Shaykh Quotes & Sayings

You've been tested.' He advised me to try and 'forgive and pardon, and this way seek to become beloved by God' without my forgiveness being tied to the one who wronged me. 'This is the Divine remedy,' he emphasised, 'remind your ego when it resists. Don't you love for God to forgive you on the day, too?'

Reflecting on what the Shaykh said, his advice undid a knot in my heart and I resolved to work on my forgiveness purely for the sake of God. The Shaykh also recommended: 'Be careful about what you pray for in the future.' He promised to pray for me personally, asking God to send me a Muslim husband who would value and cherish me for who I am. Insha' Allah! — Kristiane Backer

The Muslims of recent times had fallen very short indeed of the ideals of their faith, ... nothing could be more erroneous than to measure the potentialities of Muhammad's message by the yardstick of present-day Muslim life and thought - just as he [Shaykh Mustafa al-Maraghi] said, 'it would be erroneous to see in the Christians' unloving behavior toward one another a refutation of Christ's message of love ... ' — Muhammad Asad

At last an authentic voice from Saudi Arabia. Al-Mohaimeed has written a remarkable, rhythmic, genuine novel. Wolves of the Crescent Moon throbs with sensuality and moral courage, as if it didn't take place in a society that denies the tick of the heart. — Hanan Al-Shaykh

Ibn al-Khatib says: Ibn Battutah has a modest share of the sciences. He journeyed to the East in the month of Rajab 725 [1325], travelled through its lands, penetrated into Iraq al-Ajam, then entered India, Sind and China, and returned through Yemen. In India, the king appointed him to the office of qadi. He came away later and returned to the Maghrib [ ... ]. Our Shaykh Abu l-Barakat Ibn al-Balfiqi told us of many strange things which Ibn Battutah had seen. Among them was that he claimed to have entered Constantinople and to have seen in its church twelve thousands bishops. He subsequently crossed the Strait to the Spanish coast [ ... ]. Thereafter the ruler of Fez summoned him and commanded him to commit his travels to writing. — Tim Mackintosh-Smith

A learned man who doesn't restrain his passions is like a blind man holding a torch, he guides others but not himself. — Shaykh Sa Di

When you oppose the shaykh, it's like the slave who kills himself over a quarrel with his master. Hey, why are you killing yourself over a quarrel?He says, So my master will suffer loss. — Shams Tabrizi

Sometimes I was too tired,
other times just lazy. Now and then, I was frustrated because nothing seemed to be happening - no
signs from God, no enlightenment, nothing. But that wasn't the point, the Shaykh explained. What
mattered was the inner connection with God, which builds slowly and only transforms us gradually.
Another obstacle, however, was that I often found it hard to concentrate during the dhikr. — Kristiane Backer

Surely you know that pleasure soon evaporates, into thin air?
Then all we are left with are stories. — Hanan Al-Shaykh

Whosoever is determined to seek guidance and follow a path of right conduct must search for a shaykh from amongst those who have realization, one who follows a path methodically, who has abandoned his passions, and who has firmly established his feet in the service of his Lord. — Ibn Ata Allah

Just several years ago, Shaykh Kabbani, who is the head of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, when he was speaking at the State Department, said that more than 80 percent of the mosques were controlled by extremists. And from all I've seen over the last four or five years, the situation has even gotten worse. — Peter T. King

The Powerful, may His majesty be exalted, is not powerless in anything at all. How many were like stone of harder still, and yet the fountains of wisdom gushed from their hearts and flowed on their tongues. This is known. Allah Almighty says: There are some stones from which rivers gush forth, and others which split open and water comes out, and others which crash down from fear of Allah. (2:74) — Shaykh Mawlay Al-'Arabi Ad-Darqawi

The desert came into view ... sand and palm trees, a way of life that revolved around human beings without possessions or skills, who had to rely on their imaginations to contrive a way of making their hearts beat faster or even to keep them at a normal pace; to search unaided for a hidden gleam of light, and to live with two seasons a year instead of four. — Hanan Al-Shaykh

Say Bismillah, In the name of God, as the shaykh does with a knife when he offers an animal. Bismillah your old self to find your real name. - Jalaluddin al — Rumi

The shaykh interrupted him, saying, Not so fast. I'm the sort of person who praises only to clear the way to speak the truth, for the sake of encouragement, son of Abd al-Jawad — Naguib Mahfouz

I tell people this over and over again: don't attach your faith to people. People will come and go. People will disappoint you. People will divulge dark secrets. People will turn out to be the opposite of what you thought. Allah is perfect. His Messenger (peace be upon him) is a perfect example, and the religion is a perfect methodology. Attach yourself to the principles instead of the people. That way no Shaykh going wild or role model going rogue will be able to shake your faith. — Omar Suleiman

I don't want to turn into one of those pathetic creatures who are always homesick, always saying I wish I were still in Beirut. I don't want to become like you, split between here and there. I know I'm not happy here, but why should I be unhappy in two countries? — Hanan Al-Shaykh