Ibn Hazm Quotes on Virtue
Ibn Hazm, the Andalusian polymath of medieval Islamic Spain, wrote on the conduct of the soul with a practical moral wisdom, and the quotes gathered here, drawn largely from his Book of Morals and Conduct, present it. Ibn Hazm offered a memorable rule for self-measurement: in wealth, status, and health, compare yourself to those below you and be content; but in faith, knowledge, and virtue, compare yourself to those who are higher and strive. He ranked moral conduct in dealing with others on a clear scale, holding that whoever harms kin and neighbours is worse than they are, whoever merely returns ill for ill is their equal, and whoever does not return the ill done to him is the best and most virtuous of all. Drawn from his ethical writings, these passages present virtue as humility about worldly goods joined to high aspiration in the things of the soul.
Quotes
-
Attributed to Ibn Hazm:
“Love is friendship's blossom.”
-
Attributed to Ibn Hazm:
“Knowledge is more lasting than wealth, more honorable than office.”
-
“Compare yourself, for wealth, status and health to those lower than you. For faith, science, and virtue, compare yourself to those who are higher than you.”
Kitab al-Akhlaq wa’l Siyar ; Trsltd by N. Tomiche under the title: Epitre Morale , Collection UNESCO, Beyrouth, 1961, p. 21. -
“Should the merit of science being fear of the ignorant, and love and honour for the scholars, that alone should encourage striving for it. What then about its other virtues in this world and the other.”
ibid, 19 -
“Whosoever wishes for happiness in the other life, wisdom in this world, equity in their deeds, having all moral qualities, the practice of all virtues, ought to follow in his deeds the example of Mohammed (PBUH) the Messenger of God.”
ibid. 23 -
“Whoever harms his kinship and his neighbors is worse than them. Whosoever returns ill that he receives from them is like them. Whosoever does not return ill done to him is the master, the best and most virtuous amongst all.”
ibid, 18