--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one who has no control over his…" description: "\"The one who has no control over his desires has no control over his mind.\" — Ali ibn Abi Talib" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ali-ibn-abi-talib-3270_control_the-one-who-has-no-control-over-his-desi_2325688.jpg" --- # The one who has no control over his desires has no control… ![“The one who has no control over his desires has no control over his mind.” quote by Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ali-ibn-abi-talib-3270_control_the-one-who-has-no-control-over-his-desi_2325688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ali-ibn-abi-talib-3270_control_the-one-who-has-no-control-over-his-desi_2325688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/ali-ibn-abi-talib-3270_control_the-one-who-has-no-control-over-his-desi_2325688.jpg) > “The one who has no control over his desires has no control over his mind.” [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire mastery is prerequisite for mental mastery; uncontrolled cravings dominate thoughts. **In simple terms:** Control desires, control mind. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑discipline to calm the mind. Themes self‑control mindfulness desire psychology Mood calm focused Type practical spiritual. When to use this quote - stress management - habit formation - meditation practice Key Concepts philosophy spirituality cognitive science Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice desire influencing thoughts? - What practices help you master cravings? A Different Perspective Desire can be redirected, not eliminated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-desires-1641828/) [Control Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-mind/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Desires Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires-control-296384/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone have desires, not everyone can control desires from doing it in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/everyone-have-desires-not-everyone-can-control-desires-from-doing-it/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [To me that's what art is about - when you don't really have any control over your desires to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-taylor/to-me-that-s-what-art-is-about-when-you-don-t-really-have-any-control/) [Noah Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-taylor/) > [“As for him who envies or even fears us (and envied and feared great powers must always be), and who on this account wishes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/as-for-him-who-envies-or-even-fears-us-and-envied-and-feared-great/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“But when man opens up a forced unity where he desires control, then the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-stendal/but-when-man-opens-up-a-forced-unity-where-he-desires-control-then-the/) [Russell M. Stendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-stendal/) > [“Developing the cognitive control that leads to a more contemplative Christian life is the key to living as free men and women in post-Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-dreher/developing-the-cognitive-control-that-leads-to-a-more-contemplative/) [Rod Dreher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-dreher/) > [The psychology of sport is so important. When you are standing at the crease, in front of a stadium full of people, it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-buttler/the-psychology-of-sport-is-so-important-when-you-are-standing-at-the/) [Jos Buttler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-buttler/) > [You are NOTHING when you cannot control your MIND!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athirah-khairul/you-are-nothing-when-you-cannot-control-your-mind/) [Athirah Khairul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athirah-khairul/) > [“The more we try to control the things outside of us the more we lose control of our mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-white/the-more-we-try-to-control-the-things-outside-of-us-the-more-we-lose/) [Jennifer White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-white/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Freedom in Christ allows you to control the desires that once controlled you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/freedom-in-christ-allows-you-to-control-the-desires-that-once/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [Do we have free will, or do the mass media and our culture control us, our desires and actions, from the moment we’re born?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-we-have-free-will-or-do-the-mass-media-and-our-culture-control-us/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“If organisms indeed lack free will, it implies that we can manipulate and even control their desires using drugs, genetic engineering or direct brain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/if-organisms-indeed-lack-free-will-it-implies-that-we-can-manipulate/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“For twenty-one years, I have been paralyzed by the fear of what this society will do with me if they ever were to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/for-twenty-one-years-i-have-been-paralyzed-by-the-fear-of-what-this/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [When it comes to power as it functions between humans, it all comes down to desire. If you know what someone wants, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-a-kemp/when-it-comes-to-power-as-it-functions-between-humans-it-all-comes/) [Courtney A. Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-a-kemp/) > [“One is a careful distinction between things which are in our power and things which are not. Desire and dislike, opinion and affection, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/one-is-a-careful-distinction-between-things-which-are-in-our-power/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More by Ali ibn Abi Talib > [To make one good action succeed another, is the perfection of goodness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/to-make-one-good-action-succeed-another-is-the-perfection-of-goodness/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Do not be misled by appearances for these are apt to be deceptive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/do-not-be-misled-by-appearances-for-these-are-apt-to-be-deceptive/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The weakest man is the one who is able to correct his moral defects, but doesn't take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-weakest-man-is-the-one-who-is-able-to-correct-his-moral-defects/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool speaks first and then thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/a-wise-man-first-thinks-and-then-speaks-and-a-fool-speaks-first-and/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Poverty is the worst form of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/poverty-is-the-worst-form-of-death/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The worst of our faults is our interest in other people's faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-worst-of-our-faults-is-our-interest-in-other-people-s-faults/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The one from among the Muslims who recites the Qur'an but in the end finds his way to hell, is considerd to be among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-one-from-among-the-muslims-who-recites-the-qur-an-but-in-the-end/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [I was not created to be occupied by eating delicious foods like tied up cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/i-was-not-created-to-be-occupied-by-eating-delicious-foods-like-tied/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Stubbornness destroys good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/stubbornness-destroys-good-advice/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [A calamity does not descend except due to a sin and it is not lifted except with repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/a-calamity-does-not-descend-except-due-to-a-sin-and-it-is-not-lifted/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [One who is mild rather than forceful has greater capacity for outreach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/one-who-is-mild-rather-than-forceful-has-greater-capacity-for-outreach/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Riches without faith are the greatest poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/riches-without-faith-are-the-greatest-poverty/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [A poor man is like a foreigner in his own country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/a-poor-man-is-like-a-foreigner-in-his-own-country/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The outcome of fear is disappointment and shyness is frustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-outcome-of-fear-is-disappointment-and-shyness-is-frustration/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [As the arab say: your friends are three: your friend, your friend's friend and your enemy's enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/as-the-arab-say-your-friends-are-three-your-friend-your-friend-s/) [Ali Ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) [Explore all 135 Ali ibn Abi Talib quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) [Thomas Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-miller/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. 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