Major Prayers from World Religions

Christianity

The Lord's Prayer (Our Father)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Islam

Al-Fatiha (The Opening)

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
Guide us on the Straight Path,
the path of those who have received Your grace;
not the path of those who have brought down wrath upon themselves, nor of those who have gone astray.
Amen.

Shahada (Declaration of Faith)

There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Salat (Daily Prayers)

Fajr (prayed at dawn)

Consists of 2 Rak'ahs.
1. Recite Al-Fatiha and another chapter of the Quran.
2. Bow (Ruku) and say "Subhana Rabbi al-Azim".
3. Stand up and say "Sami Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana lakal hamd".
4. Prostrate (Sujud) and say "Subhana Rabbi al-Ala".
5. Sit and say "Allahu Akbar".
6. Prostrate again and say "Subhana Rabbi al-Ala".
7. Repeat for the second Rak'ah.
8. Sit and recite Tashahhud and Salat Ibrahimiyya.
9. Conclude with Taslim by turning the head right and left saying "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah".

Dhuhr (prayed at midday)

Consists of 4 Rak'ahs.
Follow the same steps as Fajr, but repeat the entire sequence four times.

Asr (prayed in the afternoon)

Consists of 4 Rak'ahs.
Follow the same steps as Dhuhr.

Maghrib (prayed at sunset)

Consists of 3 Rak'ahs.
1. Follow the same steps as Fajr for the first two Rak'ahs.
2. In the third Rak'ah, recite only Al-Fatiha.
3. Sit and recite Tashahhud and Salat Ibrahimiyya.
4. Conclude with Taslim by turning the head right and left saying "Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah".

Isha (prayed at night)

Consists of 4 Rak'ahs.
Follow the same steps as Dhuhr and Asr.

Hinduism

Gayatri Mantra

Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ
Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ
Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi
Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt

Translation: "We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of worship;
Who is the embodiment of knowledge and light;
Who is the remover of all sin and ignorance;
May He enlighten our intellect."

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat

Translation: "We Meditate on the three-eyed one (Lord Shiva);
Who permeates and nourishes all like a fragrance.
May He liberate us from the bondage of worldly attachments and death;
And bestow us with the nectar of immortality."

Buddhism

Metta Sutta (Loving-kindness Prayer)

May all beings be happy;
May all beings be without disease.
May all beings experience the sensation of auspicious things.
May nobody suffer in any way.

Heart Sutra

Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha

Translation: "Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone altogether beyond, O what an awakening, all hail!"

Tisarana (Three Refuges)

I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.

Panca Sila (Five Precepts)

I undertake the training precept to abstain from killing.
I undertake the training precept to abstain from taking what is not given.
I undertake the training precept to abstain from sexual misconduct.
I undertake the training precept to abstain from false speech.
I undertake the training precept to abstain from intoxicants causing heedlessness.

Judaism

Shema Yisrael

Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
Baruch shem kavod malchuto le'olam va'ed.

Translation: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever."

Amidah (The Standing Prayer)

Various blessings recited standing.

Kaddish

Magnified and sanctified be His great name.
In the world which He will create anew, where He will revive the dead,
And raise them to eternal life.
Then will the city of Jerusalem be established as the capital of His kingdom,
And may His kingdom come in your lifetime, and in your days, and in the lifetime of all the house of Israel, speedily and soon.
Amen.

Aleinu

It is our duty to praise the Master of all,
to ascribe greatness to the Creator of the beginning,
who has not made us like the nations of the lands,
nor placed us like the families of the earth;
who has not assigned our portion like theirs,
nor our lot like all their multitude.
For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a god who cannot save.
But we bow, we worship, and we give thanks
to the Supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.

Sikhism

Mool Mantar

Ik Onkar
Sat Naam
Karta Purakh
Nirbhao
Nirvair
Akal Moorat
Ajooni
Saibhang
Gur Prasad
Jap
Aad Sach
Jugaad Sach
Hai Bhi Sach
Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach

Translation: "There is only one God.
His Name is Truth.
He is the Creator.
He is without fear.
He is without hate.
He is timeless and formless.
He is self-existent.
He is realized by the Guru's grace.
He is true in the beginning.
He is true through the ages.
He is true even now.
O Nanak, He shall ever be true."

Japji Sahib

Recitation of the Japji Sahib prayer, composed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji, is the first daily prayer of Sikhs.

Anand Sahib

Recitation of the Anand Sahib prayer, composed by Guru Amar Das Ji, is a prayer of joy and bliss.

Ardas

Ardas is a prayer for the welfare of all humanity, recited at the end of every prayer session.

Bahá'í Faith

Short Obligatory Prayer

I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee.
I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth.
There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Medium Obligatory Prayer

Consists of specific prayers recited at noon.

Long Obligatory Prayer

Consists of specific prayers recited once in twenty-four hours, at any time of the day.

Remover of Difficulties

Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!

Jainism

Namokar Mantra

Namo Arihantanam
Namo Siddhanam
Namo Ayariyanam
Namo Uvajjhayanam
Namo Loe Savva-sahunam
Eso Panch Namokaro
Savva-pavappanasano
Manglananch Savvesim
Padhamam Havai Mangalam

Translation: "I bow to the Arihants (the enlightened beings).
I bow to the Siddhas (liberated souls).
I bow to the Acharyas (religious leaders).
I bow to the Upadhyays (teachers).
I bow to all the Sages of the world.
This fivefold bow (mantra) destroys all sins and obstacles,
and of all auspicious mantras, is the first and foremost one."

Uvasaggaharam Stotra

Prayer recited to overcome obstacles and difficulties.

Bhaktamara Stotra

Devotional hymn sung in praise of the first Tirthankara, Lord Adinath.

Kalyanakaranam Stotra

Hymn sung to invoke peace and well-being.

Zoroastrianism

Ashem Vohu

Ashem vohu vahishtem asti,
Ushta asti, ushta ahmai hyat ashai vahishtai ashem.

Translation: "Truth is the best good.
It is happiness. Happiness comes to him who is truthful for the sake of the best truth."

Yatha Ahu Vairyo

Yatha ahu vairyo,
Athash cha chit hacha,
Vangheush dazda manangho,
Shyaothananam angheush mazdai,
Xshathremcha ahurai a,
Yim dregubyo dadat vastarem.

Translation: "Just as the Lord (Ahura Mazda) is all powerful,
So is the spiritual leader (Righteous Order) powerful.
May deeds of devotion be performed to promote the welfare of all,
By promoting the welfare of all creation,
May the kingdom of Ahura Mazda be established,
Which brings happiness to the righteous."

Ahunwar (Ahura Mazda's Prayer)

The prayer that embodies the core of Zoroastrian faith.

Nirang-e-Kusti

Prayer recited during the tying of the sacred thread (Kusti).