Ibn Taymiyyah Quotes
Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah was a Sunni Muslim theologian, jurist, and reformer of Mamluk-era Syria and one of the most controversial and influential thinkers of medieval Islam. Born in Harran and trained in the Hanbali school, he spent his life in Damascus and Cairo defending what he understood as the original creed and practice of the early Muslim community against innovations from Greek philosophy, kalam rationalism, and certain forms of Sufism. The quotes below are attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah, organized by topic.
Browse Ibn Taymiyyah by topic
Ibn Taymiyyah on Freedom
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“Better a century of tyranny than one day of chaos.”
Kitab al-Siyasa al-Shar'iya , as quoted in Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Oxford University Press, p. 19.
Ibn Taymiyyah on God
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Attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah:
“What sound reason and authentic revelation establish cannot truly contradict each other.”
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Attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah:
“He who knows God most loves Him most and fears Him most.”
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Attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah:
“Right belief is the foundation of right action.”
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Attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah:
“What pleases God is the welfare of His creatures.”
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Attributed to Ibn Taymiyyah:
“He who is content with God needs nothing else; he who lacks God lacks everything.”
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“This whole religion (of Islam) revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures -
“The jihad against the soul is the foundation for the Jihad against the disbelievers and hypocrites.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures -
“What can my enemies do to me? I have in my breast both my heaven and my garden. If I travel they are with me, never leaving me. Imprisonment for me is a chance to be alone with my Lord. To be killed is martyrdom and to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures
Ibn Taymiyyah on Knowledge
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“Ibn Taymiyyah, A. (1986) Minhaj al-Sunnah . Edited by Muhammad Rashad Salim. Riyadh: Jami’ah al-Imam Muhammad bin Saud al-Islamiyah. Vol 3, p: 142.”
If God —exalted is He—is Creator of everything, He creates good and evil on account of the wise purpose that He has in that by virtue of which His action is good and perfect. -
“Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures -
“Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures”
Guidance is not attained except with knowledge and correct direction is not attained except with patience. -
“Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures”
This whole religion (of Islam) revolves around knowing the truth and acting by it, and action must be accompanied by patience.
Ibn Taymiyyah on Love
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“The more the servant loves his Master, the less will he love other objects and they will decrease in number The less the servant loves his Master, the more will he love other objects and they will increase in number.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, Diseases of the heart and their cures
Ibn Taymiyyah on Virtue
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“God does not create pure evil. Rather, in everything that He creates is a wise purpose by virtue of what is good. However, there may be some evil in it for some people, and this is partial, relative evil. As for total evil or absolute evil, the Lord is exonerated of that.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, A. (2004) Majmu’ al-Fatawa . Vol 14, p. 266. -
“If God —exalted is He—is Creator of everything, He creates good and evil on account of the wise purpose that He has in that by virtue of which His action is good and perfect.”
Ibn Taymiyyah, A. (1986) Minhaj al-Sunnah . Edited by Muhammad Rashad Salim. Riyadh: Jami’ah al-Imam Muhammad bin Saud al-Islamiyah. Vol 3, p: 142.