
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,161,747 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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Said in the 600s
“I stood asking news of the ruins concerning their lovely habitants; but what avail my questions to dreary rocks, who answer them only by their echo?”
Labīd (560–661) said by 661 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“A greedy man will always find himself in the shackles of humility.”
Ali (599–661) said by 661 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I shall not now speak of the knowledge of the Hindus … of their suitable discoveries in the science of astronomy—discoveries even more ingenious than those of the Greeks and Babylonians, of their rational system of mathematics, or of their method of calculation which no words can praise strongly enough; I mean the system using nine symbols.”
Severus Sebokht (575–667) said by 667 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Severus Sebokht, quoted in The Wonder That Was India, A.L. Basham. Quoted from Gewali, Salil (2013). Great Minds on India. New Delhi: Penguin Random House.
“Do not try to search outside yourself, which [only] leads to the suffering of saṃsāra. Maintain the same state of mind in every moment of thought, in every phase of mental activity.”
Daman Hongren (601–674) said by 674 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“鹅 鹅 鹅, 曲 项 向 天 歌。 白 毛 浮 绿 水, 红 掌 拨 清 波。”
Luo Binwang (640–684) said by 684 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On Geese", as translated by YeShell in How To Write Classical Chinese Poems (Lulu Press, 2015)
“Omar then is reported to have asked Abu Lulu: "I heard that you make windmills; make one for me as well." In a sullen mood, Piruz said, Verily I will make such a mill for you, that the whole world would remember it.”
Piruz Nahavandi (died 644) said by 644 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I know that you are just a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor give benefit. Had I not seen Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.”
Umar (586–644) said by 644 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Prophet said: Prayer in congregation is twenty-five levels better than a prayer offered on one’s own.”
Aisha (614–678) said by 678 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Also quoted by: Al-Nasa'i
“How wretched are those in the sight of God who disobey Him.”
Abu Bakr (573–634) said by 634 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Abdul Jaleel Qureshi, Hazrat Abu Bakr Nay Farmaya (Ferozesons, 2011), p.64)
“Non Angli, sed angeli.”
Pope Gregory I (540–604) said by 604 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Also quoted by: Papa Gregório I (pt)
“With a bronze mirror, one can see whether he is properly attired; with history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a nation; with men as a mirror, one can see whether he is right or wrong. Now I've lost my faithful mirror by the death of Weizheng.”
Emperor Taizong of Tang (598–649) said by 649 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Quoted in: Yanqing Vanessa Ong et al. Memories unfolded: a guide to memories at Old Ford Factory, 2008, p. 50
“Is the foal of a mare more valuable in your eyes than the Son of God?”
Aidan of Lindisfarne (590–651) said by 651 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“By God! If any of the Arabs other than you were to say that to me, while he was in the same situation as you, I would not leave him without mentioning his mother's being deprived of him. I would say it whoever he might be. But, by God, there is no way for me to mention your mother except by saying the best things possible.”
Al-Hurr ibn Yazid Al-Tamimi (650–680) said by 680 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Also quoted by: Al-Tabari
“Increase of experiences, increases the wisdom of mankind.”
Husayn ibn Ali (626–680) said by 680 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you truly love the life of solitude, you should desire purity of heart more than anything else, and direct to it all your aim and your course. Enquire, learn, read and understand what is this purity of heart, and whence it is acquired, and which passions engender which passions, and by what labours and exertions a man is able to overcome them in the length of the time of his solitude.”
Dadisho Qatraya (died 690) said by 690 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor distress, nor grief befalls a Muslim, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah expiates some of his sins for that.”
Abu Said Al-Khudri (612–693) said by 693 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Submit to Islam and be safe. Or agree to the payment of the Jizya (tax), and you and your people will be under our protection, else you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, for I bring the men who desire death as ardently as you desire life.”
Khalid ibn al-Walid (586–642) said by 642 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: This letter was written by Khalid, from his head-quarters in Babylonia, to the Persian monarch Emperor Yazdegerd III before invading it. (History of the World, Volume IV [Book XII. The Mohammedan Ascendency], page 463, …
“Khaybar, know that I am Zubayr, chief of a people no cowardly runaways, the son of those who defends their glory, the son of princes. O Yasir let not all the unbelievers deceive you, for all of them are like a slowly moving mirage." Zubayr ibn Awwam poetry before fighting Yassir in siege of Khaybar”
Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (594–656) said by 656 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“海内存知己, 天涯若比邻。”
Wang Bo (650–676) said by 676 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Farewell to Perfect Du", in Song of the Immortals: An Anthology of Classical Chinese Poetry, trans. Yuanchong Xu (Penguin Books, 1994), p. 37
“The ordinary people … are upright and honourable... They are faithful to their oaths and promises... In their behavior there is much gentleness and sweetness.”
Xuanzang (602–664) said by 664 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang/Yuan Chwang in the 7th century commenting on the people of India. Quoted from Lal, K. S. (1999). Theory and practice of Muslim state in India. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan. Chapter 2
“And with animals, if we approach them in a rational way we shall find a trace of the intelligible in them which is a not unworthy imitation of what is above reason. For if we look at those beings that naturally care for their offspring, we are encouraged to define for ourselves reverently and with godly boldness that God exercises providence in his sovereign uniqueness over all beings.”
Maximus the Confessor (579–662) said by 662 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Ambiguum 10, 1189B-C; trans. , Maximus the Confessor (Routledge, 1996) pp. 144-145.