• The cravings of this world are no more than make-believe toys; the ignorant person’s gaze is confined to the surface, whereas the man of reason sees what lies behind the veil.
• The bait of the coveted appeared to them; but when they reached out to take it, the discerning eyes caught sight of the snare’s thread, so they flew off on the wings of caution and set their course for the second departure, saying: “Would that my people knew!” (Ya Sin 26).
• They cast a glance at existence, grasped the intended meaning, and resolved on departure before the departure. They girded themselves to travel the straight path: while most people are busy with leftovers, they are traversing vast deserts; and the birds of passion, caught in the net, await the knife.
• Two foxes fell into a trap. One said to the other, “Where shall we meet (1) after this?” He replied, “In two days—at the tannery.”
• By Allah, the days were nothing but a dream; they awoke to find victory already in their hands.
• What has passed of the world is but dreams, what remains is but wishes, and time is being squandered between the two.
• How can safety be found by one whose wife shows him no mercy, whose child never excuses him, whose neighbor offers him no security, whose companion gives him no counsel, whose partner treats him without fairness, whose enemy never sleeps from plotting against him, whose own soul incessantly commands evil, whose world is bedecked with allure, whose passion is ruinous, whose desire overwhelms him, whose anger tyrannizes him, whose devil adorns sin for him, and whose weakness has seized control of him?!
If Allah takes charge of him and draws him near, all of these are subdued; but if He abandons him and leaves him to himself