By “famous” we mean prayers which occupy a place in different religions, similar but never exactly the same as, the place which the Lord’s Prayer occupies within Christianity. They usually form part of the daily prayer of believers.

“When approaching another faith or culture, I take off my shoes, for the ground upon which I tread is holy.”

BAHA’I PRAYER

INCREASE THE FIRE OF MY LOVE

“Oh my God! Oh 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! Oh 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. Oh 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.
(Quoted in: “Transcendence” Prayer of People of Faith p 104. 2005 Edited by Daniel Faivre and Tony McCaffry. ISBN 0 953621553) Also p 145 – 147, 163.

(See also: www.maryhession.clara.net/oneprayer.htm). For more about Baha’i prayer.

BUDDHISM

NB: Prayers in Buddhism do not occupy the place of prayers in other faiths. Many Buddhists would agree that prayer plays no part in the life of Buddhists, since they have no belief in God. However in Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism, prayer does play a part. Where prayer merges for Christians into contemplation, there is a connection with the meditational practices of Buddhists.

THE THREEFOLD REFUGE

I go to the Buddha for refuge.
I go to the Dhamma (Teaching) for refuge.
I go to the Sangha (the Community) for refuge.

HINDUISM

THE GAYATRI MANTRA (Gaya means to sing; tri means three. Mantra means a sung prayer or hymn. The prayer is recited three times and has three meanings or intentions: to pray for right action, right thought and right speech. The prayer is recited each morning.

“OM (AUM) Saviour of all.
Resplendent Sativa (Sun – God as Creator of all), inspiring us to reverence
Let us dwell on the radiance
Of that guiding power
That charges us with light.”

(See also: www.hinducounciluk.org)

JUDAISM

THE SHEMA

“Hear O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is One! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

AMIDAH (Standing) PRAYER – to be said three times a day facing Jerusalem.

“Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare Your praise.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, God beyond, generous in love and kindness, and possessing all. He remembers the good deeds of our fathers, and therefore in love brings rescue to the generations, for such is His being. The king who helps and saves and shields. Blessed are You Lord, the shield of Abraham”.

ISLAM

“In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
The Merciful One, the Compassionate
Master of the day of judgement.
Thee alone do we serve, to Thee alone we cry for help!
Guide us in the straight path,
The path of them that Thou hast blessed
Not of those with whom Thou art angry,
Nor of those who go astray.” (Qur,an Surah 1)

(See also: www.isb.org.uk)

SIKHISM

START OF THE JAPJI (Daily prayer)

“There is only One God,
Eternal Truth is His Name:
Maker of all things
He is without fear
And at enmity with nothing.
Timeless is His Image:
He is beyond births and deaths
Being of His own Being
Made known to mankind by the grace of the True Guru
Repeat His Name.
He was True in the beginning
He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True
True throughout the ages”.

Vaheguru ji ka Khalsa! Vaheguru ji ki Fatah (“The Khalsa – the Sikh community – belongs to Wonderous God; all victory is the victory of Wonderous God”)

(See also: www.sikhs.org and www.bradfordgurdwara.com)