Race and Creed...

Beyond the narrow barriers of race and creed we can all unite,
because we all belong to one God.

Bowl of Saki, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

The soul is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God lives within the
shrine of the heart; this shrine can be closed or it can be open.
There are some things in life that open it and some that close it.
The things that close the heart are those which are contrary to love,
tolerance and forgiveness, such as coldness, bitterness and ill-will,
and a strong element of duality. The world is more upset today than
ever before; in many ways man seems to go from bad to worse, and yet
he thinks that he is progressing. It is not lack of organization or
of civilization; both these things he has. What he lacks is the
expression of the soul. He closes his door to his fellow man, he
closes the shrine of the heart and by doing so he is keeping God away
from himself and others. Nation is set against nation, race against
race, religion against religion. Therefore today more than ever
before there is a need for the realization of this philosophy. What
we need is not that all religions should become one nor all races;
that can never be. But what is needed is undivided progress, and
making ourselves examples of love and tolerance.

By talking about it, by discussing and arguing it will not come, but
by self-realization, by making ourselves the examples of what should
be, by giving love, taking love, and showing in our action
gentleness, consideration and the desire for service for the sake of
God in whom we can all unite beyond the narrow barriers of race and
creed.