Idries Shah Quotes

Quotes about:

• 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

  37 Copy quote

• 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

  61 Copy quote

• 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

  20 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

  28 Copy quote

• 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

  28 Copy quote

• The more wakeful a man is to the things which surround him, the more asleep is he, and his waking is worse than his sleep.

  Idries Shah

  Sleep, Men, Waking

  7 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

  24 Copy quote

• When people have a hard task to do - one which stretches them - they become less concerned with trivial matters.

  Idries Shah

  People, Tasks, Matter

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• From time to time ponder whether you are unconsciously saying: 'Truth is what I happen to be thinking at this moment.

  Idries Shah

  Thinking, Moments, Truth Is

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.140, Octagon Press Ltd

  6 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

  14 Copy quote

• If you want to make an ordinary man happy, or think that he is happy, give him money, power, flattery, gifts, honours. If you want to make a wise man happy - improve yourself!

  Idries Shah

  Wise, Men, Thinking

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.28, Octagon Press Ltd

  7 Copy quote

• Anybody or anything may stand between you and knowledge if you are unfit for it.

  Idries Shah

  May, Ifs

  Idries Shah (1978). “Learning how to Learn: Psychology and Spirituality in the Sufi Way”, p.159, Octagon Press Ltd

  5 Copy quote

• The Path is not to be found anywhere except in human service

  Idries Shah

  Path, Found, Human Service

  Idries Shah (1991). “Seeker After Truth”, p.34, Octagon Press Ltd

  11 Copy quote

• Worry is a cloud which rains destruction.

  Idries Shah

  Rain, Clouds, Worry

  Idries Shah (1991). “Seeker After Truth”, p.33, Octagon Press Ltd

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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

  54 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

  17 Copy quote

• The laziness of adolescence is a rehearsal for the incapacity of old age.

  Idries Shah

  Age, Laziness, Rehearsal

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.147, Octagon Press Ltd

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• The more you look at 'common knowledge', the more you realise that it is more likely to be common than it is to be knowledge. No real knowledge is common.

  Idries Shah

  Real, Looks, Common

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.140, Octagon Press Ltd

  7 Copy quote

• To 'see both sides' of a problem is the surest way to prevent its complete solution. Because there are always more than two sides.

  Idries Shah

  Two Sides, Way, Problem

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.58, Octagon Press Ltd

  12 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

  19 Copy quote

• 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

  16 Copy quote

• Sometimes a pessimist is only an optimist with extra information.

  Idries Shah

  Information, Sometimes, Pessimist

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.134, Octagon Press Ltd

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• When a belief becomes more than an instrument, you are lost. You remain lost until you learn what 'belief' is really for.

  Idries Shah

  Belief, Lost, Instruments

  Idries Shah (2017). “Learning How to Learn”, p.77, ISF Publishing

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• Effort makes some great men famous. Even greater effort enables other great men to remain unknown.

  Idries Shah

  Men, Effort, Great Men

  Idries Shah (1983). “Reflections”, p.133, Octagon Press Ltd

  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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