Hazrat Inayat Khan Quotes & Sayings

When one bell is rung, by the sound of that one bell other bells will also vibrate. So it is with the dancing of the soul ... it produces its reaction, and that again, will make other souls dance. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

There should be balance in all our actions; to be either extreme or lukewarm is equally bad. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

There are two aspects of individual harmony: the harmony between body and soul, and the harmony between individuals. All the tragedy in the world, in the individual and in the multitude, comes from lack of harmony. And harmony is the best given by producing harmony in one's own life. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

As water in a fountain flows as one stream,
but falls in many drops divided by time and space,
so are the revelations of the one stream of truth. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Every man's path is for himself; let him accomplish his own desires that he may thus be able to rise above them to the eternal goal. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

And yet the most valuable things are attained with the least effort. But one does not realize their importance. One would rather have something which is attained with a great effort — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The existence of illness in the body may no doubt be called a shadow of the true illness which is held by man in his mind. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Be sparing of your words if you wish them to be powerful. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

To bring the sublime into the mundane is the greatest challenge there is. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The truth is that man is one individual with two aspects, just like one line with two ends. If you look at the ends, it is two. If you look at the line, it is one. One end of the line is limited, the other end of the line is unlimited. One end is man, the other end is God. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The discrimination between good and evil is in man's soul. Every man can judge that for himself, because in every man is the sense of admiration of beauty. Happiness only lies in thinking or doing that which one considers beautiful. Such an act becomes a virtue or goodness. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

We, the human beings in this world, if there is a spark of goodness or kindness in our hearts, avoid judging people. We prefer forgiving to judging. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

People in the world wish to make things rigid, things which are of the finest nature which words cannot explain. When a person describes the hereafter, it is just like wanting to weigh the soul or photograph the spirit. I personally think that you must be able to realize yourself what the hereafter is. You must not depend upon my words. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

But why must man suffer and sacrifice for God? At the end of his suffering and sacrifice he will find that though he began to do so for God, it has proved to be for himself. It is the foolishly selfish who is selfish, and the wisely selfish proves to be selfless. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Love that ends is the shadow of love; true love is without beginning or end. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

One makes one's nature by one's likes and dislikes, by what one favors or disfavors. When a person says, 'I don't like this food,' he has built something into his nature. And then that food, when eaten, will often disagree with him. It is not that it was meant to disagree with him, but he made it disagree by disliking it. By — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If anybody asks what Sufism is, what kind of religion is it, the answer is that Sufism is the religion of the heart, the religion in which the thing of primary importance is to seek God in the heart of mankind. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

In Sufi terms the crushing of the ego is called Nafs Kushi. And how do we crush it? We crush it by sometimes taking ourselves to task. When the self says, 'O no, I must not be treated like this,' then we say, 'What does it matter?' When the self says, 'He ought to have done this, she ought to have said that,' we say, 'What does it matter, either this way or that way? Every person is what he is; you cannot change him, but you can change yourself.' That is the crushing ... It is only in this way that we can crush our ego. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

True power is not in trying to gain power; true power is in becoming power. But how to become power? It requires an attempt to make a definite change in oneself, and that change is a kind of struggle with one's false self. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Very often in everyday life one sees that by losing one's temper with someone who has already lost his, one does not gain anything but only sets out upon the path of stupidity. He who has enough self-control to stand firm at the moment when the other person is in a temper, wins in the end. It is not he who has spoken a hundred words aloud who has won; it is he who has perhaps spoken only one word. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Sometimes there are two persons who disagree, and there comes a third person and all unite together. Is this not the nature of music? — Hazrat Inayat Khan

I have known good and evil, sin and virtue, right and wrong; I have judged and been judged; I have passed through birth and death, Joy and sorrow, heaven and hell; And in the end I realized that I AM in everything and everything is in me. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The lover's pleasure is in the pleasure of the beloved. The lover is satisfied when the beloved is fed. The lover is vain when the beloved is adorned. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

People who have never had an ideal may hope to find one; they are in a better state than the people who allow the circumstances of life to break their ideal. To fall beneath one's ideal is to lose one's track in life; then confusion rises in the mind, and that light which one should hold high becomes covered and obscured, so that it cannot shine out to light one's path. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The peace for which every soul strives and which is the true nature of God and the utmost goal of a man is but the outcome of harmony. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Therefore, the person living the inner life never condemns and does not criticize the objects of another, however small or ridiculous they may appear, for he knows that every object in the life of a person is but a stepping stone which leads him forward if he only wishes to go forward. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

To create happiness for oneself and others is the whole philosophy of religion. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

My heart is tuned to the quietness that the stillness of nature inspires. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The soul is covered by a thousand veils. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Then again it may be said, there is a purpose above each purpose, and there is again a purpose under each purpose; and yet beyond and beneath all purposes there is no purpose. The creation is, because it is. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If you will not rise above the things of this world, they will rise above you. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The reason why man seeks for happiness is not because happiness is his sustenance, but because happiness is his own being; therefore in seeking for happiness, man is seeking for himself. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

A person does not hear sound only through the ears; he hears sound through every pore of his body. It permeates the entire being ... — Hazrat Inayat Khan

By our trust in the divine beauty in every person we develop that beauty in ourselves. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

To make a friend, forgiveness is required which burns up all things, leaving only beauty; but to destroy friendship is easy. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If there is anything that gives kingliness to the soul, it is patience. What was the secret of the masters who have accomplished great things, who have inspired many and who have helped many souls? Their secret was patience. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

One is never so strong as when one is broken. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The purpose of creation is beauty. Nature in all its various aspects develops towards beauty, and therefore it is plain that the purpose of life is to evolve towards beauty. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

My intuition never fails me, it is I who fail when I do not listen to it. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The soul of man is the spark of God. Though this spark is limited on the earth, still God is all-powerful; and by teaching the prayer 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven', the Master has given a key to every soul who repeats this prayer; a key to open that door behind which is the secret of that almighty power and perfect wisdom which raises the soul above all limitations. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

When one looks at the ocean, they can only see that part of it which comes within their range of vision; so it is with the truth. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If there is such a thing as saintly renunciation, it is renouncing small gains for better gains; not for no gains, but seeing with open eyes what is better and what is inferior. Even if the choice has to lie between two momentary gains, one of these would always be found to be more real and lasting; that is the one that should be followed for the time. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The artist, the poet, the musician and the philosopher show in their gifts throughout their lives the heritage of the jinn. The words genius and jinn come from a Sanskrit word Jnana, which means knowledge. The jinns. Therefore, are the beings of knowledge; whose hunger is for knowledge, whose joy is in learning, in understanding, and whose work is in inspiring, and bring light and joy to others. In every kind of knowledge that exists, the favorite knowledge to a jinn is the knowledge of truth, in which is the fulfillment of its life's purpose. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Moth: I gave you my life.
Flame: I allowed you to kiss me. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

You carry all the ingredients to turn your existence into joy. Mix them, Mix them! — Hazrat Inayat Khan

As long as in love there is "you" and "me," love is not fully kindled. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

We can be under the power of a spell, but we must overcome such a power; we must liberate ourselves from evil. Everyone can fight. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

For a musician, music is the best way to unite with God. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

God is not justice. Justice is in his nature, but love is predominant. People attach such importance to actions and their results. They do not know that above action and result is a law which can consume the fire of hell, which can dominate even if the whole world were being drowned in the flood of destruction; they do not know that the power of love is greater than any other. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Once you have linked yourself with love, a flood of inspiration is revealed to you, whatever the subject, whatever the problem in life may be. Whatever it be that your eye casts its glance upon, it will disclose itself. Then you are on the real road, and what a joy this is! — Hazrat Inayat Khan

All names and forms are the garbs and covers under which the one life is hidden. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Prayer from the depth and prayer from the surface are two prayers. One can utter what Christ has called 'vain repetitions', just repeating the prayer; one does not fix one's mind on the meaning of the prayer. If the depth of one's heart has heard the prayer, God has heard it. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Consciously or unconsciously, every being is capable of healing himself or others. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Sarcasm is an abuse of the intellect. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

By love, harmony and beauty you must turn the whole of life into a single vision of divine glory. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The first lesson to learn is to resign oneself to the little difficulties in life, not to hit out at everything one comes up against. If one were able to manage this one would not need to cultivate great power; even one's presence would be healing. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Things of heaven cannot be obtained by perseverance; they are the grace of God. To open to this and trust in it is how belief is crystallized into faith. We cannot pay for it in any form, in any way, by our goodness, by our piety, by our great qualities, merits, or virtues; nothing. It is a gift, and all we can do is receive it. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The true use of music is to become musical in one's thoughts, words and actions. One should be able to give the harmony for which the soul yearns and longs every moment. All the tragedy in the world, in the individual and in the multitude, comes from lack of harmony, and harmony is best given by producing it in one's own life. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Very often pessimistic people speak against their own desire. They want to undertake some work, and they say, 'I will do this, but I don't think I shall succeed in it.' Thus they hinder themselves in their path. Man does not know that every thought makes an impression on the consciousness and on the rhythm with which the consciousness is working. According to that rhythm that reflection will come true and happen; and a man proves to be his own enemy by his ignorance of these things. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Each individual composes the music of his own life. If he injures another, he brings disharmony. When his sphere is disturbed, he is disturbed himself, and there is a discord in the melody of his life. If he can quicken the feeling of another to joy or to gratitude, by that much he adds to his own life; he becomes himself by that much more alive. Whether conscious of it or not, his thought is affected for the better by the joy or gratitude of another, and his power and vitality increase thereby, and the music of his life grows more in harmony. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Love is the divine Mother's arms; when those arms are spread, every soul falls into them.
The Sufis of all ages have been known for their beautiful personality. It does not mean that among them there have not been people with great powers, wonderful powers and wisdom. But beyond all that, what is most known of the Sufis is the human side of their nature: that tact which attuned them to wise and foolish, to poor and rich, to strong and weak
to all. They met everyone on his own plane, they spoke to everyone in his own language. What did Jesus teach when he said to the fishermen, 'Come hither, I will make you fishers of men?' It did not mean, 'I will teach you ways by which you get the best of man.' It only meant: your tact, your sympathy will spread its arms before every soul who comes, as mother's arms are spread out for her little ones. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Our thoughts have prepared for us the
happiness or unhappiness we experience. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

All that produces longing in the heart
deprives the heart of freedom. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If a man through his life became like an angel he would accomplish very little; the accomplishment which is most desirable for man is to fulfill the obligations of human life. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Love is like the fire;
its glow is devotion,
its flame is wisdom,
its smoke is attachment,
and its ashes detachment.
Flame rises from glow,
so it is with wisdom,
which rises from devotion.
When love's fire produces its flame
it illuminates the devotee's path in life like a torch,
and all darkness vanishes. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The gardener uses both roses in the flowerbed and thorns in making fences. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The whole of life is as music and in order to study life we must study it as music. It is not only study, it is also practice which makes man perfect. If someone tells me that a certain person is miserable or wretched or distressed, my answer will be that he is out of tune. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The sage said, "The best thing is not to hate anyone, only to love. That is the only way out of it. As soon as you have forgiven those whom you hate, you have gotten rid of them. Then you have no reason to hate them; you just forget. spiritual Dimensions of Psychology." — Hazrat Inayat Khan

It is living in sensation that makes man material, and after some time he becomes ignorant of the spirit. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Each human personality is like a piece of music, having an individual tone and a rhythm of its own. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Nothing is as old as the truth, and nothing is as new as the truth. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

We are always searching for God afar off, when all the while He is nearer to us than our own soul. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Every mind has its particular standard of good and bad, and of right and wrong. This standard is made by what one has experienced through life, by what one has seen or heard; it also depends upon one's belief in a certain religion, one's birth in a certain nation and origin in a certain race. But what can really be called good or bad, right or wrong, is what comforts the mind and what causes it discomfort. It is not true, although it appears so, that it is discomfort that causes wrongdoing. In reality, it is wrongdoing which causes discomfort, and it is right-doing which gives comfort. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The happiness of this world is something we cannot keep; it is just like the horizon - the nearer you go, the farther it goes. As soon as you get it, you see it is not the thing you wanted. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Stand through life firm as a rock in the sea, undisturbed and unmoved by its ever-rising waves — Hazrat Inayat Khan

This is the picture of the spirit world. It is the world of the optimist. The pessimist has no share in its great glory, because he refuses to accept the possibility which is the nature of life. Thus he denies to himself all he desires, and even the possibility of achieving his desires. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Love is the merchandise which all the world demands; if you store it in your heart, every soul will become your customer. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Life is a symphony, and the action of every person in this life is the playing of his particular part in the music. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

How can you be that which you possess? You cannot be the horse and rider at the same time. Herein lies the secret of mortality and immortality. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Music is the language of the soul; and for two people of different nations or races to unite, there is no better means than music — Hazrat Inayat Khan

If the rays are the souls of living beings, then the light of that same divine Sun is the spirit of the whole of nature. It is the same light; but not divided, not distinct, as are the rays which we call souls. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

In this world of illusion, where at the end of the examination, we find everything to be of little importance, of little worth, if there is a sign of reality, of something one can depend upon, and in which one can recognize a sign of eternity, it is in the constancy of friendship. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Intellect is the knowledge obtained by experience of names and forms; wisdom is the knowledge which manifests only from the inner being; to acquire intellect one must delve into studies, but to obtain wisdom, nothing but the flow of divine mercy is needed; it is as natural as the instinct of swimming to the fish, or of flying to the bird. Intellect is the sight which enables one to see through the external world, but the light of wisdom enables one to see through the external into the internal world. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The soul apart from the body and mind is a sound, a note, a tone, which is called in Sanskrit Svara. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

All things that seem good and evil are the opposite ends of one line, and it is difficult to say where evil ends and good begins, for these are comparative terms. A lesser good would seem evil when compared with a greater good, and the lesser evil in comparison with the greater evil would appear good. If there were no evil, good would not have been valued. Without injustice, justice would not have been appreciated. Therefore the whole of life's joy is expressed in duality. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

What you are speaks louder than what you say. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The Sufi recognizes the knowledge of self as the essence of all religions; he traces it in every religion, he sees the same truth in each, and therefore he regards all as one. Hence he can realize the saying of Jesus; 'I and my Father are one.' The difference between creature and Creator remains on his lips, not in his soul. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

For every loss, there is a hidden gain. And for every gain, there is a hidden loss. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Belief is of four kinds. The first kind is a belief accepted because it is believed by all. The second is a belief accepted because it is believed by someone in whom the believer trusts. The third belief is the belief that reason helps one to believe. The fourth belief is conviction, of which one is as sure as if one were an eyewitness — Hazrat Inayat Khan

I first believed without any hesitation in the existence of the soul, and then I wondered about the secret of its nature. I persevered and strove in search of the soul, and found at last that I myself was the cover over my own soul. I realized that that in me which believed and that in me that wondered, that which was found at last, was no other than my soul. I thanked the darkness that brought me to the light, and I valued this veil that prepared for me the vision in which I saw myself reflected, the vision produced in the mirror of my soul. Since then, I have seen all souls as my soul, and realized my soul as the soul of all. And what bewilderment it was when I realized that I alone was, if there were anyone, that I am whatever and whoever exists, and that I shall be whoever there will be in the future. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Resignation is a quality of the saintly souls. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The secret of mysticism, therefore, is to feel, think, speak, and act at the same time, for then all that is said, or felt, or done, becomes perfect. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Every form seems to be derived from another, all figures being derived from Alif which is originally derived from a dot and represents zero, nothingness (In Arabic the zero is written as a dot.) It is that nothingness which creates the first form Alif. It is natural for everyone when writing to make a dot as soon as the pen touches the paper, and the letters forming the words hide the origin. In like manner the origin of the One Being is hidden in His manifestation. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

Our virtues are made by love, and our sins caused by the lack of it. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

A person however learned and qualified in his life's work in whom gratitude is absent, is devoid of that beauty of character which makes personality fragrant. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

It is a presumption on the part of man when he demands in words an explanation of God. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

The man who tries to prove his belief superior to the faith of another, does not know the meaning of religion. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

and the sense of justice makes one wish to judge oneself before judging others. — Hazrat Inayat Khan

When we look at life from the top of the mountain, there is no limitation — Hazrat Inayat Khan

When we pay attention to nature's music, we find that everything on the Earth contributes to its harmony. — Hazrat Inayat Khan