An inspiring e-mail is a joy for ever. Today we received one such: a universal Sufi prayer. According to Wikipedia Sufism, or rather the Sufi Way, is “a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but God”. One of the best known Sufi masters, Ibn ‘Ajiba, defined Sufism as “a science through which one can know how to travel into the presence of the Divine, purify one’s inward from filth, and beautify it with a variety of praiseworthy traits”.
Sufi orders may be associated with both Sunni and Shia Islam (or none). It has been suggested that Sufi thought emerged from the tradition of Islam in the eighth century, but adherents are now found around the world. Sufism was brought to the West by Hazrat Inayat Khan. His universal message of Divine Unity – Tawhid – focused on the themes of “Love, Harmony and Beauty” and evinced his distinctive and effective ability to transmit the highest spiritual truths of Sufism to Western audiences.
Perennial Philosophy
A number of Sufi’s believe that Sufism is a projection of “the perennial philosophy” of man’s true nature to the Divine and as such forms a subterranean current in all religions and mystical traditions and practices. This viewpoint is denied, often with great energy, by others. Those who believe in the superiority of any one religion would deny this. Read and consider the Universal Sufi Prayer and make up your own mind.
Universal Sufi Prayer
We greet Thee with all humility.
Thou art the First Cause and the Last Effect,
the Divine Light and the 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, and in an inspiring teacher.
Allow us to recognize Thee in all Thy Holy Names and Forms:
as Rama, as Krishna, as Shiva, as Buddha; let us know Thee as
Abraham, as Solomon, as Zarathustra, as Moses, as Jesus, as Muhammed,
and in many more Names and Forms, known 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 Rasul of God!
Thou whose heart constantly reaches upwards, Thou comest on earth
with a Message, as a dove from above when dharma decayeth, and speakest
the word that is put in thy mouth, as the light filleth the crescent moon.
Let the star of the Divine Light shining in thy heart be reflected in the hearts
of thy devotees. May the Message of God reach far and wide, illuminating and
making the whole of humanity as one single family in the Parenthood of God. Amen!
A World Anthem
This brings us to Kevin Reid’s ‘World Anthem’. Find it at: www.aworldanthem.org and listen to his wonderful song ‘We are One’. Don’t forget to visit his website and sign his petition to the UN to establish a World Unity Day. It’s up to each of us to be the change we wish to see in the world, as Gandhi stated. So, do it!
The selected video is about the Sufi poet Rumi. We recommend you check out the video’s about the film ‘Rumi Turning Ecstatic’ as well on youtube, especially the one about the architect trying to transform Rumi into architecture. Oh yeah! Good stuff!