Idries Shah Quotes

Quotes about:

• Enlightenment must come little by little - otherwise it would overwhelm.

  Idries Shah

  Spiritual, Enlightenment, Littles

  Idries Shah (1999). “The Sufis”, p.124, Octagon Press Ltd

  51 Copy quote

• Knowledge is not gained, it is there all the time. It is the "veils" which have to be dissolved in the mind.

  Idries Shah

  Mind, Veils

  Idries Shah (2002). “Neglected Aspects of Sufi Study”, p.39, Octagon Press Ltd

  31 Copy quote

• The Sufi way is through knowledge and practice, not through intellect and talk.

  Idries Shah

  Practice, Way, Sufi

  Idries Shah (1990). “Sufi Thought and Action”, p.4, Octagon Press Ltd

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• Opinion is usually something which people have when they lack comprehensive information.

  Idries Shah

  People, Information, Opinion

  Idries Shah (2015). “Reflections”, p.54, ISF Publishing

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• The word 'choice' is a fraud while people choose only what they have been taught to choose.

  Idries Shah

  People, Choices, Taught

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.22, Octagon Press Ltd

  48 Copy quote

• When you realize the difference between the container and the content, you will have knowledge.

  Idries Shah

  Differences, Realizing, Containers

  Idries Shah (2016). “The Book of the Book”, p.15, ISF Publishing

  9 Copy quote

• Right time, right place, right people equals success. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong people equals most of the real human history.

  Idries Shah

  Real, People, Right Time

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.82, Octagon Press Ltd

  15 Copy quote

• The colour of the water seems to be the colour of the glass into which it has been poured'.

  Idries Shah

  Glasses, Water, Colour

  Idries Shah (1979). “The World of the Sufi: an anthology of writings about Sufis and their work”, Ishk Book Service

  4 Copy quote

• Man (and woman) has an infinite capacity for self-development. Equally, he has an infinite capacity for self-destruction. A human being may be clinically alive and yet, despite all appearances, spiritually dead.

  Idries Shah

  Men, Self, Alive

  22 Copy quote

• Trying to force something is the best way to stop it happening.

  Idries Shah

  Trying, Way, Force

  Idries Shah (1997). “The Commanding Self”, p.39, Octagon Press Ltd

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• Materialism, attachment to things of the world, includes pride. Many religious people suffer from pride: taking pleasure or even delight in being good, or religious.

  Idries Shah

  Religious, Pride, Attachment

  Idries Shah (1990). “Sufi Thought and Action”, p.3, Octagon Press Ltd

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• Have you noticed how many people who walk in the shade curse the Sun?

  Idries Shah

  Healing, People, Teens

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.125, Octagon Press Ltd

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• Knowledge is something which you can use. Belief is something which uses you.

  Idries Shah

  Use, Belief

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.125, Octagon Press Ltd

  12 Copy quote

• The chicken had his wish, and was magically transformed into a fox. Then he found that he could not digest grain.

  Idries Shah

  Wish, Foxes, Chickens

  Idries Shah (1991). “The Magic Monastery: Analogical and Action Philosophy of the Middle East and Central Asia”, p.167, Octagon Press Ltd

  13 Copy quote

• If, from time to time, you give up expectation, you will be able to perceive what it is you are getting.

  Idries Shah

  Giving Up, Expectations, Able

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.141, Octagon Press Ltd

  13 Copy quote

• You must empty out the dirty water before you fill the pitcher with clean.

  Idries Shah

  Dirty, Water, Empty

  18 Copy quote

• You are adrift while you still think that a means is an end.

  Idries Shah

  Mean, Thinking, Adrift

  "If one says “Red” (the name ofa color) and there are 50 people listening, it can be expected that there will be 50 reds in their minds. And one can be sure that all these reds will be very different".

  11 Copy quote

• Meditation - Before you learn how to meditate, you must unlearn what you think meditation might be.

  Idries Shah

  Thinking, Meditation, Might

  Idries Shah (1988). “Caravan of Dreams”, p.229, Octagon Press Ltd

  18 Copy quote

• A motto of the human race: Let me do what I like, and give me approval as well.

  Idries Shah

  Race, Giving, Approval

  "Reflections".

  15 Copy quote

• Study the assumptions behind your actions. Then study the assumptions behind your assumptions.

  Idries Shah

  Action, Study, Assumption

  Idries Shah (1978). “Learning how to Learn: Psychology and Spirituality in the Sufi Way”, p.91, Octagon Press Ltd

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• The secret of Sufism is that it has no secret at all'.

  Idries Shah

  Secret, Sufism

  Idries Shah (1978). “Learning how to Learn: Psychology and Spirituality in the Sufi Way”, p.64, Octagon Press Ltd

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• When Fortune knocks, open the door,' they say. But why should one make fortune knock, by keeping the door shut?

  Idries Shah

  Doors, Should, Fortune

  Idries Shah (1988). “Caravan of Dreams”, p.220, Octagon Press Ltd

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• When tomorrow comes, think tomorrow's thoughts.

  Idries Shah

  Thinking, Tomorrow

  Idries Shah (2016). “The Dermis Probe”, p.85, ISF Publishing

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• Please, not again what you studied, how long you spent at it, how many books you wrote, what people thought of you - but: what did you learn?

  Idries Shah

  Book, Long, People

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.142, Octagon Press Ltd

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• From imperial, economic and ideological causes, many cultures are the inheritors, and hence the prisoners, of attitudes of scorn and disdain for other faiths – outlooks which are not ennobling to anyone.

  Idries Shah

  Attitude, Culture, Causes

  Idries Shah (1974). “The Elephant in the Dark”, p.11, Octagon Press Ltd

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