Islamic Quotes

When the inward is good the outward is also inevitably so, for the outward always follows the inward, whether good or evil.
- Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi al Haddad


Whoever desires to purify his heart,
then let him prefer Allah to his desires
- Ibn al-Qayyim


A tree, freshly rooted, may be pulled up by one man on his own.
Give it time, and it will not be moved,
even with a crane
- Saadi al-Shiraz


Make no friendship with an elephant keeper
If you have no room to entertain an elephant
- Saadi al-Shiraz


It is reported from the famous worshiper Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya (radiAllahu anha) that she said: "I have never heard the adhaan except that I remember the caller who will announce the Day of Resurrection, and I never see the falling snow except that I imagine the flying pages of the records of peoples deeds (on that day), and I never see swarms of locusts except that I think about the Great Gathering on the Last Day."
- Rabi'ah al-Adawiyya (radiAllahu anha)
- Ibn Al-Jawzi, Sifat As-Safwah 2/433.


Do not fix hopes on your health, and do not laugh away life.
Remember how they walked and now all their joints lie separately,
and the tongue with which they talked lightly
is eaten away by the worms
- Abu Hamid al Ghazali


To prove that it is not men who make religion true,
we must prove that religion can make men true


If someone wants to know what position he enjoys in the eyes of God,
he has only to look at what place he gives to God (in his heart and life)
- Hakim


He who wishes that people always remember him with goodness is neither God-fearing nor sincere.
- Shaykh Ibrahim ibn Adham


�Many times I heard Imam Ahmad saying (when asked to give his opinion) on controversial scholarly issues �I do not know.�� - Abu Dawud (ra)


Being married forces you to fine tune those not-so-great-aspects of yourself and to strive to be better. Love comes in here too; when you are in a loving relationship (and in love and loved); you have this amazing reservoir of energy within you that allows you to flourish, nurture and improve. It brings out the best in you and makes you strive to be better because someone cares and loves you; and vice versa. It is a little like how we instinctively react to another's perception of us, when they think well of us and believe in us, we want to do even better; but when they disparage us we will get defensive and withdraw.


Do not sit idle, for indeed death is seeking you
- Hasan al-Basri


Why do you seek more knowledge when you pay no heed to what you already know?


The righteous salaf were as fearful of their good deeds being squandered, or not being accepted, as the present generation is certain that their neglect will be forgiven
- Hasan al-Basri


Whoever does not thank people, does not thank God.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 897]


All of them worship out of fear of the Fire and see salvation as a generous portion, Or seek to dwell in the Garden and to relax in meadows and drink of Salsabil. I have no opinion of Gardens or Fire. I do not seek any recompense for my love.
- a sufi


Islam teaches that God is one and only reality. Not just that there is only one God but that nothing else really exists! We have made �gods� of money, status, name, fame and many other concerns that are only transient, temporal and incapable of giving us the lasting peace that we all seek.


I know that societies often have killed people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America, then, all credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine.
- El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X),
(last words of his autobiography)


People count with self-satisfaction the number of times they have recited the name of God on their prayer beads, but they keep no beads for reckoning the number of idle words they speak.
- Abu Hamid al-Ghazali


When you notice in a person some manifest act of obedience to Allah, and some secret act of disobedience, you might regard the act of obedience as showing off or hypocrisy, and the disobedience as the genuine trait of that person. Justice demands from you otherwise.


Your desire to withdraw from everything
when Allah has involved you in the world of means
is a hidden appetite.
Your desire for involvement with the world of means
when Allah has withdrawn you from it
is a fall from high aspiration.
- ibn 'Ajiba


An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind
- Mahatma Gandhi


Remember your contemporaries who have passed away and were your age. Remember the honors and fame they earned, the high posts they held, and the beautiful bodies they possessed. Today all of them are turned to dust. They have left orphans and widows behind them, their wealth is being wasted, and their houses turned into ruins.
No sign of them is left today, and they lie in dark holes underneath the earth.
Picture their faces before your mind's eye and ponder.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali


You possess only whatever will not be lost in a ship wreck.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali


Till man destroys "self" he is no true friend of God.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi


For those who realize that everything is from God, everything is the same.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi


I went to Yale, and I didn't even know they had a library. I was there seven years. I never saw a library.
- George 'Dubya' Bush [As quoted in the book 'Living History' by Hilary Clinton]


If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam
- George Bernard Shaw


The realization of 'La ilaha illa Allah' is one of the states of the heart that can be neither expressed by the tongue nor thought out by the mind.
- Ibn Ata'ala


God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.


Eventhough you are not equipped,
keep searching:
equipment isn't necessary on the way to the Lord.
Whoever you see engaged in search,
become her friend and cast your head in front of her,
for choosing to be a neighbour of seekers,
you become one yourself;
protected by conquerors,
you will yourself learn to conquer.
If an ant seeks the rank of Solomon,
don't smile contemptuously upon its quest.
And of all your skills, and wealth and handicraft,
Weren't they first merely a thought and a quest?
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
[Mathnawi]


It was once said to Imam Abu Hanifa (rahimahullah), "In such and such a mosque there is a circle that discusses fiqh (lit. the "understanding of fine points of the religion")". He asked, "Do they have a master over them?" and they said no. He said, "They will never understand"
- Ibn Muflih, al-Adab al-shariyya wa al-minah al-mariyya. 3 vols. Cairo n.d. Reprint. Cairo: Maktaba Ibn Taymiya, 1398/1978, 3.374


Keep the minds of people focussed on chaotic events and talk that polarize and divide them in the outer world and they will forget who they really are; they will loose the contact with their innermost self; they will lose contact with their own soul. It is all about creating chaos and disorder to distract peoples mind from far more important happenings on a spiritual level.


I am a bird of God's garden
and I do not belong to this dusty world
For a day or two they have put me here
in this cage of my own body
I did not come here of my own
I will not return of my own
to my own country.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
[A Bird In God's Garden]


How should we not put our trust in Allah when He hath shown us our ways? We surely will endure the hurt ye do us. In Allah let the trusting put their trust
- Qur'an, 14:12


All humans are dead except those who have knowledge; and all those who have knowledge are asleep, except those who do good deeds; and those who do good deeds are deceived, except those who are sincere; and those who are sincere are always in a state of worry.
- Imam Shafi (rahimullah)


May Allah steal from you All that steals you from Him.
- Rabi'a al-Adawiyya


This life is not real. I conquered the world and it did not bring me satisfaction.
-- Muhammad Ali (Boxing champion)


Allah guards the justice loving government, even if it is the government of non-Muslims, and destroys the tyrant government, even if it is the government of Muslims.
- Ibn Taymiyyah


What you love to have with you in the Hereafter you should advance today,
and what you hate to have with you, you should abandon today.
- Salman ibn Dinar (radiAllahu anhu)


Actions are merely propped-up shapes.
Their life-breath is the presence of the secret of sincerity in them.
- Shaykh Zarruq


The morning wind spreads its fresh smell.
We must get up and take that in,
that wind that lets us live.
Breathe before it's gone.
- Jalaluddin Rumi
[from 'The Essential Rumi' - Coleman Barks]


Beauty is a King that needs to be obeyed - Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller


We ought not to be embarrassed of appreciating the truth and of obtaining it wherever it comes from, even if it comes from races distant and nations different from us. Nothing should be dearer to the seeker of truth than the truth itself, and there is no deterioration of the truth, nor belittling either of one who speaks it or conveys it
- Abu Yusuf Yaqub ibn Ishaq Al-Kindi


If your busy with yourself now,
you will be busy with yourself then.
If you are busy with God now,
you will be with Him then.
- Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali


I looked at all friends, and did not find a better friend than safeguarding the tongue. I thought about all dresses, but did not find a better dress than piety. I thought about all types of wealth, but did not find a better wealth than contentment in little. I thought of all types of good deeds, but did not find a better deed than offering good advice. I looked at all types of sustenance, but did not find a better sustenance than patience.
- Umar (radiAllahu anhu)


If you knew what I know, you would go out to the jungle, weeping and crying and leave your property unguarded. But your hearts are heedless of the requirements of the Hereafter and you have, before you, worldly hopes and aspirations. That is why the world has become your master and all your activities are directed towards it; you have reduced yourself to a condition of stark ignorance.
- Abu Darda (radiAllahu anhu
[from Fazaile Sadaqaat, Ch6]


Dear friend,
Your heart is a polished mirror. You must wipe it dean of the veil of dust that has gathered upon it, because it is destined to reflect the light of divine secrets.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali


What can my enemies do to me? My paradise is in my heart, it is with me wherever I go. To imprison me is to provide me with seclusion. To send me into exile is to send me away in the Path of Allah. And to kill me is to make me a martyr.
- Ibn Taymeeyah


Whoever is not made glorified by taqwa can find no glory.
- Imam Shafi' (rahimullah)


O God,
You know that the only thing I want in this life
Is to be obedient to Your command.
Even the living sight of my eyes
Is service at your court
- Rabia al-Adawiyya


All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given.


Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills. The choice is not theirs
- Qur'an, 28:68


Give up what appears to be doubtful for what is certain.
Truth brings peace of mind, and deception doubt.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) [as reported by Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Abu Talib (radiAllahu anhu)]


I seek forgiveness from Allah for the lack of my sincerity when I say I seek the forgiveness of Allah
- Rabia al-Adawiyyah


If those who do not possess knowledge avoid the scholarly discussions, disagreement will end.
- Abu Hamid al-Ghazali


Islam is not just a religion. Islam is everything.
- Yusuf Islam


The sign of God�s love is to bestow three attributes on His lover: A generosity like that of the sea, a kindness like that of the sun, and, a humility like that of the earth.
- Bayazid


O Lord...
Once I wanted You so much
I didn't even dare walk past Your house--
And now
I am not even worthy to be let in
- Rabia al-Adawiyya


Shall I tell you who is kept away from Hell and from whom Hell is kept away? From everyone who is gentle and kindly, approachable and of an easy disposition - Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1315]


My request is not for bliss of the Garden. I only desire to see You.
- ibn al-Farid


When people have despaired of reaping a harvest, God sends down rain. He spreads his blessing across the world; he is the glorious guardian. Look at how he created the heavens and the earth, and all the creatures that he has spread across the earth. The creation is merely one among many of his signs. If he wanted, he could gather the heavens and the earth and all the creatures into one place.
- Qur'an, Surah Ash-Shura, 42:27-29


The real work is in the Heart:
Wake up your Heart! Because when the heart is completely awake,
Then it needs no Friend.
- Rabia al-Adawiyya


Our hearts are filled with such ease and contentment that if kings came to know of it they would come with armies to rob us of this wealth.


The proposition that Muslims are welcome in Britain if, and only if, they stop behaving like Muslims is a doctrine which is incompatible with the principles that guide a free society.
- Roy Hattersley


This Qur'an guides you to the recognition of your illnesses and to their remedies. Your illnesses are your sins, and your medicine is seeking Allah's forgiveness.
- Qatadah (radiAllahu anhu)


Of all the follies the greatest is to love the world.
- Ali ibn Abu Talib (radiAllahu anhu)


You are not aware of the consequences that would result (if you were granted what you desire) because what you seek might be to your detriment. (O soul) be conscious that your Master is more aware about your well-being than you are.
- Ibn Al-Jawzi


Amongst the signs of success at the end is the turning to God at the beginning.


In the intricate paths of life when difficulties and hardships confront a man, and the darkness of difficulty and suffering becomes long, it is patience only that acts like a light for a Muslim, that keeps him safe from wandering here and there, and saves him from the muddy marsh of disappointment, desperation and frustration.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali
[Muslim's Character]


It is reported from Abu Hurayrah (radiAllahu anhu) that he said, "Shall I not point you to comfortable proceeds?" People responded, "And what is that o Abu Hurayrah?" He replied, "Fasting in winter."


It is reported from 'Umar (radiAllahu anhu) that he said: "Winter is booty for the devout worshippers."
The Arabs used to refer to matters which were relatively easy to gain as being cool. In this narration, the relative ease of fasting in winter and its consequent reward is likened to acquiring war proceeds without the heat of violence.


It is reported from 'Ubayd ibn 'Umayr (radiAllahu anhu) that he said: "It used to be said when winter came: O people of the Qur`an, the night has become long so you can pray (more) and the day has become short for you to fast."
- Abu Nu'aym, Hilyat Al-Awliyaa`


A muslim must treat his brother [and sisters too] in a good way, he should do good things for him and keep him away from harm. When he meets him, he should have a smiling face. He should accept the good things from his brother and forgive his evil deeds. He should not bear on his brother with more than that which he is capable.
- Al Jazairy
[Minhaj Al Muslim, Chapter on etiquette]


Imam Bukhari (rahimullah) was so pious that he could truthfully say "I have never told a lie"


Patiently restrict yourselves to the sunnah, stop where the people stopped, say what they said, avoid what they avoided. Take to the path of the salaf, for indeed what was sufficient for them was sufficient for you.
- Imam al-Awza'ii (radiAllahu anhu)
(from Al-Hujjah of Ismail Abu Fadhl (6/A-B))


Knowledge is not to be taken from four types of people: a foolish person who openly acts foolish, even if he reports the most narrations; an adherent of bid�ah who calls to his desires; a person who lies, even if I don�t accuse him of lying in hadith; and a righteous pious worshiper who does not accurately retain what he narrates.
- Imam Malik (rahimullah)
(from Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A�lam Al-Nubala` in his biography of Imam Malik)


When the time for prayer is at hand,
I make a proper ablution,
go to the spot where I attend to pray
and sit there until all my limbs and organs are in a collected state.

Then I stand up to perform my prayer,
placing the Ka'bah between my brows,
the bridge over Hell beneath my feet,
Paradise to my right
and Hell to my left,
and the Angel of Death behind me,
thinking all the while that this is my final prayer.
Then I stand between hope and fear.

I carefully pronounce "Allahu Akbar!"
Then I recite the Qur'an harmoniously,
bow in humility
and prostrate myself submissively.
I then sit back on my left haunch,
spreading out the left foot,
raising my right foot on the toes.
I follow this with sincerity.
Then I wonder
whether or not
my prayer
has been accepted.
- Hatim bin Al-Asam
(from 'Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship' - by Al Ghazali)


A man without any history is like a tree without roots - El-Malik el-Shabbaz (Malcolm X)


Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God� Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi

Best Islamic Quotes of Wisdom (5)

Ali ibn abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu) in his letter to malik e Ashtar, when sending him to a town which was half muslim and half non muslim:
"O Malik, remember they are either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity"


There are distinctions among people.
People are like metal in the earth.
Gold, silver, aluminium, iron...


Do the Obligatory [Fardhu], Improve on it with the Supererogatory [Sunnat]. Add Reflection [Wird], And Remembrance [Zikr], To improve on it.
- Habib Ali bin Esa bin Abdulkader al Haddad (rahimullah)
Excerpt from 'The Gift of Imam al Haddad' (Chapter: Tenets of Faith)


The hypocrite looks for faults; the believer looks for excuses.
- Abu Hamid al-Ghazali


Never do I argue with a man with a desire to hear him say
what is wrong, or to expose him and win victory over him.
Whenever I face an opponent in debate I silently pray -
O Lord, help him so that truth may flow from his heart
and on his tongue, and so that if truth is on my side, he may follow me;
and if truth be on his side, I may follow him.
- Imam Ash-Shafi (rahimullah)


If you wish to know which sciences and acts are the most important and beneficial for you, imagine that you are to die the next day and return to God to stand before Him and be asked to account for your knowledge, behaviour, and all your affairs and states, subsequently to be taken either to the Garden or the Fire. What you see there as most important and useful to you is precisely what you must now give priority and attachment to; whereas what you find useless, unimportant, frivolous, or simply of no great necessity is what you must neither pursue nor occupy yourself with in this life. Meditate on this matter and reflect well; it is of tremendous benefit to those who have discernment and are concerned about their appointed time, their return to God, their salvation, and their success in the Hereafter, which is better and more enduring (Quran 87:17). Success is in the Hand of God, to whom belong all graces, for He bestows them on whomever He wills; and God�s graces are immense!
- Imam al-Haddad
[from 'Knowledge and Wisdom'
translated by Mostafa Badawi, Starlatch Press, 2001]


The need of the hour is that your life should be revolutionised.
The revolution should not be an individual one but a collective one.
The change should be concerning your belief, your morals, your actions, your dealings, your decisions, and your efforts.
Your life in every way should become a beacon of guidance and it should become a means for Dawah.
-- Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi


Those who Know they do not Know that to Know is to Know what they do not Know!
- (Aveccina) Ali Sina


A feeling of discouragement when you slip up
is a sure sign that you put your faith in deeds
- The Hikam of Ibn 'Ata'llah (with Commentary by Ibn 'Ajiba)


History is a signpost for the future...


The 'best awareness [ma'rifa] is for a man to have self-awareness.
And the best knowledge ['ilm] is for a man to stop at the limit of his knowledge.'
- Shaykh Abdullah Adhami


Who does greater evil than he who is reminded of the signs of the Lord, then turns away from them?
- Qur'an, 32:22


The Qur'an guides you to the recognition of your illnesses
and to their remedies.
Your illness are your sins,
and your medicine is seeking Allah's Forgiveness.
- Qatadah


"We need spirited, energetic and strong young people whose hearts are filled with life, enthusiasm, zeal and dynamism; whose souls are full of ambition, aspiration and vigor and have great goals, rising and aspiring to reach them until they eventually arrive at their destination."
- Hasan al-Banna


"The word "shams" (sun) is feminine, and "qamar" (moon) is masculine. The sun burns itself out to give light and life to everything around, and the moon is muneer, meaning it reflects the light. Within itself it has no light; it radiates the brilliance of the sun. So when we shine as men, the implication is that we are reflecting the glorious light of our women. May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'aala be pleased with them."
- Shaykh Abdullah Adhami


If you do not think well of Him because His qualities are beautiful then think well of Him because of the way He treats you.
- ibn Ata'llah


Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece.


I know of nothing more useful to you than four matters: surrender to Allah, to humbly entreat Him, to think the best of Him, and to perpetually renew your repentance to Him, even if you should repeat a sin seventy times in a day.
- ibn Ata'illah


Your loud voice is not proof of the depth of your knowledge, for an empty utensil makes more noise than a full one


And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.


If you ask, ask Allah and if you seek help, seek help from Allah.
Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[at-Tirmidhi, Ahmad]


Abu Suhayb Sinaan (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
"How amazing is the case of a believer;there is good for him in everything,and this charactristic is exclusively for him alone. If he experiences something good he is thankful and that is good for him; and if he comes across some diversity,he is patient and that is good for him."
[Muslim]


Whoever makes a show of his good deeds so that people will respect him, Allah Ta'ala will show what is truly in his heart.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]


"There are two kinds of action in this world: the successful and the unsuccessful. Now unconsidered, hasty action, driven by passion rather than wisdom, tends to be unsuccessful, and the more emotionally involved one is in a particular action, the more likely one is to fail. To put this in its simplest terms, action must be rooted in contemplation. Contemplation in its turn demands detachment, that detachment which every Muslim should have at his disposal if he is fully aware of life�s brevity, aware of Divine Judgment, aware of the overwhelming presence of Allah (SWT). Here, it seems to me, virtue and practical necessity come together. The more we act as we should, the more likely we are to succeed"
- Gai Eaton [from Muslims Today]


A leading scholar of Basra visited Rabi'a al-Adawiyya while she was ill.
ting beside her pillow, the scholar spoke about how terrible the world was. In reply, Rabi`a told him:
"You love the world very dearly. If you did not love the world, you would not mention it so much. It is always the purchaser who first disparages what he wants to buy. If you were done with the world, you would not mention it either for good or evil. As it is, you keep mentioning it because, as the proverb says, whoever loves a thing



And God wants to turn unto you in His mercy, whereas those who follow [only] their own lusts want you to drift far away from the right path. God wants to lighten your burdens: for man has been created weak.
- Qur'an, surah an-Nisa, 4:27-28


Dont fret about your affairs, leave it in His hands. Do you think if He wants it for you, anyone can stop it? Or ir He doesnt want it for you anyone can Grant it? Dont look to anyone for your needs, for the One who created you, knows you.


Advice from Dawud Wharnsby Ali to a young sister wondering what to be when she grows up:

Don�t grow up my friend..... Just grow BETTER with time and grow more experienced with age. Keep being passionate about whatever you do.... keep trying new things.... keep patient and keep trying your best. When your passion starts to fade.... stop and re-assess who you are, what you are doing and where your path is leading. The path to God is straight through willful surrender to God... we know that from Quran....but the paths of life we walk are adventurous and twisty....if, that is we WANT them to be.


Seek the fellowship of those who enjoy fellowship with the Lord
- Abd al-Qadir Jilani (rahimullah)
['The Sublime Revelation (Al-Fath ar-Rabbani)' trans by Muhtar Holland (Al-Baz Publishing, Houston, 1992), p. 426-8]


We must begin looking at each other as brothers and sisters...and not walking brochures. We must see each other�s strengths and encourage those strengths....We must see each others weaknesses and be patient with those weaknesses... sometimes even look beyond what we see as "weaknesses" and move on with compassion and love and respect. That takes true faith.
- Dawud Wharnsby Ali


He who knows himself, knows His Lord.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)


It is far better to live like a lion for a day then to live like a jackal for hundred years.
- Tipu Sultan


Our problem is one of spirituality.
If a man comes to speak to me about
the reforms to be undertaken in the
Muslim world, about political strategies
and of great geo-strategic plans, my
first question to him would be whether
he performed the dawn prayer in its time
- Said Ramadan, son of Hassan al Banna


True knowledge is not mentioned in relation
to how much you memorise and then narrate,
but rather, true knowledge is
an expression of piety
(protecting oneself from what Allah (awj) prohibited
and acting upon what He mandated
- Ibn Mas'ud (radiAllahu anhu)


A pirate was captured and brought before Alexander the Great.
Alexander asked the pirate:
'How dare you molest the people?'
The pirate replied: 'And how dare you molest the entire world? I am called a thief because I do it with a little ship only. You do it with a great navy and you are called an Emperor!'


Don't look down on anyone uless you are helping them up.


Seven days without prayers makes one WEAK.




The essence of knowledge is to know
what obedience and worship are
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali


Education is our passport to the future,
for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today
- El-Malik el-Shabbaz (Malcolm X)


Never forget that turning a blind eye
to oppression
and watching from the sidelines
is itself opression
- Harun Yahya


Whatever the situation may be, in the recollection of death there is reward and merit. For even the man engrossed in the world benefits from it by acquiring an aversion to this world, since it spoils his contentment and the fullness of his pleasure; and everything which spoils for man his pleasures and his appetites is one of the means of deliverance.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali
['The Remembrance of Death & the Afterlife' Ihya Ilum Ud Din]


It is indeed surprising that a man inspite of his belief in the Fire of Jahannum is still able to laugh, and inspite of his belief in Maut he is able to be happy. Inspite of believing in the Reckoning, he commits evil deeds. Inspite of believing in Taqdeer, he grieves. Inspite of observing the world with its changes, he feels contented with it. Inspite of believing in Jannat, he refrains from righteous deeds. - Nabi Musa (alayhis salam)
[the majlis]


Meet people in such a manner that if you die,
they should weep for you,
and if you live,
they should long for you
- Ali (radi Allahu anhu)


The person I like most is the one who points out my defects
- Umar (radiAllahu anhu)


O people who take pleasure in a life that will vanish,
falling in love with a fading shadow is sheer stupidity
- Ibn al-Qayyim


Once Rabia al-Basri was sitting in company with some people who were talking of the world reproachfully. She said,
'Do not talk of the world. Do not talk of it even disparagingly. For, your talking of it shows that you consider it to be worth talking about, and something of consequence. If it were of no consequence in your sight, you would never have liked to make a mention of it. (For, who would talk about the filth that men excrete?)'
- from Fazaile Sadaqaat, Ch6 - Virtues of Spending in the Way of Allah


Knowledge is taken from breath,
not lives in a book
- Sahykh Hamza Yusuf


Only that which was effective for the first of this community will be effective for the last of it
- Imam Malik (rahimullah)


Intention is the measure for rendering actions true, so that,
where intention is sound, action is sound,
and where it is corrupt, then action is corrupt
- Imam an-Nawawi (rahimullah)

Best Islamic Quotes of Wisdom (4)

Do to me, O Allah, what is worthy of Thee; And not what is worthy of me.
- Saadi al-Shiraz
[Gulistan]


People choose the path of their own lives: victor or victim.
You claim your role by the choices you make along the way.


To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.


Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.


We should think of those who were famous for their good deeds or their bad deeds; did their fame raise them one single degree in the sight of Allah. Did it win them a reward that they had not already won by their actions during their life?
- Ibn Hazm
[Kitab Al-Akhlaq wa al-Siyar fi Mudawat al-Nufus]


Say the truth even if it may be bitter.
- Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)


A man not progressing is not standing still. He is stagnating.


Never break a Muslim�s heart by refusing what he offers you, when you know that anything that comes to you through him is in reality from God, and he is only His powerless and compelled means.
Imam al Haddad
[from 'Book of Assistance']


Pride is concerned with who is right.
Humility is concerned with what is right.


Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.
- Baruch Spinoza (1632�77)


Whoever gives advice to a heedless man is himself in need of advice.
- Saadi al-Shiraz


There is not on the face of the earth�after the Book of Allah � a book which is more sahih than the book of Malik.
- Imam Shafi'i


He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man
- William Shakespeare


While you are alive, your worldy self is like a collector of benefits from Allah's bounties, which come to you from myriads of hands. - Ibn 'Arabi


Every drop of sweat
and every breath we take in life,
if not taken for the sake of Allah,
will lead to regret and sorrow
on the Day of Judgment
- Ibn Al-Qayyim


Intelligence is the shadow of objective truth.
How can the shadow vie with sunshine?
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi


If you make intense supplication and the timing of the answer is delayed, do not despair of it. His reply to you is guaranteed; but in the way He chooses, not the way you choose, and at the moment He desires, not the moment you desire. If something that is promised does not happen even though the time for it is set, do not doubt the promise!
The Hikam of Ibn 'Ata'llah (with Commentary by Ibn 'Ajiba)


If a gem falls into mud it is still valuable.
If dust ascends to heaven, it remains valueless.
- Saadi al-Shiraz


Repel the thought, for if you don�t, it becomes an idea. So repel the idea, for if you don�t it will become a desire. So fight against that (desire), for if you don�t, it will become a determination and a passion. And if you don�t repel that, it will become an action. And if you don�t replace it with its opposite, it will become a constant habit. So at that point, it will be difficult for you to change it.
- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [from al-Fawaa'id]


Truthfulness is composed of justice and courage.
- Ibn Hazm
[Kitab al-Akhlaq wa al-Siyar fi Mudawat al-Nufus]


Remembrance of Allah is certain knowledge of one's belief ('ilm al-iman), immunity from hypocrisy (baraa'at min al-nifaaq), a fortress against Shaytan (Husn min al-shaytaan), and a guarded refuge from the fire (Hirz min al-naar).
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)


Ikhlaas is to forget the vision of creation by constantly looking at the Creator.
- Abu Uthman


In the sea there are countless treasures,
But if you desire safety, it is on the shore.
- Sa'di


The creative spirit demands persistence.


Seeking knowledge at an Young age is like engraving on a stone.
- Hasan al-Basri


Like us many have spoken over this spring, but they were gone in the twinkling of an eye.
We conquered the world with bravery and might, but we did not take it with us to the grave.
- Zahiruddin Muhammad (Babur)


People need comfort.
Some people find it in this, some find it in that and some don't find it at all.
Allah in His infinite Wisdom has designed everything on this planet earth, the universe around and within it to ultimately point to Him. The signs are everywhere.
Everything points to Him.
You just have to look.


The lower self is greedy,
teach it to be content.


"And We shall try you until We test those among you who strive their utmost and persevere in patience"
- Qur'an, 47:31


We should be thankful.
One of the greatest parts of our spiritual path should be thankfulness.
No matter what happens.
No matter what happens.


Your destiny is Allah.


The best provision is piety.


Knowledge is not what is memorised.
Knowledge is what benefits.
- Imam Shafi'
(In other words, that which has results)


By the mercy of God Paradise has eight doors � one of those is the door of repentance, child. All the others are sometimes open, sometimes shut, but the door of repentance is never closed. Come seize the opportunity: the door is open; carry your baggage there at once.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
[Mathnawi IV: 2506-2508, 'Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance']


Not wishy-washy, not up and down, don't zig and zag.
Be firm.
Walk straight.


The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was then taken into Paradise and he reported that he saw in it domes of pearls and it's soil was made of musk
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[reported by Anas ibn Malik in Sahih al-Bukhari]


Strain not your eyes toward that which We have given for some pairs among them to enjoy�the flower of this world�s life, that We may thereby put them to the test. Your Lord�s provision is better and more lasting. - Qur'an 20:131


Shaitan is always looking for an opening to get you.
Drive him away with Dhikr.


What hand do you think you will get your book, on the Day of Judgement?


When we look for strength in ourselves, we will be weak.
When we look for strength in Allah, we will be invincible.


How can you Despair?
Despair is when you are not getting anywhere.
Allah has said that He will never let any of our good deeds be lost.

Best Islamic Quotes of Wisdom (3)

The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) said :-�Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty .(Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)�


Sins.
It wouldn't achieve anything, except points in your book of deeds.


The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi


Listen to your heart and not your ego. Your ego prompts you to boast of vain assertions to obtain the glory of this world. Turn away from vanity and seek Him in the recesses of your heart and soul
-Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani
[Fayuz E Yazdani]


If it is not truthful and not helpful, don't say it. If it is truthful and not helpful, don't say it. If it is not truthful and helpful, don't say it. If it is truthful and helpful, wait for the right time.


The one who admonishes his brother secretly, he has advised sincerely and has honored him. If he does it outwardly (among others) then he has dishonored and shamed him.
- Imam ash-Shafi (rahimullah)


A man lost his way in the desert, and wandered aimlessly for several days. He ran out of food, and thought he would die. Then he saw a bag lying in the sand. He opened it, and at first he thought it was filled with grains of barley. He was overjoyed. But when he tried to eat them, he discovered they were pearls�and he plunged into despair.
- Saadi ash-Shiraz, "Gulistan"


It is sometimes said that we drink our religion with our mother's milk.
� abu-Hamid al-Ghazali


Imam al-Shafi' in his final sickness said:
When my heart was hardened
and my courses constrained
I made my hope a stairway
to Your forgiveness
My sin burdened me heavily,
but when I measured it
by Your forgiveness
Lord,
Your forgiveness was the greater.


If you make demands on Him, you doubt Him.
If you seek Him, you are absent from Him.
If you seek other-than-Him, you are shameless before Him.
If you make demands on other-than-Him, you are distant from Him.
- Ibn Ata'illah Iskandari
[Al-hikam al-'Ata'iyyah]


'Work for your terrestrial life in proportion to your location in it, and work for your afterlife in proportion to your eternity in it. - abu Hamid al-Ghazali
[part of the advice that the great theologian and mystic put down in his Letter to a Disciple]


Stay close by the door, if you desire all beauty
And leave aside sleep, if you wish to arrive

And make of the spirit your first place of account
To the beloved, whose lights shine as from gold

All of them worship out of fear of the fire �
And consider deliverance abundant good fortune -

Or, so they may dwell in the gardens, and reach
To the meadows of paradise, and there drink from its rivers

Of gardens or fire I have no opinion
I seek no exchange for my dearest love
- Rabia Al-Adawiyya


It is mentioned that a person once came to Ali ibn abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu) and questioned him regarding fate. He replied, "raise one foot", and after doing as he was told, Ali ibn abi Talib (radiAllahu anhu) said, "now raise the other", which he was obviously not able to do so.
The lesson was that some things we have control over, although Allah has knowledge of that also, but some things we have no control over. Taqdeer (destiny).
Similarly, we can say that our partners are written for us but we have some level of choice.


The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.


Maa ki du'a, jannat ki hawa
mother's dua, [brings] Jannah's air
- Urdu proverb


Try to dissolve out of selfishness into a voice beyond those limits.


Your own soul is nourished when you are kind; it is destroyed when you are cruel.


My son, when you pray, do it like a person who is bidding farewell to this world, and don�t assume you will have another chance to pray again. My son, know that a believer dies in between two deeds, one he offers for today, where he will get immediate blessings, and the second deed is what he offers towards the day of resurrection, and that is where he will gain the ultimate benefits
- Muadh Ibn Jabal (radiAllahu anhu)


All are stricken and you are safe?
All got it wrong and you got it right?
All are blameworthy, and you have excuses?


The candle is not there to illuminate itself
- Nawab Jan-Fishan Khan


O Lord!
If I worship You from fear of Hell, cast me into Hell.
If I worship You from desire for Paradise, deny me Paradise
but if I worship You for Your own sake,
then withhold not from me Your Eternal Beauty
- Rabia al-Adawiya


The Righteous Salaf were as fearful of their good deeds being squandered, or not being accepted, as the present generation is certain that their neglect would be forgiven.
- Hasan al-Basri


True devotion is to loose the faculty of being conscious of your devotion; for someone who identifies devotion in his devotion is a person whose devotion is in need of devotion.
- as Sousi


Put aside your pride,
Set down your arrogance,
And remember your grave.
- Ali ibn Abu Talib (radiAllahu anhu)


One of the signs of relying on deeds is loss of hope when a misstep occurs. - Ibn Ata'illah Iskandari


That which God said to the rose,
and caused it to laugh in full-blown beauty,
he said to my heart,
and made it a hundred times more beautiful.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi [Mathnawi, III, 4129]


I have been so naughted in Thy Love's existence that my nonexistence is a thousand times sweeter than my existence
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi


Does money upset the hearts of learned men?
He answered, "men whose hearts are changed by money are not learned"
- abu Hamid al Ghazali


The spiritual warrior is he who breaks an idol;
and the idol of each person is his Ego.
- Imam Abul Qasim al-Qushayri
[from al-Risala al-Qushayrriya]

Best Islamic Quotes of Wisdom (2)

If you are aware of your humility, then you are arrogant.
- Ibn Ata'illah


To admonish your brother in private is to advise him and improve him. But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace and shame him.
- Imam Shafi (rahimullah)


Knowledge is understanding that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.


The root meaning of Taqwa is to avoid what one dislikes. It was reported that Umar bin Al-Khattab asked Ubayy bin Ka`b about Taqwa. Ubayy said, "Have you ever walked on a path that has thorns on it'' 'Umar said, "Yes." Ubayy said, "What did you do then" He said, "I rolled up my sleeves and struggled." Ubayy said, "That is Taqwa."


Nobody Can Remove Hurt Except Allah. Even if someone tries to cause you any hurt, stay firm in your belief and remember that no one can cause you any pain if Allah does not desire it for you
"And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can keep back His favour; He brings it to whom He pleases of His servants; And He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
- Qur'an, surah Yunus; 10:107


God made the illusion look real
and the real an illusion.
He concealed the sea
and made the foam visible,
the wind invisible,
and the dust manifest.
you see the dust whirling,
but how can the dust rise by itself?
you see the foam,but not the ocean.
invoke Him with deeds, not words;
for deeds are real
and will save you in the infinite-life.
- Rumi
[Mathnawi]


If you make intense supplication
and the timing of the answer is delayed,
do not despair of it.
His reply to you is guaranteed;
but in the way He chooses,
not the way you choose,
and at the moment He desires,
not the moment you desire.
- Ibn Ata'illah Iskandari
[Al-hikam al-'Ata'iyyah]


Let Go of Your Worries Let go of your worries and be completely clear-hearted, like the face of a mirror that contains no images. If you want a clear mirror, behold yourself and see the shameless truth, which the mirror reflects. If metal can be polished to a mirror-like finish, what polishing might the mirror of the heart require? Between the mirror and the heart is this single difference: the heart conceals secrets, while the mirror does not.
- Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi
[The Divani Shamsi Tabriz, XIII]


Allah doesn't like unjustice. He loveth not those who do wrong. If you end up suffering injustice, we do not know what Allah has planned in the bigger picture of things. Allah is The Just; and will bring justice. If not now, then in the hereafter.


Knowledge is of two kinds: that which is absorbed and that which is heard. And that which is heard does not profit if it is not absorbed.
- Ali ibn abi Talib (radiAllah anhu)


Whoever passes forty without his virtue overpowering his vice, let him get ready for hellfire!� This advice contains enough for people of knowledge.
- abu Hamid al-Ghazali
['Letter to a Disciple' Ayyuha�l-walad]


Innumerable changes of moods are yours,
and they are uncontrolled by you.
If you knew their origin,
you would be able to dominate them.
If you cannot localize your own changes,
how can you localize that which formed you?
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
[Fihi Ma Fihi]


Love all, with sincere love and concern.


The eye of the heart, though closed in fallen man, is able to take in a glimmering of light and this is faith. But anway of living causes a covering like rust to accumulate over the heart so that it cannot sense the Divine origin of God's message.
- Martin Lings (Abu Bakr Sirajuddin)


Reflect on the work of art and you may attain to the artist.
- Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani
[The sublime revelation, p32]


Joy and sorrow are the light and shade of life;
without light and shade no picture is clear.
- Inayat Khan


Being married forces you to fine tune those not-so-great-aspects of yourself and strive to be better. Love comes in here too; when you are in a loving relationship (and in love and loved); you have this amazing reservoir of energy within you that allows you to flourish and nurture. It brings out the best in you and makes you strive to be better because someone cares and loves you; and vice versa. It is kind of like how we instinctively react to another's perception of us, when they think well of us and believe in us, we want to do even better; but when they disparage us we will get defensive. Is it any wonder that our beloved prophet (saw) said that marriage is half of faith?


I will not serve God like a labourer, in expectation of my wages.
- Rabia al-Adawiya


Some people make their goals the stars,
They may live and die never reaching them,
but in the darkness of the night, those stars will guide them to their destination,
because they put them in their sights.


How long will you keep pounding on an open door
Begging for someone to open it? - Rabia al-Adawiyyah

Best Islamic Quotes of Wisdom (1)

Balaghal ula be kamaalihi. Kashafad duja be jamaalihi. Hasanat jami'u khisaalihi. Sallu 'alayhi wa aalihi.

He taught people with his best way. He showed his beauty. He was all good so peace be on him and his family.
- Saadi al-Shiraz commenting on the ways of the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)




When the world pushes you to your knees, your are in the perfect position to pray.




Ease [yusr] and hardship ['usr] are the feathers that give strength to the wings of your faith [iman], so that your heart and your innermost being [sirr] can use them to fly to the door of your Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He).
- Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani
[The Removal of Cares (Jala' al-Khawatir)]




If Allah brings you to it, He will bring you through it.




Twakkul: Make Du'a, Do your best, And leave the Rest To Allah.




Be yourself beautiful, and you will find the world full of beauty.




Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (rahimullah) was asked about the correct meaning of this hadith:
'When you hear something form or about your brother, ascribe to it the best interpretation until you can no longer do so.'
He replied, Find an excuse for him by saying, "Maybe he said this, or maybe he meant such and such."




If the first inward thought is not warded off, it will generate a desire, then the desire will generate a wish, and the wish will generate an intention, and the intention will generate the action, and the action will result in ruin and divine wrath. So evil must be cut off at its root, which is when it is simply a thought that crosses the mind, from which all the other things follow on.
- Imam abu Hamid al-Ghazzali
[Ihyaa Uloom al-Deen, 6/17]




The World is three days: As for yesterday, it has vanished, along with all that was in it. As for tomorrow, you may never see it. As for today, it is yours, so work in it.
- Hassan al-Basri




Whoever follows patience, success will follow him.




As there is no darkness in the moonlight. So is Mustafa (Muhammad), the well wisher, bright.
- Abu Bakr as-Sideeq (radiAllahu anhu)




Suffering is a gift. In it is hidden mercy. - Jalaluddin al-Rumi




A friend cannot be considered a friend until he is tested in three occasions: in time of need, behind your back, and after your death.
- Ali ibn abi Talib (radiAllah anhu)




Stingyness has nothing to do with how much money you have. Neither does generosity. Its about how much heart you've got.




Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes.




When someone criticises or disagrees with you, a small ant of hatred and antagonism is born in your heart. If you do not squash that ant at once, it might grow into a snake, or even a dragon.
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
[Mathnavi]




Whoever is offered an apology from a fellow Muslim should accept it unless he knows that the person apologizing is being dishonest.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[Mishkat al Tabrizi, Vol III Hadith no. 5052].




Verily those people that make fun of people � for them a gate of Jannah will be opened. It will be said to them: Come (and enter). That person will come with all their anguish and depression � but when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. Then another gate (to Jannah) will be opened and it will be said: Come (and enter). So that person comes with all his anguish and depression. But when he gets close, the gate will be closed in his face. This will keep happening to him until it gets to the point where it will be said: Come (and enter), and he will not come from the despair of ever entering paradise.
- Hadith - Al-Bayhaqi




Cease to sin, because you will not meet Allah with anything [as valuable] as few sins.
- A'isha (radiAllahu anha)




The Muslim ummah is an unique ummah among the whole of mankind: Their Land is One, their War is One, their Peace is One, theirHonor is One and their Trust is One.
- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
[narrated by Ahmad]