“When a man sought knowledge, it would not be long before it could be seen in his humbleness, his sight, upon his tongue and his hands, in his prayer, in his speech and in his disinterest (zuhd) in worldly allurements. And a man would acquire a portion of knowledge and put it into practice, and it would be better for him than the world and all it contains – if he owned it he would give it in exchange for the hereafter.”

Quoted in Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq Vol.1 p. 156.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "When a man sought knowledge, it would not be long before it could be seen in his humbleness, his sight, upon his tongue…" by Hasan al-Basri?
Hasan al-Basri photo
Hasan al-Basri 4
Iranian Sufi Saint 642–728

Related quotes

William Hazlitt photo

“When a man is dead, they put money in his coffin, erect monuments to his memory, and celebrate the anniversary of his birthday in set speeches. Would they take any notice of him if he were living? No!”

William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English writer

"On Living to One's-Self"
Table Talk: Essays On Men And Manners http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Essays/TableHazIV.htm (1821-1822)

Dan Brown photo
Báb photo
James Clerk Maxwell photo

“How the learned fool would wonder
Were he now to see his blunder,
When he put his reason under
The control of worldly Pride.”

James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) Scottish physicist

Part III Poems, "A Vision Of a Wrangler, of a University, of Pedantry, and of Philosophy. " (November 10, 1852)
The Life of James Clerk Maxwell (1882)

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley photo

“I saw he was now and always would be his own man”

The Dragon Queen

“The highest knowledge man can possess is that which is true in his own experience. If his experience is limited, so is his knowledge and he behaves accordingly.”

Barry Long (1926–2003) Australian spiritual teacher and writer

Knowing Yourself: The True in the False (1996)
Context: You think: you become that thought. And consciousness, or the state of pure awareness, is lost. The highest knowledge man can possess is that which is true in his own experience. If his experience is limited, so is his knowledge and he behaves accordingly.

George Eliot photo
Mark Akenside photo

Related topics