“All the praise is due to Allah, the lord of the worlds,” “Wise and faithful God, you lovingly abide in our depths,” “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

A common thread was discovered Tuesday evening in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union during International Week’s World Religion and Prayer Night. The crowd of about 40 had a chance to learn about each other’s faiths and come to a deeper understanding of religions other than their own.

“In the midst of our religious diversity, we will be brought together as one [this evening],” said Eric Northway, lecturer of philosophy and religious studies.

Organizations represented during this event included members of the Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, Bahai, Islamic and Mennonite faiths.

Although the number of people present did not measure up to the numbers who have shown up in the past, the small discussion-like presentation allowed the audience to express their faiths freely and ask questions of the others.

Nicolle Usher, senior in animal science, and Vicki Abel, graduate student in curriculum and instruction, started the presentation by explaining the Bahai Faith. Bahai Faith, which was started in Persia during the 1800s by Baha’u’llah, has 6 million followers worldwide and focuses on the concept that all religions come from one God.

“Each person’s purpose is to develop the knowing and loving of God. It is so powerful, the light of unity, that it can illuminate the whole earth,” Abel said.

An overview of Judaism and a sampling of the prayer service, complete with a reading from the Torah, was given by Robbie Dennis, sophomore at Ames High School. Dennis also gave a brief explanation of the major holidays celebrated in his religion, educating the audience on the most important ones.

“Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are the major holidays in Judaism. Yom Kippur means the day of repentance and is a day of fasting, a cleansing of the sins,” Dennis said.

Nicholas Zika, graduate student in education leadership and policy studies, heard about this event from his graduate student co-host. His master’s thesis topic is on cultural immersion of Muslims in America.

“I was interested in seeing what support system for Muslim students is available on campus, and seeing the opportunities available to them,” Zika said.