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.

The Church of All

Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan

Hazrat Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan

Pir Zia Inayat Khan

The 'Church of All and of all churches', as named by Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, honors and respects all religions, masters, saints and prophets, and all the holy scriptures.

The Universal Worship

was established as the religious activity of the Sufi Order International and seeks to exemplify the underlying unity of all religious ideals. At one altar we read from the Holy Book of each religion presented on the altar. We light candles symbolically representing the wisdom brought to the world by each religion. One by one, the candles literally increase the light and figuratively bring the light of the only Wisdom, Truth, Love, Beauty, etc. to those attending. We have arrived at a new level of understanding and the message of unity is ringing loudly in many places and in many hearts. The dogmatic limitations that sufficed for former times are no longer satisfactory for those people whose hearts and minds are now embracing a more inclusive and expansive realization of Unity.

Rev. Fernandez offers in-depth training and ordination of ministers. Please contact her for details. The next training course weekend will be at Madison, WI, January 22-24, 2009.

The Esoteric School

Admission into the esoteric school - The Sufi Order - involves taking initiation at the hand of a recognized and authorized Sufi teacher. One travels the path of Sufism with this person and at the same time, one is supported on the journey by being aligned with all the masters in the lineage of the Order. By taking bayat, initiation, one is 'linked' with the chain of transmission - The Shajara.

Personal guidance is given to the disciple (mureed) and involves participation in particular spiritual practices that are prescribed by the teacher.

"Sufism is based on experience, not on premises". (Imam al-Ghazzali)

One understands that it is necessary to have exposure to and affinity with the school and the teacher before one can make a commitment and take the step of asking for initiation. Therefore, we welcome sincere seekers to come and spend some time with us. It will become clear, through experience, whether this is the 'home' one is seeking.

Ultimately, God is the teacher and the 'home' we seek. Whether one's search is for 'self-realization' or 'God-realization', they are mirrors of each other.

For more information about Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan, Pir Vilayat Khan, Pir Zia Inayat Khan, and Sufism in general, please visit the Sufi Order International website. To order the Sufi Message volumes by Hazrat Inayat Khan, and other books on Sufism, please visit the Sufi Online Bookstore To listen to webcasts by Pir Zia Inayat Khan, please visit http://sufiorder.org/live/webcast.html