Love Yourself
As a Cherag—a lamp-bearer in the Universal Worship—I serve as a vessel of light, love, and unity.
My mission is to honor the sacred wisdom of all spiritual traditions while creating inclusive, heart-centered spaces for reflection, celebration, and connection.
The duty of a Cherag is not to merge, not to blend. It is to acknowledge and recognize.
Rooted in the lineage of the Universal Worship, I offer ceremonies and gatherings that uplift the soul and awaken the heart.
Whether through sacred readings, shared prayer, or embodied practices, my role is to help illuminate the divine spark within each being and foster harmony among all paths.
Love Your Universal Worship
Universal Worship is a broad, inclusive spiritual movement that emphasizes unity, peace, and respect among all faiths. It celebrates the collective spiritual heritage of humanity without seeking to replace individual beliefs.
Universal Worship is not a specific religious denomination, but a concept or practice that involves worshiping a divine presence or spiritual essence that is universal across all different faiths and traditions.
Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan (Murshid) introduced Universal Worship to the West in 1921. He was a Sufi, so Universal Worship has its ties with Sufism. Sufism is a mystical branch of Islam focused on spiritual purification, inner connection with God, and often involves specific practices and teachings rooted in Islamic tradition.
Murshid knew that the misunderstandings and misuse of religion leads to suffering, intolerance, war, discord, fear, and separation. It is centrally, an interfaith belief of inviting understanding, tolerance, and love for the Truth that shines forth from every religion, culture, and spiritual path.
Universal Worship is not part of the Unitarian Universalism (UU). The UU is a liberal religious movement that emphasizes diversity, inclusivity, and social justice, without adhering to a single creed or doctrine. It originated from the merger of Unitarianism and Universalism in 1961, both of which have roots in Christian liberal traditions but now include a wide range of beliefs, from theist to atheist, and draw inspiration from many world religions and secular philosophies.
Universal Worship ceremony that honors and celebrates all the religions of the world – represented on one altar, given equal respect, and welcomed into our hearts.
Cherag and Sirat-i Inayat
The Universal Worship Service is practiced as a formal ceremony, and there are many ways that its essential theme has been adapted into different forms.
Universal Worship Services and celebrations are led by Cherags all around the world. They are open to the public and all are welcome to participate. In the last few years of Murshid’s life, he dedicated great effort toward training and ordaining Cherags (ministers) who could continue to shine the light of universal truth, tolerance, and authentic love for the world’s wisdom traditions.
Cherags are trained and empowered to officiate weddings, funerals, blessings for births, deaths, and other life transitions. The training is offered through the organization, Sirat-i Inayat Interfaith Sufi Path.
In Sirat-i Inayat, a “Siraj” is a senior minister who is empowered to train and offer ordination to Cherags. Training programs are designed to be two-year processes including 24 units of study and preparation. Cherag candidates are guided through a comprehensive training program that includes an exploration of the world’s religions, personal development, and cultivation of specific skills and knowledge that prepare the individual for effective, compassionate, inspiring service to humanity.
The role of a minister is to provide spiritual sustenance, religious activities, counsel, and meaningful tools in response to the realities of life. In most areas of the United States, a Cherag or any ordained minister can also provide spiritual counseling.
Prayers
Invocation
Invocation
Invocation
Towards the One, the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty, the Only Being,
United with all the Illuminated Souls who form the Embodiment of the Master,
the Spirit of Guidance.
Saum
Invocation
Invocation
Praise be to Thee, Most Supreme God,
Omnipotent, Omnipresent, All-Pervading, The 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 The
Praise be to Thee, Most Supreme God,
Omnipotent, Omnipresent, All-Pervading, The 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 do 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 of the 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 chooses,
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
Thy Grace, Thy Glory, Thy Wisdom, Thy Joy, and Thy Peace. Amin
Salat
Invocation
Khatum
Most gracious Lord, Master, Messiah, and Savior of humanity,
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 ins
Most gracious Lord, Master, Messiah, and Savior of humanity,
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 Mohammad,
And in many other 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.
Oh Messenger, Christ, Nabi, the Rasul of God!
Thou whose heart constantly reaches upward,
Thou comest on earth with a message,
as a dove from above when Dharma decayeth,
and speakest the Word that is put into 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 humanity
as one single family in the Parenthood of God.
Amin
Khatum
Invocation
Khatum
O Thou, who art the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty,
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 Thy Great Goodness,
Teach us
O Thou, who art the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty,
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 Thy Great Goodness,
Teach us Thy Loving Forgiveness,
Raise us above the distinctions and differences which divide;
Send us the Peace of Thy Divine Spirit,
and Unite us all in Thy Perfect being,
Amin