Which religion is the oldest?

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When evaluating which religion is oldest among the given options, we should compare their historical origins and earliest attestations.
Option a: Judaism. While Judaism has ancient roots, with textual and archaeological evidence pointing to early forms of Israelite religion in the Bronze Age, most scholars date its distinct monotheistic tradition to roughly 2000–1500 BCE, with later solidifications in the first millennium BCE. This makes it very old, but typically not older than the oldest elements of Hinduism among the choices.
Option b: Islam. Islam emerged in the 7th century CE in the Arabian Peninsula, based on the revelations received by Prophet Muhammad. This places its origin far more recently than the other options, so it cannot be the oldest in this list.
Option c: Hinduism. Hinduism is often described as the world’s oldest living religion with roots extending back to the Vedic tradition around 1500–1200 BCE and earlier cultural practices in the Indian subcontinent. The term Hinduism aggregates a long continuum of beliefs, rituals, and institutions that predate the formalization of other listed traditions, and its early forms are closely tied to the Indus Valley civilizations and Vedic literature, which are among the earliest religious expressions in this region.
Option d: Buddhism. Buddhism arose in the 5th century BCE in what is now Nepal/India, founded by Siddhartha Gautama. While ancient, it is clearly later than the earliest Hindu or Vedic practices and thus later than the foundational elements that led to Hinduism.
In summary, while Judaism and Hinduism both have ancient origins, the earliest continuous religious traditions in the Indian subcontinent that fed into Hinduism appear in the period preceding the formalization of Buddhism, and Hinduism as a broad tradition predates Islam. The chronological layering suggests Hinduism is the oldest among the options provided, followed by Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam in increasing order of origin. This reasoning reflects the historical timelines and the way these religions evolved from earlier cultural and religious practices.

Which religion is the oldest?

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