Caravan of Dreams Quotes

“Three Things
Three things cannot be retrieved:
The arrow once sped from the bow
The word spoken in haste
The missed opportunity.

(Ali the Lion, Caliph of Islam, son-in-law of Mohammed the Prophet),”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Sayings of the Prophet
Trust: Trust in God – but tie your camel first.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Good. Show me a man who thinks that he knows what 'good' is, and I will probably be able to show you a horror of a person. Show me a person who really knows what 'good' is, and I will show you that he almost never uses the word.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Inner Knowledge -- You want to become wise in one lesson: First become a real human being.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Understanding
Speak to everyone in accordance with his degree of understanding.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Food
Nobody has eaten better food than that won by his own labour.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Struggle
The holy warrior is he who struggles with himself.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
The Tongue
A man slips with his tongue more than with his feet.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Teaching:
One hour's teaching is better than a whole night of prayer.
Saying of the Prophet”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Three things cannot be retrieved:
The arrow once sped from the bow
The word spoken in haste
The missed opportunity.

Ali, the Lion of Islam.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“When Fortune knocks, open the door,' they say. But why should one make fortune knock, by keeping the door shut?”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Helping others
I order you to assist any oppressed person, whether he is a Muslim or not.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
The Judge
A man appointed to be a judge has been killed without a knife.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Practice
Who are the learned? Those who put into practice what they know.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Definitions from Mulla Do-Piaza
A fool:
A man trying to be honest with the dishonest.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“There is a Persian proverb: 'To test that which has been tested is ignorance.' To try to test something without the means of testing is even worse.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“For every Pharoah there is a Moses.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“You call me an unbeliever. I shall therefore call you a True Believer since a lie is best met with one of similar magnitude.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Ink and Blood
The ink of the learned is holier than the blood of the martyr.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Oppression
When oppression exists, even the bird dies in its nest.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Instant Reading. A certain famous Fakir was claiming in the village that he could teach an illiterate person to read by a lightning technique. Nasrudin stepped out of the crowd: 'Very well, teach me – now.' The Fakir touched the Mulla's forehead, and said: 'Now go home immediately and read a book.' Half an our later Nasrudin was back in the market-place, clutching a book. The Fakir had gone on his way. 'Can you read now, Mulla?' the people asked him. 'Yes, I can read – but that is not the point. Where is that charlatan?' 'How can he be a charlatan if he has caused you to read without learning?' 'Because this book, which is authoritative, says: “All Fakirs are frauds”.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet.
Ink and Blood:
The ink of the learned is holier than the blood of the martyr.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Truth
Speaking the truth to the unjust is the best of holy wars.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Obligation to Learn
The pursuit of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Anger
You ask for a piece of advice. I tell you: 'Do not get angry.' He is strong who can withhold anger.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
Desire
Desire not the world, and God will love you. Desire not what others have, and they will love you.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Show me a person who really knows what 'good' is, and I will show you that he almost never uses the word.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“A MOTTO OF THE HUMAN RACE
Tell me what to do; but it must be what I want you to tell me.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Life: sometimes the man on the saddle, sometimes the saddle on the man.”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams

“Saying of the Prophet
THE PEOPLE
It is the people who are God's family.
(Muhammad the Prophet)”
― Idries Shah, Caravan of Dreams