaning of such ceremonies is that relatives and friends are next to each other in moments of joy and fun, sadness and grief. This sense simultaneously fulfills the purpose of holding such events. In this case, subject to a certain order of measure, these customs and rituals can in practice serve as a serious element of the spiritual education of the people and increase their education and thus play an invaluable role in the cohesion of society and the development of the state. Although there are trends that oppose this kind of tradition and custom. This has different reasons.

But recently, unfortunately, due to the low level of religious education of the population, many national customs and rituals, including religious rituals that were supposed to be carried out in the bosom of the family and among loved ones, have turned into pompous and expensive events. Therefore, our republic adopted the Law "On the ordering of traditions, celebrations and ceremonies in the Republic of Tajikistan" dated May 26, 2007.

Blind adherence to folk and religious traditions, customs and rituals and excessive waste began to create serious obstacles to improving the living standards of the population. For such ceremonies, people with financial disabilities incurred huge debts and then worked for years to pay them back. This provision forced the country's leadership to take serious measures towards the regulation of these measures and led to the adoption of the named law on the regulation of folk and religious traditions and rituals. It should be emphasized that the state of affairs in the field of religious and folk ceremonies, especially in the conduct of funeral and post-funeral rituals, before the adoption of the law on their regulation, worried not only the authorities, but also the representatives of the country's clergy.

There are numerous social and psychological barriers to the regulation of these ceremonies and rituals, which take some time to eliminate. For example, most people take these rituals as an indication that they are Muslim. In other words, as we have already noted, at present, belonging to Islam for our people is more of a ritual and everyday character, while religious and cult values \u200b\u200bhave receded into the background. Some people do not observe religious precepts, but no one considers them non-Muslims. However, non-observance of the newly-appeared customs and rituals that have spread in our society is considered a sign of alienation from Islam, disrespect for the traditions of ancestors, and is even considered as non-Muslim behavior that does not comply with Sharia. But recent attempts and successes in the direction of regulating folk and religious rituals and traditions in our republic proves that their reform and ordering is possible, and it is a matter of time.

It should also be noted here that rituals and customs are sometimes designated by unofficial Islam in our country, the so-called unofficial Islam, or everyday Islam, in the person of its representatives, also has a clearly defined Muslim identity: both the ministers and the audience of unofficial Islam consider themselves Muslims, and do not see anything anti-religious in their practices.

The main audience of unofficial Islam is women, but men also make extensive use of the services and products of unofficial Islam, although they prefer to hide it.

The practice of Bietun, Bibikhalifa, Otun (female religious specialists) in the northern part of the country is widespread and very popular among women of various social, professional and educational levels. They perform many functions, namely, preaching, educational, psychological and others. She is the dearest guest at almost all life cycle events and at events accompanying weddings, funerals, etc. She actually plays the role of an informal spiritual leader among the women of the community.

The system of religious beliefs, rituals and ceremonies developed by women is intertwined with culture and plays a leading role in the spiritual life of women in Tajikistan.

Thus, the system of religious beliefs, beliefs, and practices developed by Tajik women over the centuries is an integral part of Tajik culture, woven into its drawing and giving it a special poetry, harmony, emotionality, and beauty.

Thus, analyzing the place of folk and religious rites and customs in the social life of our republic, one can come to the conclusion that they occupy an important place in the national culture and way of life of our people. Most of these rituals have changed over time and under the influence of various factors and, to some extent, have lost their original goals. Streamlining religious and folk traditions and rituals is an important stage in reforming the religious consciousness of the people.

In order to preserve the positive aspects of rituals and ceremonies and in the matter of their regulation, it is necessary to remember the decisive role religious education in the formation of religious consciousness. Improving the quality and raising the level of religious consciousness in Tajikistan is possible only through modernization and improvement of religious education.

Traditions and customs, supported by the power of public opinion and enshrined in stereotypes of behavior, are present in the life of every generation, and they play a huge role in the emergence, formation and consolidation of not only religious but also ethnic identity. Each new generation finds already certain established traditions and customs. As a concentrated expression of the experience of previous generations, they are easily assimilated, reproduced and fixed in the minds of people.

Thus, the aforementioned tendencies of national-religious ceremonies in the formation of the religious consciousness of Tajiks must be directed in such a way that they contribute to the formation of tolerance, the maintenance and development of the social and spiritual-moral health of various groups of young people. When developing a strategy for the formation of religious consciousness, it is important to understand the content of basic concepts that could become value foundations. This phenomenon is due to the fact that values, in our case national, represent not only the result of spiritual production, but also the very essence of human awareness of the world, the basis of empathy, assistance, formed through certain guidelines and attitudes. At the same time, a nationally oriented value consciousness becomes a personal property of a person, which reflects social requirements for personality behavior. National values \u200b\u200band universal universal values \u200b\u200bof the national spirit are the inner core of the Tajik nation, its culture, is directly formed in their bosom, and at the same time remains the bearer of these values. National - religious ceremonies, while remaining the core of values, form religious consciousness and their ordering in modern Tajikistan is of great social, political, cultural and economic importance.