Prayer for the Heart of the World
You to whom we belong
to whom we have always belonged
to whom we will always belong
You who sustain our being
who sustain our life
who sustain our breath
You who came before everything
who will follow after all
who live everywhere, always
Giver of life, giver of breath
You, the mystery in our breath
the light in our breath
the breath of our breath
You who are life
without whom there is no life
in whom there is no death
You, the bestower of being
the essence of being
pure and endless being
You who are the root
the source of all that is
the spring of what we are
and what we might yet be
You whose name is every name
whose form is every form
yet whom no name can contain
no form can enclose
Sower of countless seeds
Reaper of boundless harvests
We call upon You
we invoke You
we ask you to witness
our witness of you
We ask to receive
all that you have to give us
And we ask to be shown
how to answer as is fitting
what to give of ourselves in turn
Creator, you will give us, we trust
what we need
what we need to be
what You have created us to be
Creator, we seek to serve you
and to serve Your creation
make of us the servants
You would have in Your service
Cleanse and purify us
wash away our stains
pour over us the water
of Your purity
Make us new again
give us every moment new life
by Your resurrecting touch
Our bodies are Your temples
help us to keep them pure and holy
Our hearts are Your shrines
may no forgetfulness enter them
Our souls are Your altars
may they stand to exalt You
When we have fallen, lift us
when we falter, steady us
heal us
protect us
and make us strong with Your strength
Give us, in all of our fibers, purity and life
Make strong our limbs
bolster our bones
infuse our blood
fortify our hearts
cleanse our vessels
make sound every organ in us
that we may serve you
to the fullest of our power
You who make the sun shine
brighten our eyes with clear vision
You, the Voice that speaks in every whisper and call
give us ears that can hear You
Let our senses be for You
sight and hearing and smell and taste and touch
vivid, pure, and true
Our minds, we know, are mirrors
held up to Your traces and signs
make their reflections clear
clear and bright and true to life
Your light is what we thirst for
send it to us, we pray
in the measure of our thirst
Illuminate our path as we travel this earth
and when we pass beyond it
Light our way with the sun by day
with the moon by night
and with the light of Your Face
when night and day
are behind us
Creator, You made us of Your own purity
You made us of Your wholeness
Restore us, again, to simplicity
We have broken
Make us again whole
Creator, make us whole in ourselves,
whole in the world
And whole in the unity of all that is
whole in the unity that You are
You sustain us
and sustain too all that walks and crawls
all that burrows and swims and flies
all that grows, unfurls, and blossoms
give us the vision and power
to protect all you have brought to life
Sustainer, the earth is a wonder
its mountains and oceans, its valleys and rivers
all unspeakably holy
all brimming with a beauty
that can never be spoken
We ask Your blessing on the earth
We ask Your blessing on all
that comes from the earth
We ask Your blessings on the stars and planets
without number
We ask Your blessing on all that comes
from the stars and planets
without number
We desire, in our bodies
in our hearts, in our souls
and between us
and between all breathing beings
a harmony like the harmony
of the stars and planets
shining and whirling for Your sake
a music
like the music of the spheres
You have brought us forth
we were not always here
and we will not long linger
give us the courage and grace
to fulfill the purpose
for which You sent us
Our span is too brief, we know,
to waste in discord and resentment
teach us kindness, forgiveness,
and such peace of mind and heart
as will unite us with You
and all that live within You
Healer of our bodies, hearts, and souls
Heal, we pray, the divisions that divide us
men and women
the old and the young
people of pale skin and dark skin,
followers of this prophet and that
we all belong to you
keep us united in remembrance of You
and in service to each other
All who are hungry,
we pray, may they be fed
All who are wounded,
we pray, may they be healed,
All who are suffering,
we pray, may they find relief,
All who are in danger,
we pray, may they find protection,
All who are dying,
we pray, may their passage be sanctified
with the light of Your grace
You who are the truth
May we awaken to Your truth
May we flourish in Your light
May we walk in remembrance
May we unite in the service of Your creation
May this creation thrive in the glory
of Your endless blessings
And may all that has come from You
return to you
in wisdom
in joy
and in peace.
Amin.
Pir Ziya Inayat Khan
You to whom we belong
to whom we have always belonged
to whom we will always belong
You who sustain our being
who sustain our life
who sustain our breath
You who came before everything
who will follow after all
who live everywhere, always
Giver of life, giver of breath
You, the mystery in our breath
the light in our breath
the breath of our breath
You who are life
without whom there is no life
in whom there is no death
You, the bestower of being
the essence of being
pure and endless being
You who are the root
the source of all that is
the spring of what we are
and what we might yet be
You whose name is every name
whose form is every form
yet whom no name can contain
no form can enclose
Sower of countless seeds
Reaper of boundless harvests
We call upon You
we invoke You
we ask you to witness
our witness of you
We ask to receive
all that you have to give us
And we ask to be shown
how to answer as is fitting
what to give of ourselves in turn
Creator, you will give us, we trust
what we need
what we need to be
what You have created us to be
Creator, we seek to serve you
and to serve Your creation
make of us the servants
You would have in Your service
Cleanse and purify us
wash away our stains
pour over us the water
of Your purity
Make us new again
give us every moment new life
by Your resurrecting touch
Our bodies are Your temples
help us to keep them pure and holy
Our hearts are Your shrines
may no forgetfulness enter them
Our souls are Your altars
may they stand to exalt You
When we have fallen, lift us
when we falter, steady us
heal us
protect us
and make us strong with Your strength
Give us, in all of our fibers, purity and life
Make strong our limbs
bolster our bones
infuse our blood
fortify our hearts
cleanse our vessels
make sound every organ in us
that we may serve you
to the fullest of our power
You who make the sun shine
brighten our eyes with clear vision
You, the Voice that speaks in every whisper and call
give us ears that can hear You
Let our senses be for You
sight and hearing and smell and taste and touch
vivid, pure, and true
Our minds, we know, are mirrors
held up to Your traces and signs
make their reflections clear
clear and bright and true to life
Your light is what we thirst for
send it to us, we pray
in the measure of our thirst
Illuminate our path as we travel this earth
and when we pass beyond it
Light our way with the sun by day
with the moon by night
and with the light of Your Face
when night and day
are behind us
Creator, You made us of Your own purity
You made us of Your wholeness
Restore us, again, to simplicity
We have broken
Make us again whole
Creator, make us whole in ourselves,
whole in the world
And whole in the unity of all that is
whole in the unity that You are
You sustain us
and sustain too all that walks and crawls
all that burrows and swims and flies
all that grows, unfurls, and blossoms
give us the vision and power
to protect all you have brought to life
Sustainer, the earth is a wonder
its mountains and oceans, its valleys and rivers
all unspeakably holy
all brimming with a beauty
that can never be spoken
We ask Your blessing on the earth
We ask Your blessing on all
that comes from the earth
We ask Your blessings on the stars and planets
without number
We ask Your blessing on all that comes
from the stars and planets
without number
We desire, in our bodies
in our hearts, in our souls
and between us
and between all breathing beings
a harmony like the harmony
of the stars and planets
shining and whirling for Your sake
a music
like the music of the spheres
You have brought us forth
we were not always here
and we will not long linger
give us the courage and grace
to fulfill the purpose
for which You sent us
Our span is too brief, we know,
to waste in discord and resentment
teach us kindness, forgiveness,
and such peace of mind and heart
as will unite us with You
and all that live within You
Healer of our bodies, hearts, and souls
Heal, we pray, the divisions that divide us
men and women
the old and the young
people of pale skin and dark skin,
followers of this prophet and that
we all belong to you
keep us united in remembrance of You
and in service to each other
All who are hungry,
we pray, may they be fed
All who are wounded,
we pray, may they be healed,
All who are suffering,
we pray, may they find relief,
All who are in danger,
we pray, may they find protection,
All who are dying,
we pray, may their passage be sanctified
with the light of Your grace
You who are the truth
May we awaken to Your truth
May we flourish in Your light
May we walk in remembrance
May we unite in the service of Your creation
May this creation thrive in the glory
of Your endless blessings
And may all that has come from You
return to you
in wisdom
in joy
and in peace.
Amin.
Pir Ziya Inayat Khan