428 quotes
The spirit ever leads to haunts of holy men,
The flesh would cast thee in the pit of sin again.
Beware! Feed thou thy soul with love from holy ground;
Make haste! seek means of grace from one who grace hath found.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
If you desire that God may be pleasing to you,
Then look at Him with the eyes of those that love Him.
Look not at that Beauty with your own eyes,
Look at that Object of desire with His votaries’ eyes.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
The Prophet said that God has declared,
‘I am not contained in aught above or below,
I am not contained in earth or sky or even
In highest heaven, know this for a surety, O beloved,
Yet am I contained in the believer’s heart,
If ye seek Me, search in such hearts.’
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Has not the copper of your existence been changed, like Moses, to gold by his alchemy?
What matter though you have no gold in a sack, like Qarun?
Within you is an Egypt, and you are its garden of sugar-canes;
What matter though you have no supply of sugar from without?
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
A pauper may amused be with counterfeited coin,
But take this to the mint; defaced ’twill be in fine;
Then be not thou misled with gilded counterfeit,
Delusion will thee plunge headlong into hell’s pit.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
He is only scented with musk, he is not himself musk,
He smells of musk, but is really naught but dung,
For his dung to become musk, O disciple,
He must graze year after year in the divine pasture.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Mere fancy’s pictures ever objects mar,
Things non-existent often frenzy paints,
We see mankind deluded over feints;
Their peace, their war not seldom for a sham,
Their pride, their shame some sorry epigram.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Though the mere imitator quotes a hundred proofs,
They are all based on opinion, not on conviction,
He is only scented with musk, he is not himself musk,
He smells of musk but is really naught but dung.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Giving thanks for blessing increases blessings
But fatalism snatches those blessings from your hands,
Your fatalism is to sleep on the road; sleep not
Till ye behold the gate of the king’s palace.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Thou wert dust and art spirit, thou wert ignorant and art wise,
He who has led thee thus far, will lead thee further also,
How pleasant are the pains He makes thee suffer while He gently draws thee to Himself,
His flames are as water, do not frown upon Him.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Thou fanciest thyself near to God,
Saying ‘The maker of the dish is not far from the dish,’
Knowest thou not that the nearness of saints to God
Involves the power to do mighty works and signs?
Iron was as wax in the hands of David,
Wax in thy hands is as iron.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Though you have no feet, choose to journey in yourself,
Like the ruby-mine receive a print from the sunbeams,
Make a journey out of self into self, O master,
For by such a journey earth becomes a quarry of gold.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
So long as a babe cannot grasp or run,
It takes its father’s back for its carriage,
But when it becomes independent and uses its hands
It falls into grievous troubles and disgrace.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Thou wert first and last thou shalt be,
Make my last better than my first,
When Thou art hidden, I am of the infidels,
When Thou art manifest, I am of the faithful.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Earth receives the seed and guards it,
Trustfully it dies:
Then what teeming life rewards it,
For self-sacrifice.
With green leaf and clustering blossom
Clad, or golden fruit,
See it from earth’s cheerless bosom
Ever sunward shoot.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Mine eye is from that source, and from another universe
Here a world and there a world: I am seated on the threshold;
On the threshold are they alone, whose eloquence is mute,
'Tis enough to utter this intimation: say no more, draw back thy tongue.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
How long shall we, like children in the earthly sphere
Fill our lap with dust and stones and sherds?
Let us give up the earth and fly heavenwards,
Let us flee from childhood to the banquet of men.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
The khalifa said to Laila ‘Art thou really she
For whom Majnun lost his head and went distracted?
Thou art not fairer than many other fair ones.’
She replied, ‘Be silent; thou art not Majnun!
If thou hadst Majnun’s eyes,
The two world’s would be within thy view.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Mankind like waterfowl are sprung from the sea, the sea of soul
Risen from that sea, why should the bird make here his home?
Nay, we are pearls in that sea, therein we all abide,
Else why does wave follow wave from the sea of soul.
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)
Who is he in my ear that hearkens to my voice,
Or who is he that utters words in my mouth?
Who is he in mine eye that looks out of mine eye
Or what is the soul—wilt thou not say—of which I am the garment?
Attributed A Dictionary of Oriental Quotations (1911)