Inayati Sufi Prayers

Below are updated gender-inclusive versions of the Inayati Sufi prayers composed by Hazrat Inayat Khan. These versions were created for murids of the Inayati-Maimuni Order, and for the personal use of Inayati Sufis of other orders.

Toward the One

Toward 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.

Morning Prayers

Saum

Praise be to You,
God, Most High,
Omnipotent,
Omnipresent,
All-Pervading,
The Only Being.

Take us in Your
Parental arms,
Raise us from the
Denseness of the Earth!

Your beauty
We do worship;
To You we
Willingly surrender.

Merciful and
Compassionate God,
Ideal Sustainer
Of Humanity,
You only
Do we worship,
And toward You alone
Do we aspire!

Open our hearts
Toward Your Beauty;
Illuminate our souls
With Divine Light.

O Perfection of Love,
Harmony and Beauty,
All-powerful Creator,
Sustainer, Judge,
And Forgiver of
Our shortcomings,
Sovereign God
Of the East
And of the West,
Of the Worlds
Above and below,
Of the seen
And unseen beings,
Pour upon us Your
Love and Your Light!

Give sustenance
To our bodies,
Hearts, and souls;
Use us for the purpose
That Your
Wisdom chooses;
Guide us on the path
Of Your Own Goodness!

Draw us closer to You
In every moment
Of our lives,
Until in us is reflected
Your Grace, Your Glory,
Your Wisdom, Your Joy
And Your Peace!
Amin.

Pir

Inspirer of my mind,
Consoler of my heart,
Healer of my spirit,
Your Presence lifts me
From Earth unto Heaven!

Your words flow
As the sacred river;
Your thought rises
As a Divine spring,
Your tenderness awakens
Sympathy in my heart!

Beloved Teacher,
Your very being
Is forgiveness.

The clouds of
Doubt and fear
Are scattered by your
Piercing glance.

All ignorance vanishes
In your illuminating
Presence.

A new hope
Is born in my heart
As I breathe Your
Peaceful atmosphere!

Inspiring Guide
Through life’s
Labyrinthine ways,
In you, I feel
An abundance
Of blessing!
Amin.

Mid-Day Prayers

Salat

Our most
Gracious Sustainer,
Anointing Savior
Of Humanity,
We greet You
With all humility;
You are the First Cause
And the Last Effect,
The Divine Light
And the Spirit of Guidance,
Alpha and Omega!

Your Light is in all Forms,
Your Love in all Beings:

Take a moment to imagine how this is so, as Inayat Kahn suggests . . .

In a loving mother,
In a kind father,
In an innocent child,
In a helpful friend,
In an inspiring teacher.

Nor should you limit yourself to these examples in your personal prayer.

Allow us to
Recognize You
In all Your holy
Names and Forms:

Think of the various
“Names and Forms” by which God is known in different religions, and even as embodied in the various Messengers of those religions throughout history. These are some that Inayat Khan suggests . . .

As Rama, as Krishna,
As Shiva, as Buddha;
Let us know You as
Abraham, as Solomon,
As Zarathustra, as Moses,
As Jesus, as Muhammad

If you wish, you may add others in your personal prayer.

And in many other
Names and forms
Known and unknown
To the world!

We adore Your past;
Your Presence deeply
Enlightens our being;
And we look for
Your blessing
In the future!

O Messenger of God!
You, Whose heart
Constantly
Reaches upward,
You come to Earth
With a Message,
As a dove descending
From above
When religion decays,
Speaking the Word
That fills Your mouth,
As light fills the
Crescent Moon.

Let the Star
Of the Divine Light
Shining in Your heart
Be reflected in the hearts
Of Your devotees!

May the Message of God
Reach far and wide!

Illuminating
And making
The whole of Humanity
Into a single Family
In the Parenthood of God!
Amin.

Nabi

A torch in the
Darkness,
A staff during
My weakness,
A rock in the
Weariness of life,
You, my masterful guide,
Make Earth a paradise!

Your thought gives me
An ethereal joy;
Your light illuminates
My life’s path,
Your words inspire me
With Divine Wisdom;
I follow in your footsteps,
Which lead me
To the eternal goal!

Comforter of the
Broken-hearted,
Support of those
In need,
Friend of the
Lovers of Truth,
Blessed and
Masterful guide,
You are the
Prophet of God!
Amin.

Evening Prayers

Khatum

O Perfection of Love,
Harmony, and Beauty,
Sustainer of Heaven
And Earth,
Open our hearts
That we may hear
Your Voice,
Constantly coming
From within.

Disclose to us
Your Divine Light,
Hidden in our souls,
That we may know
And understand life better.

Merciful and
Compassionate God,
Give us Your great Goodness;
Teach us Your loving Forgiveness;
Raise us above
The distinctions
And differences
That divide us.

Send us the Peace
Of Your Divine Spirit,
And unite us all
In Your Perfect Being.
Amin.

Rasul

Warner of
Coming dangers,
Awakener of the
World from sleep,
Deliverer of the
Message of God,
You are our Savior.

The Sun at the
Dawn of Creation,
The light of the
Whole Universe,
The fulfillment of
God’s purpose,
You, the life Eternal,
We seek refuge
In your loving
Embrace.

Spirit of Guidance,
Source of all Beauty,
Creator of Harmony,
Love, Lover,
And Beloved Sustainer,
You are our Divine Ideal.
Amin.

* These gender-inclusive versions of the prayers are used with permission from Netanel Miles-Yépez (ed.). Sufi Prayers: The Prayers and Remembrances of the Inayati Sufis. Boulder, Colorado: Albion-Andalus Books, 2015.