Al-Ashari Quotes
Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Ashari was an Arab Sunni theologian and the founder of the Ashari school of kalam, the dominant theological tradition of medieval Sunni Islam. After early adherence to the rationalist Mu'tazilite school, he had a famous public conversion and devoted the rest of his life to the defense of orthodox doctrine against both Mu'tazilite rationalism and the more literalist trends of his day. The quotes below are attributed to Al-Ashari, organized by topic.
Browse Al-Ashari by topic
Al-Ashari on God
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Attributed to Al-Ashari:
“All actions are created by God and acquired by human beings.”
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Attributed to Al-Ashari:
“The truths of religion are rooted in tradition but defended by reason.”
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Attributed to Al-Ashari:
“Faith and works together constitute true religion.”
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Attributed to Al-Ashari:
“What God wills is good because he wills it.”
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Attributed to Al-Ashari:
“We affirm of God only what he has revealed of himself.”
Al-Ashari on Knowledge
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“The Richard Bey Show (31 March 1988), accusing Pagones in the alleged gang rape of Tawana Brawley; The Brawley case was later dropped and Pagones sued Sharpton successfully for defamation”
Mark Miller is my brother and I love him dearly. -
“We built pyramids before Donald Trump even knew what architecture was. We taught philosophy and astrology [sic] and mathematics before Socrates and them Greek homos ever got around to it…Do some cracker come and tell you, ‘Well my mother and father blood go back to the Mayflower,’ you better hold your pocket. That ain’t nothing to be proud of, that means their forefathers was crooks.”
Speech at Kean College (1994), transcribed in The Forward (December 1995), as quoted in Foolish Words : The Most Stupid Words Ever Spoken (2003) by Laura Ward, p. 192. -
“There is a systemic and methodical strategy to eliminate our people from doing business off 125th Street. I want to make it clear … that we will not stand by and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business.”
On the Freddy's Fashion Mart incident , as quoted in National Review (20 March 2000) . -
“What’s wrong with denouncing white interlopers?”
As quoted in National Review (20 March 2000). -
“Though there were over 200 policemen standing around, none of them made a move to grab him.”
Go and Tell Pharaoh (1996), on being stabbed by Michael Riccardi. -
“Go and Tell Pharaoh (1996), on being stabbed by Michael Riccardi.”
Though there were over 200 policemen standing around, none of them made a move to grab him.
Al-Ashari on Love
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“Mark Miller is my brother and I love him dearly.”
The Richard Bey Show (31 March 1988), accusing Pagones in the alleged gang rape of Tawana Brawley; The Brawley case was later dropped and Pagones sued Sharpton successfully for defamation
Things actually not said by Al-Ashari
A number of widely-shared lines are circulated as Al-Ashari but are in fact from someone else. Did Al-Ashari say these? No. Each entry below pairs the line with the person who actually wrote it.
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Did Al-Ashari say this? No.
“If Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Attributed as a remark during the Crown Heights riot (August 1991), but denied by Sharpton's attorney. See Jake Tapper (20 June 2003) " The Skeletons and Suits in Sharpton's Closet " Salon.com .
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Did Al-Ashari say this? No.
“I'll know how outraged I am when I know how many black people were on those flights.”
This quote is commonly attributed to philosophers but its actual source is uncertain or unverified in the standard reference works. Wikiquote's note on this attribution: Attributed as a remark on The O'Reilly Factor on 13 October 2002. There was no episode of "The O'Reilly Factor" on this date.