Wisdom: It is said that three things never coexist with three others: earning what is lawful cannot coexist with chasing one’s passions; compassion cannot coexist with giving free rein to anger; and truthfulness in speech cannot coexist with excessive talk.
Wisdom: Buzurjmehr the sage said, “If you wish to be counted among the abdāl (God’s elect), remake your character after the character of little children.” He was asked, “How so?” He replied, “Children possess five qualities—were adults to adopt them, they would become abdāl: they have no anxiety over provision; when they fall ill they do not complain against their Creator; they gather together to share their food; when they quarrel they do not harbor grudges but hasten to reconciliation; and when they are frightened they respond to the slightest warning and their eyes overflow with tears.”
Wisdom: Wahb ibn Munabbih said, “Four sayings are inscribed in the Torah: every scholar who is not scrupulous is like a thief, and every man who is devoid of reason is on the same level as cattle.”
Wisdom: A sage said, “The root of leadership is kindness; the root of sin is haste; and the root of humiliation is stinginess.”
Wisdom: A wise man said, “A person should not make himself the slave of his impulses; rather, his reason must take the lead, and he must not be so dull in his habits that he overlooks both good and bad. One should also listen to words of wisdom even from someone who is not wise—for it is possible for one who never took aim to hit the target.”
Wisdom: Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays said, “The fickle have no friends, the liar inspires no loyalty, the envious know no rest, the base possess no honor, and the ill-tempered attain no leadership.”
Wisdom: Dhu al-Riyāsatayn said, “A man once complained to Alexander about an adversary. Alexander asked him, ‘Would you like me to hear what you have to say about him on the condition that I also hear what he says about you?’ The man grew afraid and fell silent. Alexander then said, ‘Guard your own tongues concerning people and you will be safe from the tongues of evil men.’”
Wisdom: Buzurjmehr said, “Well-being is of four kinds: well-being in religion, in wealth, in the body, and in one’s family. As for well-being in religion, it lies in three things: to…"