Prayers of other Faiths

There are a number of books that are useful if you wish to explore the prayers and scriptures of people of other faiths. These include:
The Oxford Book of Prayer, George Appleton (Editor), reprinted 1999, Oxford University Press
Lifelines: 365 Meditations and Inspirations on Love and Peace, Marcus Braybrooke (Editor), 2002, London: Duncan Baird Publishers 1000
World Prayers, Marcus Braybrooke (Editor), 2003, Alresford: O Books

The prayers and readings below are taken, with the copyright holder's permission, from Transcendence: Prayers of People of Faith (Revised Edition 2005), Daniel Faivre and Tony McCaffry (Editors) Copies available from Alfred Agius, e-mail: Alfredagius@hotmail.com

From the Baha'i Faith

O my God! O my God! This, Thy servant, hath advanced towards Thee, is passionately wandering in the desert of Thy love, walking in the path of Thy service, anticipating Thy favours, hoping for Thy bounty, relying upon Thy kingdom, and intoxicated by the wine of Thy gift. O my God! Increase the fervour of his affection for Thee, the constancy of his praise of Thee, and the ardour of his love for Thee.

Verily, Thou art the Most Generous, the Lord of grace abounding. There is no other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O my Lord! O my Lord! This is a lamp lighted by the fire of Thy love and ablaze with the flame which is ignited in the tree of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Increase his enkindlement, heat and flame, with the fire which is kindled in the Sinai of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art the Confirmer, the Assister, the Powerful, the Generous, the Loving.

(Transcendence p. 104)

From the Buddhist Faith

Those who are skilled in their good, and who wish to attain that calm state of calm should act thus:

•  they should be able, upright, perfectly upright, obedient, gentle and humble;

•  contented, easily supportable, with few duties, of right livelihood, with senses controlled, discreet, not impudent, not greedily attached to families;

•  they should not commit any slight wrong on account of which other wise people might censure them.

May all beings be happy and secure, may their hearts be wholesome!

Let none deceive another nor despise any person whatever in any place. In anger or ill-will let no one wish any harm to another.

Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings.

Let thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world above, below and across without any obstruction, without any hatred, without any enmity.

Whether anyone stands, walks, sits or lies down, as long as they are awake, they should develop this mindfulness. This, they say, is the Highest Conduct here.

(Transcendence p.117)

From the Hindu Faith

The one who offers to me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from that yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love.

Whatever you do, or eat, or give, or offer in adoration, let it be an offering to me; and whatever you suffer, suffer it for me.

With your mind firmly set on renunciation, you shall be free and come to me.

I am the same to all beings, and my love is ever the same; but those who worship me with devotion, they are in me and I am in them.

For even if you are the greatest sinner and worship me with all your soul, you must be considered righteous, because of your righteous will.

And you shall soon become pure and reach everlasting peace. For this is my word of promise, that whoever loves me shall not perish.

For all those who come to me for shelter, however weak or humble or sinful they may be, they all reach the path Supreme.

Give me your mind and give me your heart, give me your offerings and adoration; and thus with your soul in harmony and making me your Goal Supreme, you shall in truth come to me.

From the Bhagavad Gita (Transcendence p. 90)

From the Jain Faith

I bow to and revere enlightened beings,
I bow to liberated souls,
I bow to great teachers,
I bow to preceptors,
I bow to all the monks and nuns in the world.

This five-fold obeisance destroys all sin.
Amongst all forms of bliss this is the first.

I forgive all living beings,
let all living beings forgive me;
all in this world are my friends,
I have no enemies.

Let the whole universe be blessed.
Let all beings be engaged in one another's well-being.
Let all weakness, sickness and faults be diminished and vanish.
Let everyone, everywhere, be blissful and at peace.

(Transcendence p. 139)

From the Muslim Faith

God is God, than whom there is no other God.
God knows all things, both secret and open.
God, most gracious, most merciful!

God is God, than whom there is no other God,
the Sovereign, the Holy One,
the Source of Peace and Perfection,
the Guardian of Faith,
the Preserver of Safety,
the Exalted in Might,
the Irresistible the Supreme:
Glory to God!
God is high above the partners:
they pay tribute to God.

God is God, the Creator, the Evolver,
the Bestower of Forms or Colours.
To God belong the most beautiful Names:
whatever is in the heavens and on earth
declares God's praise and glory:
God is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

From the Qur'an ( Transcendence p. 27 )

From the Sikh Faith

You, O Lord, the mighty river, all-knowing, all-seeing,
how can I, a little fish, know your bounds?

Wherever I see, I see you. Away from you I die.
I know not the fisherman nor the net.

When in agony, You save.
You are everywhere. I thought you were far away.

What I do is in your notice.
You see and I say I did not do it:
I am unworthy of You, O Lord.

What you give, that I eat.
No other place, where I could go.
Nanak says one prayer,
my body and soul are yours.

The Lord is near, the Lord is far and in the middle.
He sees, He listens and creates the natural world.
Nanak, what the Lord wills, shall be.

Attributed to Guru Nanak
(Transcendence p. 30)

From the Zoroastrian Faith

Your name is above all names, the most majestic and the most sublime. The sound of your name is the sweetest that human ears can hear. Countless persons call you simultaneously by your name and you hear them all and respond to them – at one and the same moment. You are the same one God, but you are given many names. Many a million times more is your august name pronounced between morning and evening in the seven zones of the earth, than any other name, human or divine.

When I am in low spirits and the sorrows of life bear heavily on me, the invocation of your name cheers me and lightens the load of my sorrows. When danger threatens me and strikes terror in my heart, when trouble chases me on my pilgrimage through the thorny path of life and fear strikes me mute, the remembrance of your holy name lends me courage to fight my way boldly to safety. My thoughts are filled with your image and devotion surges up in my heart, when I meditate upon your name, Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrian term for God).

I shall wake in the dawn with your name on my lips, I shall begin my day's work in your name, and I shall glorify your name by my deeds during the day. At night-fall I shall offer my thanksgiving prayer to you for all your guidance and help in my working hours and retire to sleep with your name on my lips. When I have run my course upon earth and my life is done, grant, Ahura Mazda, that I may sink into death with your name on my lips.