Sage Advice

     "Be so occupied in the Path of God as if you had forgotten all other things. Seek solitude. It is better to pray for men in their absence than to meet them and talk to them. Who knows, when you meet them and talk to them, you may be tempted to introduce an element of exhibition in your actions."
— Owais bin Aamir Qarni, from #12, in A Rosary of Islamic Readings, G. Allana (ed.), pp. 14-15.

In writing this book on the history of the Muwallid poets, I have given such of their poems as I myself thought to be their most representative and best work. In making my choice and my selection, I proceeded with the utmost care and to the best of my ability. The wise ones say that a man's intelligence is indicated by that which he chooses, and that the faculty to choose well proceeds from an abundance of understanding. Some of them have also said that a man's poetry is a part of his discourse, that the opinions he holds are a part and parcel of his understanding, and that the faculty of choosing is a part of his acquired knowledge.
— Harun ibn Ali al-Munajjim (861-901), Ibid., #175, p. 135.

     I remember, being pious in my childhood, rising in the night, addicted to devotion and abstinence. One night I was sitting with my father, remaining awake and holding the Holy Qur'an in my hands, while the people around us were all asleep. I said, "Not one of these people lifts his head or makes a bow. They sleep as if they were dead."
     He replied, "Darling of thy father! Would thou wert also asleep, rather than disparaging people."
     The pretender sees no one but himself
     Because he has the veil of conceit in front;
     If he were endowed with a God-discerning eye,
     He would see that no one is weaker than himself.
— Shaikh Sa'di (1184-1292), Ibid., #361, p. 270.

If those that are educated do not impart knowledge to the uneducated, then the ignorance will lead the latter to Hell.
     And if of a people the uneducated commit sins through ignorance, then God will throw those that were educated among them into Hell.
     As I happen to be one of them, I say most unambiguously that on the Day of Judgement God will say, "You were the educated. Why did you not stop the ignorant ones from straying into sin?" Thus on Judgement Day the educated will be held responsible.
     When God on the Day of Judgement calls the uneducated ones to account, they will say, "There was one among us who was educated, but he did not teach us."
     Thus will God hold us, those that are well-informed and endowed with knowledge, all the more responsible for our lapses and dereliction of duty.
     It is for this fear, as well as out of respect and love for our Holy Prophet, that I have decided to inform you and to warn you, so that you do not fall into sin. God has in His mercy enabled me to understand the Holy Book. I am therefore writing this book for your guidance.
— Sayyid Sultan (1550-1646), Ibid., #438, p. 321.