Universeller Sufi-Gottesdienst

Universal Sufi-Worship

The religious activity of the Sufi-Movement is called 'Universal Worship' or 'The Church of All'. Why is it so named? Because it contains all different ways of worship and all Churches.

This Universal Worship was the hope of all prophets, the prayer and the desire of all great souls, that the light given in all the different forms such as in the Buddhist scriptures, the Qur'an, the Bible or the teachings of Krishna or Zarathushtra, should be known by everyone.

The Universal Worship is not another Church. This service gives an opportunity to those belonging to different religions to worship together. Also it gives practice in paying respect to the great ones, who have come from time to time to serve humanity.

The work of the Sufi-Message is to spread the unity of religious ideals. It is not a mission to promote a particular creed or any church or religion. It is a work to unite the followers of different religions and faiths in wisdom, so that - without having to give up their own religion - they may strengthen their faith and focus the true light upon it. In this way a greater trust, a greater confidence will be established in mankind.

Hazrat Inayat Khan

The Ritual of the Universal Sufi-Worship

On the alter are seven candles, 6 symbolically representing the world religions (Hindu religion, Buddhist religion, Zoroastrian religion, Hebrew religion, Christian religion, and religion of Islam) and a candle in the middle of the alter for those religions "known or unknown to the world". Above the altar is a candle representing the light of God, from which the seven candles are lit. This symbolizes that all the different religions obtain their light from one and the same source.

In front of each candle lies their holly Scripture (Bhagavad Gita, words of Buddha, Gathas, Old Testament, New Testament and Qur'an). From these scriptures texts are read on special subjects to show that not all the religions use the same wording. However they have brought the same Message with its deeper meaning to humanity. Since there is only one God, there can only be one divine Message and only one and the same truth, in different languages and forms.

Finally the sermon follows and enlarges on the texts.

The three prayers spoken during the Universal Worship

SAUM

Praise be to Thee, Most Supreme God,
Omnipotent, Omnipresent, All-pervading,
Thee Only Being.
Take us in Thy Parental Arms,
Raise us from the denseness of the earth.
Thy beauty do we worship,
To Thee do we give willing surrender,
Most Merciful and Compassionate God,
The Idealized Lord of the whole humanity.
Thee only do we worship,
And towards Thee alone we aspire.
Open our hearts toward Thy Beauty,
Illuminate our souls with Divine Light,
O Thou, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty!
All-powerful Creator, Sustainer, Judge and Forgiver of
Our shortcomings,
Lord God of the East and West,
Of the worlds above and below,
And of the seen and unseen Beings,
Pour upon us Thy Love and Thy Light,
Give sustenance to our bodies, hearts and souls.
Use us for the purpose that Thy Wisdom chooseth,
And guide us on the Path of Thine Own Goodness.
Draw us closer to Thee every moment of our life,
Until in us be reflected,
They Grace, Thy Glory, Thy Wisdom, Thy Joy and Thy Peace.

Amen.

SALAT

Most gracious Lord, Master, Messiah and Saviour of humanity,
We greet Thee with all humility.
Thou art the first Cause and the Last Effect,
The Divine Light and Spirit of Guidance,
Alpha and Omega.
Thy Light is in all forms, Thy Love in all beings;
In a loving mother, in a kind father.
In an innocent child, in a helpful friend,
In an inspiring teacher.
Allow us to recognize Thee in all Thy holy names and forms
As Rmaa, as Krishna, as Shiva, as Buddha,
Let us know Thee as abraham, as Solomon,
As Zarathushtra, as Moses, as Jesus, as Mohammed,
And in many other names and forms,
Knowns and unknown to the world.
We adore Thy Past; Thy Presence deeply enlightens our being,
And we look for Thy blessing in the future,
O Messenger, Christ, Nabi, the beikRasoul of God!
Thou whose heart constantly reaches upward,
Thou cometh on the earth with a message,
as a dove from above when Dharma decays,
And speaks the word, that is put into Thy Mouth,
As the light filleth the crescent moon.
Let the star of Divine Light shining in Thy heart,
Be reflected in the hearts of Thy devotes.
May the Message of God reach far and wide,
Illuminating and making the whole Humanity,
As one single Brotherhood in the Fatherhood of God.

Amen.

KHATUM

O Thou, who art the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty,
The Lord of Heaven and earth,
Open our hearts, that we may hear Thy voice,
Which constantly cometh from within.
Disclose to us Thy Divine Light, which is hidden in our souls,
That we may know and understand life better,
Most Merciful and Compassionate God,
Give us They great goodness; teach us Thy loving forgiveness;
Raise us above the distinctions and differences,
Which divide men,
Send us the peace of Thy Divine Spirit,
And unite us all in Thy perfect Being.

Amen.