Quotes by Idries Shah

About Idries Shah:

Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition who wrote over three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and culture studies.
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Anybody or anything may stand between you and knowledge if you are unfit for it.

Idries Shah

One can give or withhold in a manner far more effective, sophisticated, useful, which is quite invisible to people who think that giving or withholding is done by external assessment. If you seek some mark of favour or 'promotion', know that you are ...

Idries Shah

Real generosity is anonymous to the extent that a man should be prepared even to be considered ungenerous rather than explain it to others.

Idries Shah

All forms are limited. Some of the limitations are time, place, culture, language.

Idries Shah

Forms are vehicles and instruments, and vehicles and instruments cannot be called good or bad without context.

Idries Shah

Many people who are in reality dead are walking in the streets; many who are in their graves are in reality alive.

Idries Shah

Abu-Yaqub al-Susi: the Sufi is 'One who does not care when something is taken from him, but who does not cease to seek for what he has not.

Idries Shah

Nobody can stand between you and knowledge if you are fit for it.

Idries Shah

To say "yes" to the Sufi way is to say "no" to imagined escapes.

Idries Shah

Cuando una creencia se transforma en algo más que un instrumento, estás perdido. Permanecerás perdido hasta que aprendas para qué es realmente la ‘creencia’.

Idries Shah

Si buscas un maestro, trata de convertirte en un verdadero estudiante. Si quieres ser un estudiante,trata de encontrar un verdadero maestro.

Idries Shah

Hay muchas personas caminando por las calles que en realidad están muertas; hay muchas en sus tumbas que están en realidad vivas.

Idries Shah

Dicho del Mulá Nasrudín. Si sobrevivo a esta vida sin morirme, me sorprenderé.

Idries Shah

If you seek small things to do, and do them well, great things will seek you, and demand to be performed.

Idries Shah

But the minimum human duty is to serve others: it is no great attainment.

Idries Shah

Saadi en su Bostán: “El Sendero no se encuentra en el rosario, la alfombra de oración y el manto”.

Idries Shah

Great men are great until they know it. Saints are holy until they know it.

Idries Shah

Los grandes hombres son grandes hasta que lo saben. Los santos son santos hasta que lo saben.

Idries Shah

Worry is a cloud which rains destruction.

Idries Shah

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

Idries Shah

Saadi’s dictum, in the Bostan: ‘The Path is not in the rosary, the prayer-mat and the robe

Idries Shah

Author Bio

  • NameIdries Shah
  • DescriptionWriter and Sufi teacher
  • BornJune 16, 1924
  • DiedNovember 23, 1996
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionWriter