A PRAYER FOR UNIVERSAL PEACE

Chosen by Mohamed Baianonie; Imam of the Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC

All praises and thanks to God, The Creator and Lord of all that exists and peace and blessings upon all of His Messengers.

O' our Lord, You are As-Salaam (the Peace) and the ultimate peace comes from You only; we ask You to bless us all with peace and safety. [From the supplications of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)]

We ask You, our Lord the Granter of security, to bless us and our families, our neighborhoods and communities, our nations and the whole world with everlasting peace and security.

We ask You, our Lord the Guide, to open the hearts and minds of mankind to value each and every human life, so that the bloodshed and destruction stop immediately. And we ask You, the Patient God, to grant patience to those who suffer from the destruction and violence committed by others. We ask You, the Compassionate Lord, to bestow Your mercy upon those who are suffering from disease, poverty, and danger.

We ask You, God our Protector, to protect these victims and help them to rebuild their lives and keep their hearts merciful toward one another.

O' Lord, You are the Loving One, replace the hatred in our hearts with love, mercy, and compassion for even our worst enemies. Take away our arrogance and replace it with humility so that we can forgive and tolerate one another.

O' our Lord, give us patience during times of anger so that we can forgive those who treat us unjustly. O' Lord, make us among those faithful believers who respond to evil with a better response. By following Your teachings, our worst enemies can become our closest friends. [Qur'an, 41:34]

Aameen