One can give or withhold in a manner far more effective, sophisticated, useful, which is quite invisible to people who think that giving or withholding is done by external assessment. If you seek some mark of favour or 'promotion', know that you are not ready for it. Progress comes through capacity to learn, and is irresistible. Nobody can stand between you and knowledge if you are fit for it.
knowledge learning science sufis truth wisdom
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About This Quote

About Idries Shah

Idries Shah was a 20th-century afghan writer and sufi teacher. Idries Shah, also known as Idris Shah, Indries Shah, nĂ© Sayed Idries el-Hashimi and by the pen name Arkon Daraul, was an Afghan author, thinker and teacher in the Sufi tradition. Shah wrote over three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and culture studies. Read more on Wikipedia →

Themes

  • Knowledge — The pursuit of learning, understanding, and intellectual growth
  • Science — Discovery, inquiry, and the wonders of the natural world
  • Truth — Meditations on honesty, authenticity, and the search for truth
  • Wisdom — Timeless insights drawn from experience and reflection

More quotes by Idries Shah

“In a village where everyone has only one leg, the biped will hop about more lamely than anyone else, if he knows what is good for him.”
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“SAYING OF SHEIKH ZIAUDIN:Self-justification is worse than the original offence.”
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“It is not Sufism if it does not perform its function for you. A cloak is no longer a cloak if it does not keep a man warm.”
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“If wine is the enemy of religion, I shall devour the enemy of religion.”
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“If you really want to learn, do not be surprised if someone tries to teach you. And do not lightly reject the method.”
— Idries Shah
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