Abu Hamid al-Ghazali quotes

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali was a Persian theologian, philosopher, and mystic who profoundly influenced Islamic thought. His works bridge the gap between orthodox Islamic theology and Sufism, shaping religious and philosophical discourse in the Muslim world. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant thinkers in Islamic history. Here are 37 of his quotes:

Neglect not your time, nor use it haphazardly; on the contrary, you should bring yourself to account. Structure your litanies and other practices during each day and night. This is how to bring about spiritual blessing in each period. If each of your breaths is a priceless jewel, be not like the deceived fools who are joyous because of each day their wealth increases while their life grows ever shorter.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Those who look for seashells will find seashells; those who open them will find pearls.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Knowledge without action is wastefulness and action without knowledge is foolishness.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Desires make slaves out of kings and patience makes kings out of slaves.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

To get what you love, you must first be patient with what you hate.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Only that which cannot be lost in a shipwreck is yours.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

An honorable person won't tell people how great they are, people will experience their greatness just by being with them.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

There is no denying existence itself. Something must exist and anyone who says nothing exists at all makes a mockery of sense and necessity. The proposition that there is no denying being itself, then, is a necessary premise. Now this Being which has been admitted in principle is either necessary or contingent... What this means is that a being must be self-sufficient or dependent... From here we argue: If the being the existence of which is conceded be necessary, then the existence of a necessary Being is established. If, on the other hand, its existence is contingent, every contingent being depends on a necessary Being; for the meaning of its contingency is that its existence and non-existence are equally possible. Whatever has such a characteristic cannot have its existence selected for without a determining or selecting agent. This too is necessary. So from these necessary premises the existence of a necessary Being is established.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Teach what you know to him who does not know, and learn from him who knows what you do not know. If you would do this you would learn what you have not known and would retain what you have already known.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

How can even the lowest mind, if he reflects at all the marvels of this earth and sky, the brilliant fashioning of plants and animals, remain blind to the fact that this wonderful world with its settled order must have a maker to design, determine and direct it?

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Live as long as you want, but you must die; love whatever you want, but you will become separated from it; and do what you want, but you will be repaid for it.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good; I was actually being redirected to something better. You must convince your heart that whatever God has decreed is most appropriate and most beneficial to you.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

We attest that He is the Willer of all things that are, the ruler of all originated phenomena; there does not come into the visible or invisible world anything meager or plenteous, small or great, good or evil, or any advantage or disadvantage, belief or unbelief, knowledge or ignorance, success or failure, increase or decrease, obedience or disobedience, except by His will. What He wills is, and what He does not, will not; there is not a glance of the eye, nor a stray thought of the heart that is not subject to His will. He is the Creator, the Restorer, the Doer of whatsoever He wills. There is none that rescinds His command, none that supplements His decrees, none that dissuades a servant from disobeying Him, except by His help and mercy, and none has power to obey Him except by His will.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

The tongue is very small and light but it can take you to the greatest heights and it can put you in the lowest depths.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

A grievous crime indeed against religion has been committed by the man who imagines that Islam is defended by the denial of the mathematical sciences.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Whosoever complains of the bad character of another man has revealed the badness of his own character.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

[K]nowledge that is not Infallible is not certain knowledge.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Adopt a gentle tone when speaking, for verily the tone at times, has a greater impact than the speech.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

There is no way to reach the end without mastering the beginning.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

The highest fragrance, the scent of musk, is taken from the mucus of a gazelle.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

There is the world for you. Beauty, true beauty, is intangible. It is in the eye of the beholder. Something that we can lose at any moment, and the more you examine it, the more illusive it becomes. True happiness is virtue, and virtue is predicated on knowledge and righteous conduct.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

The highest cloth is made from the excrement of worms, which is silk.

Abu Hamid al-Ghazali