My name has no meaning. My age is the moment of my existence. My work is the cultivation of goodness and benevolence. My height is the pride of my soul. My weight is a mountain in adversity and a feather in joy. And my address is that of a passerby awaiting departure.
Since the moment of my birth, I found myself in discord with the world. My freedom lasted the first five minutes of my life. Afterwards, they decided my name, my nationality, my religion, my sect… and now I foolishly defend and fight for things I never chose.
My father chose my name, my ancestors chose my family name, and I chose my path.
The greatest mistake I have made in my life is believing that I have time.
I do not see things as they are; I see them as I believe they are.
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Slavery
The worker is a slave to the merchant, the merchant is a slave to the soldier, the soldier is a slave to the ruler, the ruler is a slave to the king, the king is a slave to the priest, the priest is a slave to the idol, and the idol is dust created by demons, set upon a hill of the skulls of the dead.
I am everything to myself. I ask no one for closeness, nor do I expect anyone’s compassion. I do not live for others, for my soul comes first. I do not tie my happiness to people or to things.
I create a homeland for myself so I do not estrange myself by losing anyone.
No one comes from the sky to illuminate my darkness. I am the light to myself, the one who masters the happiness and order of my scattered soul.
I write my principles with ink that pride and submission cannot erase. I write my opinions about people with pencil, capable of correction, for people speak so that their tongues do not rust. A person remains in life like a pencil, sharpened by experience, writing in finer strokes until the pencil fades, leaving only the beauty of what it wrote.
My thought is born only in contrast with the thought of another. Without opposition, it is not thought, but imitation, at best explanation and interpretation.
My mind is too narrow if it cannot embrace every other thought.
What you understand from my words is yours; what you do not understand is for someone else.
When you respect your mind, it will take you deeper than you imagine.
It is not necessary to agree with me; it suffices to understand what I intend to say.
They fear your mind that you might understand, not your body that you might be strong.
I do not debate a lover nor a fanatic; the former carries a blind heart, the latter a closed mind.
When you hate me, hate me alone. This is not a celebration to invite everyone to.
The entire universe is within me, and I am within the universe.
I do not climb mountains for the world to see me; I climb them to see the world.
What I say in my solitude will be said by others in the future.
People must hear from me, not about me.
Forgive me if my soul departs one day and takes death as a companion. If life kills us, death revives us.
The world will turn, roles will repeat, but the scenes will change, and I, from my kingdom, sit on my throne and watch.
A true human is neither male nor female. Only actions define identity.
I am indebted to all who have hurt me. No peace for me except after great pain.
I am unique, unlike anyone, and no one is like me. I was created this way and will remain master of myself.
I converse in my imagination with others more than I do in reality.
I am a passerby in this world. I will leave behind only beautiful traces. I am a guest, and guests only leave.
Whether rich or poor, young or old, guard or prince, I am at peace only when my conscience is at peace.
Some people are seeds whose nature is unknown until we plant them in our hearts; they either bloom into fragrant roses or thorny bushes that tear life apart.
I do not believe I have grown old… my body is merely a vessel for my soul, and the soul does not age. The soul belongs to another world, unlike ours. I do not confine my soul within the body. I soar like a bird in a world of optimism and hope, confident with every step I take.
My writings have no relation to reality nor are they directed at anyone in particular. I pen them as any writer would, inspired by a sea of imagination.
When I return to life anew, I rise from my crises changed. I may lose something vital—my health or trust in those around me. Yet I gain something I wish I had not, for it will always remind me of how I acquired and learned it. It is like a scar on my face; every time I look in the mirror, I recall what I lost.
Old, beautiful emotions change due to events. Even if replaced with better ones, they remain the most precious, carrying the fragrance of the past and the empty years of life.
Silence is harder than speech. I think much and speak little. My tongue, silenced by pain, cannot speak. My lips, sealed by despair, cannot move. My heart bears the weight of sorrow; the bonds of sadness in my soul are stronger than the bonds of joy.
Solitude is an ally of melancholy and familiar to every movement of my spirit. Its beauty is that it makes me beholden to no one.
When patience betrays me, I collapse, crying bitterly, for my depressed soul finds no relief except in isolation.
Humans are conceived by sorrow, born of despair, and nurtured by love in the cradle of dreams. Love is the only flower that blooms and grows unchanging, regardless of the seasons.
My words express feelings in my soul, evoking images of fragrant forests, incense, and towers reaching for glory.
God gave me the breath of life, not to place it beneath the feet of death. He gave me freedom, not to make it a shadow of slavery.
When I extinguish the fire of my soul with my own hands, I deny the heaven that ignited it. When I walk without rebelling against injustice, I am complicit with murderers and an ally of falsehood against truth.
God sent me free into this world, yet I became a slave to the rebels of His laws. I raise my eyes to God, then bow to the weak human and call him master. I became a servant to humans, while God called us brothers and made us free in spirit and truth. I meet evil with greater evil, fight corruption with greater corruption, and proclaim: “This is the law.” I meet crime with greater crime and scream: “This is justice.”
The justice we imagine as fate and divine decree is submission of today to yesterday’s events, subjugation of tomorrow to today’s inclinations.
I will not choose death over life, nor place the nobility of sacrifice beside rebels. Loyalty renders all deeds virtuous.
I want to be just and upright. I wish to act with what I know and see others through the eyes I see myself. Yet I am weak before the inclinations and desires of my soul.
When sorrow overwhelms me, I contemplate my heart anew. I see that I cry for what was once a source of joy. Therefore, I cherished the laments of Prophet Jeremiah as I cherished the Song of Solomon, admired the wisdom of Job as I admired the psalms of David, and I grieved more over the catastrophe of Palestine than the grandeur of the Abbasid or American empires.
I freed myself from the world of measurements and quantity, soaring to where hearts understand each other through glances, descending into the world of truth, a mirror in which I see a miniature, distorted reflection of myself.
The features of my face change with my thoughts and emotions, just as the appearance of trees, rivers, and mountains change with the seasons.
What you give beyond its value forgets its truth.
An evildoer cannot act without our hidden consent and knowledge within our hearts.
People worship this great god in terms of a dinar (their religion is their money).
The thirst of the soul is greater than the quenching of the body; the fear of the self is more cherished than the calm of the body.
Love refines youth, strengthens adults, and comforts the elderly… love and ignorance never meet.
Whoever cannot see angels and demons in the beauties and atrocities of life remains distant from knowledge, and their soul is empty of emotion.
Yesterday I was a happy worker, today a miserable master. I was ignorant, walking in daylight, now I am a conscious scholar walking in night’s darkness. My body weak, my soul strong.
I warn poverty and live like a prince; I warn blind obedience and rebel; I warn chastity while my heart overflows with desire. I pretend to kill my body and destroy my dark self. I feign renunciation while I am most greedy. I feign asceticism while pursuing pleasures and indulgences.
Mercy and cruelty wrestle within my heart full of corruption. If I cannot witness the kingdom of heaven in this life, I will not see it in the next.
I came as a child to learn from life’s school and its secrets. True happiness is God’s will within humans. God placed in my depths the inclination to happiness, for in human happiness, God is glorified.
People around me are desperate, lazy, oppressed by their rulers and clerics. The weak symbolize the oppressed nation. Thus, their steadfastness amidst trials is nobler than retreating to safety. Today they are like butterflies fluttering toward the light, burning themselves, nobler than moles resting in dark burrows. Doctors cannot heal them, clerics cannot absolve their sins, nor can they hasten them into heaven if righteous. Human will cannot alter God’s plan, just as astrologers cannot redirect stars.
Beauty exists only with admiration; truth exists only with belief.
The human fully adapted to a sick society is a sick human. Depth of response requires sadness.
The greatness of a person is revealed in how they treat the humble.
If I feel pain, I am alive; if I feel the pain of others, I am human.
It is not shameful to fall before pain, but it is shameful to collapse before pleasure. True pleasure comes from confronting pain and overcoming it.
Truth is like oil: it always rises. Knowing truth is a matter of nature, not intelligence.
My thoughts and writings will reach all countries of the world without a visa.
In my life, two people can tell me the truth about myself: an enemy who loses his temper, and a friend who loves me deeply.
I should not speak everything I know, but I must know everything I speak. I know when, where, and with whom to speak.
I am not obliged to justify my positions to those who think ill of me. Those who know me well understand me well.
No need to explain to those who love me, and no benefit explaining to those who hate me.
I will not die if I lose whom I love, but I will live like the dead if I lose my dignity.
He who lives without principle dies without honor.
If the heart dies, mercy departs; if the mind dies, wisdom departs.
The wider the eye, the narrower the chest.
The only specialization not taught in universities is ethics, for a janitor may possess it and a doctor may lack it.
The difference between law and ethics: by law, one is guilty when violating others’ rights; by ethics, one is guilty even for thinking about it.
People search for God as if He is lost, not themselves. Those who leave everything in God’s hands eventually witness His hand in all things.
People love and reward those who lull them with illusions or partake in them.
People are many; humans are rare.
I fell in love with my sins when I saw people’s fake faith.
When they told me I have two faces, I said yes: the first for my loved ones, the second for the dogs.
I do not desire more years; I desire more life.
Peace of mind is happiness that cannot be bought with money, granted by anyone, or achieved through work.
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Money buys a bed but not sleep. It buys medicine but not health. It buys a clock but not time. It buys books but not knowledge. It buys food but not appetite. It buys a house but not a family. It buys a position but not respect. It buys companions but not friends. It buys blood but not life.
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I possess a mind that accepts everything and a heart that attaches to nothing.
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He who works with his hands is a laborer; he who works with his hands and mind is a craftsman; he who works with his hands, mind, and heart is an artist.
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I was created to live, not to die in a body that merely breathes.
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A lame man does not smash his crutch on the head of his enemy.
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If I do not move, I remain unaware of the chains that bind me.
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To escape what truly bothers me, I do not need to be in a different place; I need to be a different person.
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If I am dissatisfied with myself, I will evolve; if I lack confidence in my judgment, I will learn much.
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Certificates prove that I am educated, but they never prove that I understand.
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Instead of developing artificial intelligence, they should fix natural stupidity.
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I do not race with donkeys, for if they defeat me, I become a losing donkey; if I win, I am only a better donkey.
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Fear makes the donkey faster than the horse.
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When a woman rides a donkey beside a man, it is better than riding a Mercedes beside a donkey.
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My heart is not like a river, drinking from anyone who wishes; it is like the sea, accepting only those who are submerged in it.
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My life experience is the comb that nature gave me when I became bald.
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Some people are like mathematical problems: the solution is long and the value is zero.
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I am not like medicine, used only when needed.
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I live in an age where if people hear good about me, they hide it; if they hear bad, they spread it; and if they find nothing, they invent flaws.
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The most aware and conscious people cannot be evil, because evil requires stupidity and narrow-mindedness.
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I regret not because I did something wrong, but because I did something right for the wrong person.
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If my problems have a solution, there is no need to worry; if they have no solution, worrying is useless.
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Courage is not the absence of fear but overcoming it and acting despite it. To conquer fear, I must face what I fear. Courage is persistence and continuation despite fear.
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The hardest fear is the fear of becoming like everyone else.
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My strength is to trample on my pain beneath my feet and walk smiling before all who await my fall.
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When I was harsh, ten people loved me; when I was kind, a thousand hurt me. I do not regret being honest with others.
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I must use all my intelligence to live and all my folly to coexist with people. Great minds speak with ideas, average minds speak with events, small minds speak of people: so-and-so, so-and-so…
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When a human’s awareness and understanding of life reach completion, they either live in silence forever or become a revolutionary against everything.
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Ignorance breeds confidence more than knowledge does. Fools are confident in themselves; the knowledgeable are full of doubts. The ignorant assert, the wise question. We need a new war, armed with books, led by thinkers, with ignorance and backwardness as its victims.
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The more knowledge a person gains, the more freedom they have; the more freedom they have, the more human they become; the more human, the closer to God. Whoever lacks humanity benefits nothing from any divine religion.
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I wash my heart before my body and my tongue before my hands. I assume the best of people, for life is a school whose principal is time, its teachers are moral values, and its students are humans. We meet as strangers and live as friends, but only loyalty remains.
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The eye deceives itself when it loves, and the ear believes others when it hates.
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If the mind never stops speaking, the tongue masters silence. Silence is the only friend that never betrays.
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Silence is the language of the wise and the great. In anger, it is strength; in chatter, it is eloquence; in victory, humility; in sedition, wisdom; in sorrow, pride.
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I was not weak in the sense that words demoralize me, blows hurt me, failures complicate me, trials exhaust me, falls slow me, or stabs in my face or back kill me.
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Most people speak confidently of kindness and loyalty while practicing evil and hypocrisy with supreme creativity.
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Everything passes, but not everything is forgotten. That is why I take revenge through success, silence kills, absence punishes, and a smile triumphs. A smile carries two faces: one comforting, the other terrifying.
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Those who do not wish to die of thirst among people must learn to drink from every cup. Those who wish to remain pure among them must also know how to cleanse themselves in dirty waters.
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I do not live my day merely to survive it. I look forward with hope and do not look back with regret. I strive to forget the past but never the lesson.
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Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who fear, very long for those in pain, and very short for those who celebrate. Yet time is eternity for those who love.
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I am not pained by aging, for it is inevitable, but by the harsh lessons life teaches with the passing days.
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A human’s worst enemy is their own memories.
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No one ever guided me; I learned everything through experience.
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There is no failed man, only a man who began at the bottom and remained there.
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Slow success builds character; fast success builds arrogance.
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For a long time, my health and I sought money; today, money and I seek my health.
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With money, I do not know myself; without it, no one knows me.
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In the quiet of night, I realize the noise is inside me, not around me.
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I am the enemy of crowded places, boasting about money or lineage, pretentiousness, consumerist people, fleeting relationships, and meetings filled with hypocrisy and lies… but my fiercest enemy dwells deep within myself.
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To achieve my dreams, I am ready to be alone, ready for people to laugh at me, doubt me, and criticize me… ready to make mistakes and lose people.
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People’s words are like rocks: I either carry them on my back and break, or build a tower beneath my feet and rise to triumph.
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The most beautiful things in life will not be seen with the eyes but felt in the heart. I will remain pure in heart, clear in thought, and good in character.
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The beauty of the soul is to smile; the beauty of character is to make others smile. A smile is the key to hearts and also a passport to them.
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The darkness of night fades at dawn, but the darkness of hearts has no dawn.
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I trust my thinking only when I am sure desire does not speak within me.
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Suppressed feelings never die. They are buried but alive, and will resurface in terrible ways.
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How can a seed believe that a massive tree lies hidden within it?
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I understood life when I reached the stage of seeing everything as trivial.
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If I could erase, I would erase years of excessive kindness and the naivety of believing that all people are pure.
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The smarter a person becomes, the more they avoid three things: 1 – Defending any political party or position. 2 – Deifying humans or venerating anyone, whether in religion, politics, science, or art. 3 – Taking revenge on anyone who harmed them.
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I must endure pain to the end for my future happiness. Pain purifies everything. Everything is precious; only human pain is free. Great souls should not spread their sorrow or pain, only hope and beauty.
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If life’s hardships nurtured me, I will not be anyone’s student.
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Worry does not prevent tomorrow’s pain but steals today’s joy.
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When I tire, my body rests; when I rest, my body tires.
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I attain what I desire only by renouncing what I crave, and reach what I hope for only by enduring what I dislike.
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We changed the names of sins. We gave lies colors. We called betrayal compensation for deficiency, and heartlessness self-respect. Life is a game of names. Betrayal is a decision, not a mistake. Mistakes are easy and excuses are abundant.
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Hatred is like undetected cancer; it devours the character of those it infects.
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A naked woman stealing something—no one remembers her face.
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They say cigarettes ruin a man’s lungs and a woman’s morals. Does that mean women lack lungs or men lack morals?
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I live in a very dangerous place—not because of the number of evil people, but because of the silence of the good regarding what the evil do.
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I will not bloom among people where I was raised; if I bloom, I will not bear fruit. Travel for geniuses is like pollination for flowers; staying where you were raised means withering. Thus, the migration of geniuses is the crucial step for spreading their brilliance. Woe to those whose minds precede their time.
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All fools unite against geniuses; unity is the school of genius.
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The stronger my mind, the more inclined I am toward solitude and isolation.
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Some friends are ruins, some relatives strangers, some feelings mere admiration; only circumstances reveal the truth.
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Behind every great person are painful experiences, harsh life, terrifying circumstances, heavy days, repeated attempts, many concessions, and numerous wounds. Behind every great person is themselves.
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I must live alone and firmly close my windows so that the air of society does not seep in. I want to live a quiet life. Solitude is better than living against myself to please others.
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In solitude, I consume myself; in the crowd, others consume me.
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All those who tied their happiness to others died, slain by solitude.
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Only those who cannot achieve their own happiness spoil the happiness of others.
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It is difficult to find happiness within myself, but impossible to find it anywhere else.
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Excessive knowledge is painful, while lack of it is dark. Knowledge is thus a double-edged sword. Knowledge taught me retention; I must learn to forget. Thoughts have wings and they fly away from their owners.
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A strong memory does not always bring happiness; it can be a heavy burden one must endure and overcome. A strong memory can be a blessing when used wisely to learn from past experiences, but a curse when it dominates and traps a person in constant sorrow.
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What is taught in school is not true knowledge, only information. What I seek exists within me.
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The world is a school; time is the principal, fate is the teacher, and humans are the students.
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A bird’s brain weighs 2 grams and seeks freedom; a human head weighs 5 kilograms and loves humiliation and slavery.
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A bird does not fear the branch it stands on breaking, for its trust is not in the branch but in its wings.
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My greatest mistake is being like an open book that anyone can read; some underestimate the lines, some misinterpret, and some do not understand at all.
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Success is not the absence of mistakes, but the avoidance of repeating them.
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The greatest glory in life is not never falling, but rising every time I fall.
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Money and success do not change people; they only reveal their true nature.
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If our society is corrupt, sick, and hungry, we should build more amusement parks, pharmacies, and restaurants.
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The greatest form of social hypocrisy is giving the poor my leftover clothes and food while buying the rich luxurious gifts they do not need.
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We should discuss words in the spirit of meeting, not in the spirit of parting.
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Those who fail to exploit me become my enemies after once calling me “my friend.” They approach with praise and depart with blame. They greet me with affection in the morning and become adversaries by night. Most of my companions treat me with hypocrisy… the year has seasons, they have principles…
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If you want to see angels, commit a single mistake in front of people; then you will see them all turn into angels.
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Places of worship are empty yet full of the absent. Places of worship resemble palaces, hospitals resemble graves, and streets resemble the morals of people.
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People are divided by religions and united by women: in churches, all are Christians; in mosques, all are Muslims; in nightclubs, all are together.
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Gold has value but no dignity.
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Gold is tested by fire, women by gold, and men by women.
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Everything bought with money is not precious.
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I do not let my clothes be my most valuable possession so that I never find myself cheaper than what I wear.
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The most valuable things cannot be bought with money: health, peace of mind, and people who ease life for me.
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Cheap things have a thousand buyers; precious things have a thousand wishers.
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They convinced us that contentment is an endless treasure, so we were satisfied with contentment, while they took the treasure.
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When shoes are sold on shelves behind glass in air-conditioned stores, while books are sold on dusty sidewalks, uncared for, and smelling of car smoke, disaster strikes; minds are replaced by feet. We spend more time choosing shoes than choosing a path.
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The most desired books are cookbooks and dream interpretations… proof that we are peoples who only eat and sleep.
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It is strange that I am provoked by advice but listen with pleasure to disgrace.
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The bachelor dies a dog’s death, but the married man lives it.
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I was never a lawyer to defend my mistakes, nor a judge to condemn the mistakes of others.
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I fear approaching a horse from behind, a bull from the front, and the ignorant from all directions.
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Most people in this era argue to provoke, not to convince. They grow tired of childhood, rush to grow up, then long to be children again. They waste their health to spend money, then spend money to regain health. They worry about the future and forget the present, living neither the present nor the future. They live as if they never die and die as if they never lived.
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We say many foods are dangerous to health; therefore, we must seek what is dangerous to disease.
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Illusion is half the disease, reassurance is half the medicine, and patience is the first step to recovery.
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Advanced nations strive to build paradise for their people in life; failing nations employ religious men to convince them of paradise after death. These advanced nations say: “We did not harm you with our disbelief, but you killed us with your faith.”
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We Easterners, when we tied cleanliness to faith and religion, made our streets the dirtiest in the world. When we tied the homeland to religion, we made our nations the most backward and destructive. When we tied religion and law to knowledge, our peoples became the most ignorant in the world.
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We are a nation that fights poverty with prayer, corruption with speeches and sermons, and societal division with sectarianism and takfir. We are a dead nation; the honor of the dead is burial.
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You are my brother, and I love you—prostrating in your mosque, bowing in your temple, praying in your church—for you and I are children of the same religion: the Spirit.
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Love of money is interest, love of intelligence is admiration, love of beauty is attraction. True love is patience and service without return. Love requires sacrifice, like Christ’s love for all people.
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I came here with nothing, then pursued everything. I will leave everything and go with nothing. I will be held accountable for everything.
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The most hated person is the one who speaks the truth. Lying is the only privilege that separates humans from all other living creatures.
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Death will not wait for my uprightness; I must stand upright and wait for death. So give me a stance before you give me a tear from your eyes, and a cry of justice before you give me a cry of pain in your words…
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They will not leave me alone, even if I withdraw to my house and close my door, as long as the light of truth shines through my window. I am a threat that must be removed.
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Only the thread within a candle can burn it; likewise, only those who dwell deeply in my soul can hurt me.
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I withdrew and lived away from people to rest from gossip and slander, avoiding the pitfalls of the tongue and a thousand mercies from idle talk…
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I am not better than others, but I have a strong conviction that prevents me from comparing myself to anyone, no matter who they are.
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He who conquers his desires is braver than he who conquers his enemies, for the hardest victory is victory over oneself.
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God created angels with minds but without lust, animals with lust but without minds, and humans with both mind and lust. Whoever dominates his mind over his lust joins the angels; whoever lets lust dominate the mind joins the animals.
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The truthful do not swear, the confident do not justify, the sincere do not regret. The generous do not boast, and the loving do not grow weary.
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The strong oppress, the weak are enslaved.
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Be as you are, not as others wish you to be.
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Aggression is not merely the enemy’s hand moving against us, but their plan confronting our reality. Violence is a surgical act we resort to only when disease seeks to kill life.
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I do not say, “Do not be cautious,” but I say, “Do not fear,” as Christ said: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble, but take heart—I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Fear diminishes our humanity, while caution enriches our realism so we know how to navigate the path.
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Lessons I have learned in life:
Family is the most important entity; whoever has a family does not lose it.
Adapting to change is the cornerstone of survival.
Do not enter a war you will lose.
Do not enter a battle that leads to war.
I set my values and follow them, even if they oppose my surroundings.
I ask not for services from people, but from the God of people.
Choosing a friend is hard; leaving one is easy.
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Life wisdom:
1. If someone speaks quickly, know they are reserved.
2. If someone sleeps more than half their day, know they are in pain.
3. If someone laughs excessively at trivial things, know they are sad.
4. If someone smiles repeatedly, know they are humble and pure-hearted.
5. If someone quarrels with you often, know they love you.
6. If someone no longer cares for anyone, know they have been deeply disappointed.
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You reap what you sow:
Sow honesty, reap trust.
Sow kindness, reap friends.
Sow humility, reap respect.
Sow perseverance, reap satisfaction.
Sow appreciation, reap consideration.
Sow diligence, reap success.
Sow faith, reap peace of mind.
Be careful what you sow today to reap tomorrow… The measure of your giving in life determines its fruits.
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No wrongdoer among us can commit sin without our hidden consent and the knowledge within our hearts.
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Whoever loves God must prepare for trials; whoever loves Christ must prepare for poverty and many enemies.
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If we incite anger in each other emotionally, a mirrored anger will erupt in response.
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The great are not defeated by life’s challenges because they know these are the very things that draw out their hidden potential and are necessary to increase resolve and life experience.
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Do not belittle yourself; you are stronger than you imagine.
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I hate truth (death), fear God’s mercy (winter), and love the one who does not know God (child).
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The educated man is visionary and advisory; the learned man is authoritarian and dismissive of others’ opinions.
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A doctor’s mistake is buried underground; an engineer’s mistake falls on the ground; a teacher’s mistake walks on the ground.
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A generous, faithful believer is one who treats well those who treat well, those who treat badly, and even those who wrong him.
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In failing societies, there are a thousand fools for every wise mind and a thousand clumsy words for every conscious one. The majority remain foolish and dominant. If trivial matters dominate discourse and the foolish take the stage, you are witnessing a truly failing society. For example, songs with meaningless lyrics are danced to and chanted by millions, while their authors become famous and admired. Yet writers and intellectuals remain unknown and undervalued. Most people prefer triviality; a fool who distracts is better than one who awakens to reality with harsh truth.
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A teacher should teach not according to their capacity to give, but according to the student’s capacity to comprehend. It is not enough to have a good mind; one must use it well. In school, inclinations converge and minds crystallize. Desire must be created in the student, as the saying goes: “Many desires, long life.” Observation, character, judgment, clarity of vision, intellect, and ethics must be nurtured. As Khalil Gibran said: “No one can tell you anything except what has settled in the dawn of your knowledge.” True education reveals differences according to purpose and form, not mere words.
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Knowledge is the most beautiful religion, the school the best church, teachers the true clergy, and the citizen the true believer.
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The pillars of society rest on two columns: culture and law. Culture develops society; law organizes society and regulates freedoms, rights, and duties… We have erred in both.
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Seven types of lies:
1. Lies to convince (religious lies)
2. Lies to evade (noncompliance)
3. Lies to justify (for survival)
4. Lies to gain (money, illicit profit)
5. Lies to boast (I am greater than others)
6. Lies to harm (wars…)
7. Lies for the sake of lying (they speak what is not in their hearts).
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Time passes like an airplane; I am its pilot. I can fly it to the land of success or the land of failure.
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Exile is not an airport or travel bags. Exile is a spirit that soars in the sky of solitude among thousands of people, unnoticed.
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I do not rely on love—it is rare; nor on humans—they are treacherous; nor on time—it passes; but I rely on God—He is capable.
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Which is stronger, love or friendship? Love is stronger, but friendship endures. The river may dry, but its bed remains, and a friend remains with the sweetest memory.
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When I need a warm hand, I hold my other hand; I will not feel defeat when I believe in myself. One hand does not clap, but it can shake another hand, and that is what matters.
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Everything diminishes when divided in two—except happiness, which grows when shared.
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Giving without asking is greater, loving without hesitation is better, and friendship without interest is truer.
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I treat fate with acceptance, people with caution, family with gentleness, siblings with forgiveness, friends with affection, and time with patience. This principle allows me to accept all circumstances of life.
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When asked what I think people say about me, I tell them: I am accountable alone, and they are accountable alone.
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Some spend their entire life thinking they defend their ideas and beliefs, only to discover they were defending ideas planted by others in their minds.
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People change their clothes repeatedly to stay clean, yet cling to ideas dirtier than their clothes, and even defend them.
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People are slaves to their habits. Before overthrowing a tyrant, they must free themselves from bad habits and traditions. War exists first in hearts and minds before it erupts.
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I am not merely a scientific book stored in my mind upon earning a degree; I am a living force that leaves its impact on my destiny and that of others.
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If you fail to achieve your principles, I will change my methods, not my principles. Trees change their leaves, not their roots.
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It is far harder to liberate a people content in their slavery than to enslave a free people. Deception works because people always seek to be deceived—an intoxicant that stirs their senses. Once intoxicated, they settle for poor bread, as euphoria matters more than nourishment. Ignorance allied with authority is the deadliest enemy of justice.
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Nothing drives people to freedom like tyranny.
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Why, when we occupy others’ land, do we call it “conquest,” but when others occupy ours, we call it “occupation”?
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I am not one to be swept into political alliances for elections or foreign coalitions; I attract hearts wherever I am, dwell in huts like palaces, neglect the palaces of bribery and exploitation, build structures of thought and art, and make them symbols of peace, love, and beauty.
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Peace is not born in international conferences but in the hearts and minds of people.
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If we cannot end injustice, we should at least expose it to all. Standing against injustice may earn us abuse, betrayal, and condemnation, but we must not remain silent to be called men of peace. As the Prophet said: “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart—and that is the weakest faith” (Muslim). This teaches that one must oppose wrongdoing according to their capacity.
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Nothing is worse than the betrayal of the pen. A treacherous bullet may kill individuals, but a treacherous pen can kill nations.
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When fools multiply, they impose error as truth.
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A time will come when the intelligent will be forbidden to think lest they offend the fools.
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Rulers live in wealth and luxury while the people perish from misery, deprivation, poverty, and hunger. The poor walk miles to obtain food, the rich walk miles to digest it. They are oppressed and exploited, yet they worship their rulers. They have been blinded, numbed, their minds wiped, their hearts sealed, like beasts. They act only according to their conditioning.
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Politicians are like monkeys in the jungle: when they quarrel, they ruin the crops; when they reconcile, they eat the harvest.
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A traitor to his homeland is like a thief stealing from his father to feed other thieves; neither his father forgives him, nor do the thieves thank him.
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Religion is for the fools, the homeland is for the rich, misery is for the poor, positions are for the lowly, prisons are for writers, and the living live as the dead. Religions divide us, and humanity unites us.
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Doctors live off people’s weakness, judges and lawyers live off their evil, and most religious men live off their ignorance.
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The poor work, the rich exploit the poor, the soldier defends both, the citizen pays for all three, the lazy depends on the fourth, the drunk drinks for the fifth, the bank manager steals from the sixth, the lawyer cheats the seventh, the doctor kills the eighth, the gravedigger buries the ninth, and the politician lives off the tenth.
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Ideas are paralyzed. Minds are numb. The loyal live in solitude. Youth are desperate and deviant. Pens are broken. Mouths are silenced. These are the signs of this era.
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If you want to acquit an accused, form a court for them; if you want to hide the truth, form a committee for it.
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Modern war is making our enemies kill themselves instead of taking the trouble to kill them ourselves.
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We are ashamed of love and flaunt hatred. We consider deceit clever and honesty trivial.
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Five things a man remembers:
1. Men are the maintainers of women.
2. They are responsible for two, three, or four.
3. And their schemes are great.
4. The male has the equivalent of two females.
5. Women are deficient in intellect and religion.
Five things a man forgets:
1. The best among you is the best to his family.
2. Be gentle with delicate ones.
3. Treat women kindly.
4. Only a noble person honors women, and only a vile person insults them.
5. Justice cannot be fully achieved even if one strives.
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Love = forbidden
Insult = permissible
Customs = obligatory
Worship = optional
Woman = shame
Man = authority
Good = foolish
Confident = arrogant
Talent = must be buried
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The florist is prosecuted, the vegetable seller is imprisoned, the grocer is injured. All vendors in my country are targeted except the vendors of the homeland; they enjoy security and luxury.
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Those who do not deserve to die die at the hands of those who do not deserve to live.
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Why do we want to know everything about the Day of Judgment and the afterlife, but not everything about life here?
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Heroes’ chests are filled with bullets, and traitors’ stomachs are filled with money.
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Rest assured… Hell is spacious enough for all the corrupt… They love God and disobey Him, hate Satan and obey him. The competition for who is worse is not worth it.
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We do not return to the past for its beauty, but to escape the ugliness of the present.
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We should not applaud falsehood if we cannot speak the truth.
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Since the beginning, people have stoned Satan. People died, but Satan did not. They forgot that Satan’s true abode is in their decayed minds, and he is killed by knowledge and awareness, not stones.
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People curse Satan openly while secretly obeying him.
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People praise the wolf even though it is dangerous to them, and despise the dog though it is their guard. Many despise those who serve them and respect those who harm them.
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The difference between humans and animals is that animals do not allow the dumbest animal to lead the herd.
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Dogs are not intelligent, but they are loyal. Cats are intelligent, but they are not loyal. That is why men love dogs and women love cats.
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I feed a dog for three days, it will remember me for three years. I feed a human for three years, they forget me in three days.
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We were taught as children that the owl is an omen, the crow brings ruin, the fox is cunning, the wolf is treacherous, and the camel harbors anger… They taught us about animals, but we found these traits in humans as we grew.
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It is natural to see the ship in the water, but dangerous to see the water in the ship. Be at the heart of the world, not let the world reside in your heart.
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A ship does not sink because of the water around it, but because of the water that enters it. Do not let what surrounds you enter you and kill you.
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The ship is always safe at the shore, but that is not why it was made. Likewise, I was not created to remain in a comfort zone; I must leave it.
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Westerners are not geniuses, and we are not fools; they simply support failures to succeed, while we fight the successful to make them fail. Their minds are not gold, ours are not silver; their ideas are not diamond, ours are not stone. But they opened up to the spirit of creativity to discover the unknown, while we remained indifferent. Developing countries gather information about their citizens more than about their enemies.
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Western scientists succeeded in transplanting a monkey’s heart into a human body. Scientists and leaders in the East succeeded in transplanting donkey brains into the heads of millions.
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The Chinese eat animals, the Indians worship them, and Arabs vote for them…
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We seek to exorcise demons from humans but rely on the West to extract oil from our lands.
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In atheist countries, they accept a million Muslims expelled from their lands by Islam. In faithful countries, they send a million terrorists into Muslim lands.
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The area of the world with the least peace is where they say: “Peace be upon you.”
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Destroying a nation does not require nuclear bombs or long-range missiles; it only requires contaminating the human mind with hatred for others and wrapping it in religious and extremist ideas.
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We suffer from civilizational stagnation due to moral pollution and excess carbon dioxide of foolishness, which increases ignorance, especially among those with vested interests in treacherous rulers.
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Freedom is not granted, it is taken. The cowardly do not liberate nations nor cleanse themselves of corruption. Power corrupts not only those who possess it but also those who stand beside them seeking approval, making self-interest supreme over ethics.
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Gentle speech defeats blunt speech. Words are like medicine: too little, they heal; too much, they kill.
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If the defeated smile, the victor loses the pleasure of winning. The wise regret mistakes; the fool philosophizes.
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If someone speaks about me, I say: Welcome to the reward I did not toil for.
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I pity a girl whose reputation is tarnished; she cannot grow a beard to erase that image.
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As long as our society is raised on shame before sin, and sin is greater than shame, it is no wonder that a disbelieving man commands his wife to cover herself. The measure is piety, not strength.
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People want to stone the adulteress publicly but secretly seek her.
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The empty wheat stalk raises its head in the field, while the full wheat stalk bows. Only the great humble; only the vile show arrogance.
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If people speak about someone in front of you, go and meet them; you will find them better than described.
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When you see a flaw in me, tell me, not others. I am responsible for changing it. In the first case: advice and reward; in the second: gossip and burden.
Why do we inform everyone about someone’s negativity but not the person themselves? We excel at defaming by talking about others, not with them. A strange person always finds excuses for themselves but none for others.
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If we pleased you, you spoke about us; if we displeased you, you spoke to us. Let us apply this to end gossip between us.
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Humans excel at criticizing others but are blind to their own flaws.
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The darkest prison is the prison of the mind trapped in outdated habits and myths, and religious teachings falsely claiming to be divine.
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Humans cannot live without illusions. They are the only creatures who create imagination, myths, and legends, and successfully exploit them for multiple purposes. This is the secret of their superiority over other creatures. Without the human ability to create myths and illusions, they would not have distinguished themselves. Myths become inseparable from human life and consciousness; people defend them fiercely and attack anyone who doubts or attempts to dismantle them.
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Here’s the English translation of your text:
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We are a hypocritical people from birth: we openly hate each other, secretly consume each other’s flesh, do not understand love without a pillow, and know of God only through acts of worship.
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Peoples who lack awareness may one day become a herd of sheep driven by media with no conscience.
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Guidance is not for a person to become Christian or Muslim. Guidance is for a Christian or Muslim to become a true human being.
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The kindest people are often the most exposed to harm.
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Truth only appears through slips of the tongue.
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I do not reproach a person who does not inquire about me; rather, I reproach myself for thinking of them.
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Beautiful abandonment is leaving without causing harm; beautiful forgiveness is forgiving without reproach; beautiful patience is enduring without complaint.
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Whoever taught me a letter, I became his friend, not his servant; we are servants only to the One who created us.
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We are created from a drop, our origin is from clay, our finest clothes come from worms, our tastiest food comes from bees, and our resting place is a grave in the earth.
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Happiness is not in marriage, children, friends, travel, degrees, brands, positions, wealth, or houses…
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Honey has six types: original like beloveds, white like their hearts, precious like their worth, beautiful like their sight, sweet like their smile, and rare like their presence.
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True love does not unite the similar, but always unites the different, like two people with an age gap, or two where one has a past and the other loves for the first time.
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The Arabs ate camels and acquired jealousy and harshness.
The Turks ate horses and acquired strength and ferocity.
The Europeans ate pigs and acquired indecency.
The Black Africans ate monkeys and acquired frivolity.
Whoever consumes a type of animal adopts its traits. If he eats its flesh, the resemblance is stronger. In our time, we have eaten too much chicken: it has made us noisy and clucking, and nations have taken from us humiliation, bowed heads, and inability to soar in the skies, leaving us with nothing but squawking and chatter. How abundant chickens are in our time and how cheap.
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People talk about chicken but no one mentions the rooster. They think of what fills their stomachs, not what awakens their minds and thoughts.
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The wolf asked the dog: “Cousin, how do you find human beings?”
The dog: “When they despise one of their own, they call him a dog.”
The wolf: “Did you eat their children?”
The dog: “No.”
The wolf: “Did you betray them?”
The dog: “No.”
The wolf: “Did you protect them from my attacks?”
The dog: “Of course.”
The wolf: “And what do they call the brave and clever?”
The dog: “They praise him as a wolf.”
The wolf: “Did we not advise you from the beginning to stay a wolf with us? I have attacked them, their livestock, and their children repeatedly. Yet they praise their heroes as wolves.”
They praise the wolf who is a danger to them and despise the dog who protects them. Many people despise those who serve them and respect those who insult them.
You must realize that humans worship their executioners and insult those who are loyal to them.
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Put a frog on a golden chair and you will find it jumping back into the swamp.
This is like some humans; no matter how highly you raise them, they will return to where they came from.
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Monsters are dangerous when hungry; humans are dangerous when full. Animals betray when hungry; humans betray when satisfied.
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Whoever fights monsters must take care not to become a monster himself.
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You cannot fight the world’s ugliness without becoming a little tainted by it.
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Health of the body comes from little food, health of the heart from few sins, and health of the soul from little speech.
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Anger activates the honesty centers of the brain; most people speak truthfully when angry.
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Pain teaches us what we must pay attention to. This pain is useful to us as much as we hate it.
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Courage is not the absence of fear but overcoming it despite its presence. To conquer fear, you must do the thing you fear.
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God created everything in pairs except one thing: patience, which He created alone.
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The closer your trial is to what you love, the closer you are to God through patience. Whoever is not guided by ease and flexibility toward faith is taken by hardship. The key is to see calamity as a door to closeness, a path to repentance, and a means to inner peace. Some things are grasped by distance rather than closeness. Feel the gifts of mercy through deprivation, and do not let the severity of trials distract you from what you taste and find comfort with in God.
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Religious leaders race to see the Ramadan crescent thousands of kilometers away, yet cannot see the hungry a few meters from them. They invented paradise in the sky and sent the foolish there, while the true paradise exists on Earth. They call the poor to asceticism without mentioning who steals their wealth. This is sacred ignorance.
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Why did religions teach us to accept injustice, be satisfied with poverty, enjoy ignorance, rejoice in deprivation, delight in misery, and consider suffering a path to heaven? This is sacred ignorance.
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If one religious man dies, a flower grows on his grave. If all religious men die, the world will surely become paradise.
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The most profitable business is selling something after death; no one comes back to call you a fraud.
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There is a big difference between a nation that looks to the sky to find habitable planets and a nation that looks to the sky to see when to eat; a nation of a billion fasting from food, and also fasting from truth and supporting the oppressed.
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O seekers of paradise in temples, have you looked for the hungry in the streets?
A morsel in the stomach of a hungry person is better than building a thousand mosques,
Better than covering the Kaaba or adorning it with veils,
Better than bowing to God in prayer,
Better than fighting unbelief with a sharp sword,
Better than fasting day and night under scorching heat.
When flour reaches the stomach of a hungry person, it shines like the sun.
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Abu Hanifa had a corrupt drunk neighbor. He advised him until he tired of advising and gave up. One day, the drunk’s wife asked Abu Hanifa to pray for her husband; he refused. In a dream, the drunk walked in the gardens of paradise, saying: “Tell Abu Hanifa: praise be to God that paradise was not in his hands.” When he awoke, he asked his wife about him; she said: “You don’t know, but every Friday he fed the neighborhood orphans, touched their heads, and cried, praying for his uncle. Abu Hanifa regretted deeply.”
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Do not insult or despise sinners; we live under God’s protection, and if He were to remove it, we would be exposed.
Do not be deceived by much fasting or prayer; we cannot know who is closer to God.
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Disbelievers are not those of other religions, but those who reject human values and prevent me from living as a human.
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Advise without exposing, reproach without harming.
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Why does God not send a prophet in our time? Because police, surveillance cameras, and psychiatric hospitals exist.
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Do not search for morality in men at churches, mosques, or places of worship; look for it in court, inheritance, buying and selling, and disputes. Disputes reveal the truth and expose the character of people. Travel with them, live with them, marry them. People are precious or worthless.
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The most religious societies in the world are also the most corrupt in management, bribery, politics, abuse of rights, harassment of women, and assault on children. Yet we say: “Moral corruption is caused by lack of religion.” What impudence!
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Our backwardness is not due to being distant from religion. Secular advanced nations have no religion, yet they advance. Our backwardness is due to not using the means of progress and development. Our failure is caused by corruption, poor governance, and distance from knowledge and education. We are miserable because we think God only guides us.
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The problem of Muslims over centuries is not failing to apply Islam, but not understanding it. We were a nation tending sheep, then Islam made us a nation tending nations. When we abandoned Islam, we became sheep again. Arabs who embraced Islam went to Europe as conquerors; those who left Islam migrated as refugees. Woe to the Arabs. This is a painful truth.
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Ignorance, superstition, and foolish belief are armies that enslave societies and rob minds. They are also a form of intellectual rape. This is why the West supports extremist, separatist, and sectarian religious projects in the East: to dominate and colonize. No difference between external colonization and internal intellectual enslavement. This is sacred ignorance.
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When Arab kings and princes need treatment, they go to Europe and praise the West, while the poor are directed to graves and shrines for futile prayers. Ignorance is a key tool in controlling people. This is sacred ignorance.
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If Muslims were given a choice between a secular state and a religious state, they would vote for the religious state but go live in the secular state. Here is art, there is madness; here is openness, there is marriage; here is thought, there is excommunication; here is freedom, there is fantasy; here are emotions, there are graves; here is life, there is death.
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A nation enslaved in spirit and mind cannot be free in habits and clothing.
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Islam: today its fiercest enemies will be its greatest defenders; its strangers will be its supporters. As in the first days, strangers helped Islam, like Abdullah ibn Salam, a learned Jewish scholar who converted upon contact with the Prophet (PBUH). Others include Waraqa ibn Nawfal, the monk Bahira, and many more. These are the few whom God describes as: “…and few of My servants are grateful” [Saba 13], “…and none believes with him except a few” [Hud 40], “…three of the first and few of the last” [Al-Waqi’a 13-14]. In the end, Islam will be supported by those distant from its language and homeland. Blessed are the strangers.
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Wars among Muslims are not sectarian or doctrinal; they are battles over state interests at the expense of ordinary Sunnis and Shiites.
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Every religion has different teachings. Therefore, we must
For every religion, there are different teachings and guidelines, so we must unite in God rather than differ over Him. However, due to the rise of atheism and the widespread acceptance of Darwin’s theory of evolution in this materialistic era we are going through, many people have surrendered to the notion that God does not exist, and thus atheism spread among them—except for those whom God has mercy upon. Political sectarianism divided us into fragmented states. To establish the state of humanity, this sectarianism must first be removed from our souls, then from the texts. In this context, the Qur’an says:
“…Indeed, We or you are upon guidance or in clear error.” [Saba’ 24]
“…Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves…” [Ar-Ra’d 11]
“That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves, and Allah is Hearing and Knowing.” [Al-Anfal 53]
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The cries of the wretched rising from the depths of darkness are not heard by those sitting in the name of God on thrones, and the wails of the sorrowful do not reach the ears of those preaching God’s teachings from pulpits.
Religious men are neither doctors, engineers, pilots, teachers, nor farmers… in short, they possess no profession or craft from which humanity benefits; they are only specialists in what is permissible and what is forbidden, especially concerning women.
The peoples who pray for rain still import wheat from peoples who never pray at all.
The children of the poor die for religion, while the children of religious leaders graduate from universities of those who oppose religion. Therefore, if the West wanted to conspire against religious leaders, they would build houses of worship and religious institutes, because they would find no one more self-serving than the religious themselves.
Can any Christian resist his clergy and still remain counted among the faithful? Can any Muslim disobey his sheikhs and remain honorable among people? Is one’s reputation truly safe from suspicion, interpretation, and insult? And even if a person is born free, he remains enslaved to the harsh laws established by his ancestors, as the Qur’an states:
{And when it is said to them, "Follow what Allah has revealed," they say, "No, we will follow what we found our fathers upon," even if their fathers understood nothing and were not guided.} [Al-Baqara 170]
{And when it is said to them, "Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger," they say, "Enough for us is that upon which we found our fathers," even if their fathers knew nothing and were not guided.} [Al-Ma’ida 104]
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Centuries have passed: neither the poor have been satisfied, nor the rich content, nor have morals improved… where is the flaw?
If the West and the lands of atheism opened migration for just one week, there would remain in the lands of the believers only the pillars of street lamps.
Christ will return again to expel the traders of religion from the houses of worship after they have become dens of snakes twisted with malice, deceit, and fraud… When religious leaders abandon their responsibilities and become agents of narcotizing the people, it is expected that people will distance themselves from religion and seek what fulfills their ambitions. These religious merchants should know: a day will come when people rise against them, and I fear that religion itself may fall victim to that revolution.
The Qur’an was not sent down for blessing through recitation, nor for adorning walls with its verses; rather, God sent the Qur’an to guide our lives.
Religion is a way of life, not merely rituals, as our ancestors taught us. Therefore, the Qur’an must be revived once again from the graves and mourning to life, recited for the living, not for the dead. It is not necessary to have a copy of the Qur’an in your pocket, but it is necessary that a verse be manifest in your character. Smile at everyone; the measure is not in how much you memorize or read the Qur’an, but in how the Qur’an has reached within you. Do not tell people how much you memorize or read, let them see the Qur’an in you.
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The Qur’an mentions love for the needy, the poor, and the orphans:
{And they give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, saying, "We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We desire from you neither reward nor thanks."} [Al-Insan 8-9]
So feed a hungry person, clothe the naked, help the needy, have mercy on an orphan, forgive the wrongdoer, and honor your parents.
It also says:
{And say, "I am only a clear warner," just as We sent down on the divided ones who had made the Qur’an into portions; and by your Lord, We will surely question them all about what they used to do.} [Al-Hijr 89-93]
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The Qur’an regulates our lives:
He controlled our voices: “And lower your voice”
He controlled our walking: “Do not walk arrogantly on the earth”
He controlled our gaze: “Do not extend your eyes”
He controlled our hearing: “Do not spy”
He controlled our eating: “Do not waste”
He controlled our words: “Speak kindly to people”
Thus, the Qur’an can guide your life and grant you happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
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A verse summarizing all Islamic religion:
{Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets, and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; and establishes prayer and gives zakah; and fulfills his promise when he promises; and is patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are righteous.} [Al-Baqara 177]
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The Qur’an encourages general etiquette:
{And do not walk arrogantly on the earth. Indeed, you will never pierce the earth, and you will never reach the mountains in height.} [Al-Isra 37]
{Do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people, nor walk proudly on the earth. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful. And lower your wing to the believers; and lower your voice. Indeed, the harshest of sounds is the braying of donkeys.} [Luqman 18-19]
Is there anything more beautiful than these Qur’anic instructions for achieving noble morals?
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Human life as sheets of paper:
Birth certificate, paper
Vaccination record, paper
Academic certificate, paper
Graduation certificate, paper
… and so continue…
Marriage contract, paper
Passport, paper
Property deed, paper
Good conduct, paper
Prescription, paper
Invitation card, paper
Life is paper upon paper; days fold and tear them, then discard them. The only sheet unseen by a person is the death certificate—work for it, for it is the most important sheet.
Graves are not labeled “for adults only.”
People struggle over carrying and burying the dead, yet neglect the living in their sickness, need, and poverty.
We see true love only at graves and hospitals. We remember those we love only in the end, for we do not understand the value of things in life until we lose them.
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At my death, I will not worry about my worn body. People will do what is necessary:
1. Strip me of my clothes
2. Wash me
3. Shroud me
4. Take me from my home
5. Lead me to my new dwelling (the grave)
6. Many will attend my funeral, canceling tasks and appointments.
7. My belongings will be dealt with: keys, books, bag, shoes, clothes… and if my family is wise, they will give them in charity.
The world will not grieve me, life will continue, my job will be taken by another, my money will go lawfully to heirs, while I will be held accountable for it—both little and much.
Upon death, my name is the first to fall. We care deeply about our titles: Professor, Doctor, Engineer, Teacher… so when I die, they will say: “Where is the body?” not call me by my name. For prayer over me, they will say: “Bring the funeral,” not call me by name.
Friends, when you pass by my grave, greet the soil that holds my body and say: Here lie the hopes of Antoin, whose wishes faded, joys died, tears flowed, smiles vanished, sorrow grew—and above this grave, his spirit hovers, buried with its silent secret in the earth.
We must die and be buried standing, not under the feet of tyrants. We must cry at people’s birth, not at their death.
Why does the dead choose charity if returned to life, as God said in the Qur’an: {And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death comes to one of you, so he says, "My Lord, delay me for a short term so I may give charity and be among the righteous."} [Al-Munafiqun 10]
Not prayer or fasting—only charity, for its impact is visible even after death.
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Helmet of faith, sword of wisdom and good advice, shield of the Qur’an and prophetic biography, armor of piety and righteous deeds.
Noah in his determination, Adam in his knowledge, Abraham in his patience, Moses in his insight, Jesus in his asceticism.
May God grant us:
Faith like Abraham
Wealth like Jacob
Glory like Joseph
Life like Moses
Courage like David
Wisdom like Solomon
Victory like Christ
Loyalty to duty … in facing adversities
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Lebanon must be like Imam Musa al-Sadr: a nation of one sect—love for one another. Let us block our ears to politicians who divide.
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From Imam Musa al-Sadr:
I ring the bells of old churches,
I call the adhan in mosques, when I recite the Lord’s Prayer, the spirit of Ali embraces me; I cry for Hasan and Husayn, and my heart rejoices in Muhammad…
I pray to the Virgin Mary, and Jesus receives my face…
I hear Allahu Akbar from church worship and the voice of Christ from mosque domes…
Do not ask me where I am from. I am from the country of all religions. I am from Lebanon.
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If the English die, politics dies; if the Russians die, peace dies; if the Americans die, wealth dies; if the Italians die, faith dies; if the French die, taste dies; if the Germans die, strength dies; if the Arabs die, treachery dies.
Social media has enabled the trivial; now any beautiful fool or handsome empty-headed person can impose themselves over audiences.
The era of truth and values has changed because they seized everything with their triviality and corruption. When noble values and principles vanish, programmed corruption surfaces. Therefore, one must suffer to remain free from the dominance of society and the herd.
I use social media not for personal acquaintance but for intellectual and cultural engagement. Following someone means I follow their ideas, not their looks.
The greatest thief of this era is the mobile phone—professional, skilled. It has stolen minds, time, energy, relationships, even happy moments, wasting our lives, and possibly destroying our homes. And the amazing part is that we ourselves brought it into our lives. It stole all that is beautiful in us.
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Those without a phone, I can converse with. Those without Facebook, I can befriend. Those without Instagram, I can follow telepathically.
People share one house, one plate, one bed, yet never truly meet.
I am extremist in my principles to the point of madness, and my imagination surpasses poets. If people followed my views, human structures would collapse, and the world would consist of rebellious spirits. People think I am chaotic and atheist, and they advise one another to avoid my writings. All they say is true: one who presents truth moderately only reveals half of it, hiding the other half out of fear of people’s judgment. I lean toward destruction and toward construction, harboring hatred for what people sanctify and love for what they despise. If I could, I would eradicate human beliefs, customs, and traditions without hesitation.
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How did I become eccentric and mad?
This is my story for anyone who wishes to know:
In my youth, I awoke from deep sleep to find my clothes and shoes stolen. I ran naked and barefoot through the crowded streets of Bsharri, shouting: “Thieves! Thieves!” Women laughed, men fled to their homes…
At the Mar Saba square in Bsharri, a young man on a roof shouted: “This youth is mad, people!” I did not even look at him, when the sun kissed my naked body for the first time. I loved the sun and no longer needed clothes or shoes. In a trance, I shouted: “Blessed are those thieves who stole my clothes and shoes!”
Thus, I became mad, yet in my madness I found freedom and salvation: freedom of solitude, isolation, distance from people, and safety from those who would enslave us through understanding.
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