hadith Hadith: Self-control is true strength It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: The strong man is not the one who overpowers an opponent. The strong man is the one who controls his own self in a moment of anger. In Arabic: لَيْسَ الشَّدِيدُ بِالصُّرَعَةِ إِنَ
Ibn Sina Ibn Sina: The science of medicine In The Canon of Medicine, Ibn Sina writes: Medicine is the science that teaches us the conditions of the human body, in terms of what is healthy and what is not. The goal is to protect health when it exists and recover it when it is lost. In Arabic: إن
hadith Hadith: humans rank by piety, not lineage It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: O people! God wiped away the arrogance of your foolish past, when you glorified your lineage. There are only two kinds of humans: upright, pious people… and immoral, grim souls with no status in God’s eyes. All are children of Adam,
hadith Hadith: No racial superiority, only piety makes someone superior It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: O people! You all share one God and one father. An Arab is no better than a non-Arab, and a non-Arab is no better than an Arab. Whites are not superior to blacks, nor are blacks superior to whites. Only piety makes
hadith Hadith: Hatred destroys religion It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: Hatred is a blade that shaves away religion like a razor cuts hair. I swear by the One who holds my very soul: you will never be believers until you love one another. In Arabic: وَالْبَغْضَاءُ هِ
hadith Hadith: Seek a ruling from your heart It is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: Have you come to ask about righteousness? Ask your own heart! Righteousness is what calms the soul and reassures the heart. Sin is what troubles the soul and makes your heart restless - even if people give you ruling after ruling (to
Sa'di Sa‘di: To be human is to respond to others’ pain What makes us human? Many scholars would say that reason and intelligence (‘aql) set humans apart. The great Persian poet Sa‘di of Shiraz (d. 1292) gives us an ethical way to think about humanity: Human beings are connected as one body - in creation they are all the same.
Razi: Using reason is essential Many Muslim scholars felt human reasoning was a basic part of religion. In the Qur’an there is praise for: (those) who listen to what is said and follow what is best. These are the ones God has guided; these are the people of understanding. (Qur’an 39:28, Abdel
Ibn Hazm Ibn Hazm: Love may be tasted, but never described People in 11th-century Andalus found love to be just as mysterious as it is for us today. Ibn Hazm of Cordoba (d. 1064) writes: Love! It begins as lighthearted banter and ends in heartfelt confession. Its nuances are too subtle for words… Love may be experienced but never described. Religion
hadith Hadith: The person who shows no mercy What goes around, comes around. Or, as the Prophet ﷺ reportedly said: The person who shows no mercy will receive no mercy. In Arabic: مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ لاَ يُرْحَمُ Arabic vocabulary * man (مَنْ) – "whoever" or "anyone" * la (لاَ
A 15th-century Muslim woman's journey to Mecca In 1433, a Muslim woman named Maymuna made her pilgrimage to Mecca and visited the tomb of the Prophet ﷺ. This precious manuscript is her hajj certificate. Richly illustrated, it shows key points on the pilgrimage — with the Masjid al-Haram and holy Ka’ba as its centerpiece. Verses from the
Ali Ali: Who has time to dwell on others’ faults? How do people find the time to criticize others over every small mistake? ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib seems to have a theory: The person who sees their own shortcomings has no time to dwell on other people’s faults. In Arabic: من أبصر عيب نفسه شغل عن عيب غيره Arabic
