From His Tongue — Ibn ʿAṭāʾ Allāh al-Iskandarīمِنْ كَلَامِهِ

Every science is as noble as its subject, every knower is as noble as his knowledge; and there is nothing nobler than the Real and seeking It.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

Outwardly, creatures are an illusion; but, inwardly, they are an admonition. Thus, the soul looks at the illusory exterior, while the heart looks at the admonitory.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

Renunciation is to look at the world, keeping in mind that it is passing, in order that it be diminished in your eyes, thus making it easy for you to turn away from it.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

Relieve yourself of self-contrivance, for you need not do what someone else is doing for you.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

A sign that you depend on action is that you lose hope when you sin.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

Your striving for what is assured to you, and your falling short in what is asked of you, are proof that the traces of insight have been wiped away from you.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī

The lights of some people precede their dhikr, while the dhikr of some people precedes their lights. There is the one who does (loud) dhikr so that his heart be illumined; And there is the one whose heart has been illumined, and he does (silent) dhikr.

Ibn ʿAṭā Allāh al-Iskandarī