Hinduism, sometimes called the religion of Hindus, is an ancient and widely practiced religion which is also one of the most popular worldwide. It is the oldest surviving religion from the human species, having originated in India more than 5000 years ago. Hinduism is the oldest existing faith in the world, based on several writings, words and beliefs dating back over four thousand years ago.
Hinduism is a distinctive religion with no specified leader, so much so that it is hard to trace its history and roots even today. Hinduism is unique because it is not a single religious tradition but a collection of various philosophies and religions developed over time by Hindu saints and authorities. It combines teachings from the Vedas (the ancient Hindu texts), the Upanishads (books of rules and rituals) and the Hindu scriptures, as well as some Greed related philosophies. The original philosophy of Hinduism includes aspects of several other ancient religions, such as Buddhism, Jainism and Islam.
Hinduism believes that there is only one God who is omnipresent and the creator and protector of all that exists, and that he is also responsible for the lives of all those who follow him, known as the Hindus. Each individual is said to be the recipient of a divine spirit, known as nishchaya, who is protected by the precepts of the Hindu sacred texts, known as the dharma. According to the dharma, all actions done by the Hindu are divine and virtuous, and are rewarded accordingly.