The Power of Prayer for Peace

Raul Kamal, 18.08.07

The following speech was shared at an Interfaith Gathering on the 18th of August 2007 promoting the Power of Prayer for Peace.

Brothers, sisters and distinguished guests could I start by saying I am both humbled and truly privileged to be in the company of people who are promoting such a beautiful message.

When I heard about this conference “The Power of Prayer for Peace” I thought that this is exactly what I have been taught at my place of worship since a child.

To imbibe myself in an environment of peaceful coexistence through the realisation and worship of this Formless God.

And although it may seem difficult to comprehend, peaceful coexistence can be achieved if we take a practical approach.

Many of you may be familiar with the events that took place in Germany in 1961.

Someone had a thought. A thought of creating a physical barrier, a point of division between East and West Germany, namely the Berlin Wall.

A division that separated families, friends and loved ones for 28 years. Only those who were present could have felt the pain and suffering that this division caused people.

And to create this division, all it took was one person, only one person to have a thought about diving a whole nation.

Similarly in 1989, all it took was one person to have a thought of unity. A thought of harmony. A thought of uniting the very same families, friends and loved ones who had been separated many years ago.

This part of German history was only possible because someone somewhere realised the power of a thought.

It is often said that if a person sows a thought, they reap an action. If a person sows an action, they reap a habit. If a person sows a habit, they reap a character and if a person sows their character, they reach their destiny.

The Nirankari Mission has taught me that if I point one finger at anyone, the remaining fingers point back at me.

Therefore, I am often encouraged to challenge myself and only allow the purest of thoughts to enter my mind.

And this great quality of thought can be achieved by prayer, which to me signifies constant remembrance of God Almighty.

When one is in constant remembrance of God, no impurities of thought can enter ones mind.

A person who is in constant awe of the Almighty sees all as his brothers and sisters. He sees no difference of caste, colour or creed. No difference in physical attire and if a person is in constant awe of this creation then a person’s whole character and persona changes.

Their every act is conducted with a thought of love, a prayer for peace and a passion to spread humanity throughout this world.

Today, each of us has the opportunity to walk away with a thought in our minds. Just as the Berlin Wall was built, we could walk away with a thought of division, a thought of creating barriers that divide mankind.

Or we could choose to walk away with a message of unity and a message of building bridges and removing all barriers that may exist in our minds.

A message of PEACE and a message of Unity within the Community.

Today we are also here to celebrate 60 years of Indian Independence where a nation is living in peaceful coexistence regardless of the different languages, cultures and religions that are present.

And I would like to congratulate all of you who celebrate Indian Independence Day. An independence which signified freedom to the whole of India.

Such wonderful advancements have been made since this freedom has been obtained.

And I would like to leave you with an open thought; that we have obtained freedom of our land, but have we ever considered the freedom of our souls.

I leave you with this thought and a few lines of a poem which I have entitled Written On Every Leaf. (please click here to read this poem)