Ministry & Service of Universal Peace

Service of Universal Peace

In the lineage of Universal Sufism of Hazrat Inayat Khan there are Cherags – ordained ministers - who conduct Sufi Services and rituals. This originated under the guidance of Hazrat Inayat Khan as the Universal Worship service, where candles for 7 named Wisdom Ways are present on an altar, and words on the theme of the service from all these Holy Books are read. In the Ruhaniat, Pir Moineddin Jablonski received the inspiration to call our service “The Service of Universal Peace” as an expansion of the “Universal Worship” where the altar has often been extended to include more Wisdom Ways, and people who attend may be invited to sing and dance and participate in honouring the wisdom from the various scriptures. Generally, these services are an expression of our understanding and experience that there is indeed only One Divine Being which is everywhere and everything, in all religions known and unknown, in all of Nature and in all beings of whatever form, and in all the realms of Creation.

The service of Universal Peace provides for many rituals. These rituals include weddings, welcoming a newborn, name giving ceremonies, funeral service, house blessings and a vast range of personal and yearly rituals. These include the celebration of the seasons, equinoxes and solstices, rituals in Nature to support Nature and support the restoration of the balance of the elements, rituals for personal cleansing, clearing, for grief, for rounding of a certain chapter in life and opening afresh to a new beginning.

Ministry: Cherags and Sirajs

The word Cherag means “Light bearer”. This task of ministry can be seen widely as how we carry and share Light in the world. The question “What is our attitude”, while being central to the work of every person on the path of Sufism, for a Cherag takes on a deep and heart-felt commitment to carry, share and empower the Light in all beings and to spread Light in situations where there is shadow and trouble.

One of the gems of the work of a Cherag succinctly expressed by Siraj Najat Roberts, “lies in the kindling of the Light in their hearts and in the hearts of those they meet in all kinds of circumstances”. (A Siraj is a senior in the work of Sufi Ministry, Service and Light-bearing.)

We are fortunate to work within a Sufi school that deeply embraces the Message of Spiritual Liberty. We are free to create, adapt and modify any service or ritual to meet the need of the moment or the people we are serving.

Another gem of the work of a Cherag illuminated by Pir Shabda Kahn is the broad heart-based connection we feel to the “Unity of Religious Ideals” given to us by Hazrat Inayat Khan. We are not ministers of a new religion, we are ministers who study and attune to the “Essence” through the Wisdom Ways of the World, including all and excluding none. In the words of the Prophet Mohammed (PbuH) we are constantly “seeking knowledge”, deepening our understanding.

Pir Shabda has also shared, “As our work expands to relieve suffering and bring awakening, freedom, joy and fulfilment, it is very clear that many of the problems in the world today have come from religious strife. We hear people say: ‘We believe in one God’ with the implied addendum ‘and our God is the best’, which separates us from large sections of humanity with a sense of pride and superiority from our mistaken beliefs.”

“Our point of view is guided by the point of view of every Messenger; there is only One All-pervading Essence, which is all that is Hidden and all that is Manifest. Only One, no-thing separate. We recite “Toward the One” to aspire to deepen our realization of the Oneness of all Being, to make our belief an experienced Reality.”

Read the full article: Universal Worship Ray Today – Universal Attunement, by Pir Shabda Kahn

The Siraj Circle

The Siraj Circle is composed of senior Cherags and holds the primary mission of active engagement with and delivery of the Unity of Religious Ideals of the Sufi Message through the Service of Universal Peace.

To this purpose, the Siraj Circle oversees the training and work of ordained Cherags. The Circle is active in assisting with curriculum development and expansion of opportunity for ministry and service, oversight of ordination, review and update of ethical guidelines pertaining to ministry, and active communication with the Pir, who is the Siraj-un-Munir, to assure harmony with the overall vision and development of the Ruhaniat.

Contact

Ruhaniat Cherags are students on the path of Sufism who have followed a course of training with a Siraj or other Ruhaniat guide who holds a heart’s desire to do this work. If you are interested in becoming a Cherag, please contact or one of the Sirajs from the Siraj Circle.