Book Quote by Idries Shah

“The Sufi teacher’s mission is to be in the service of those who can learn.”

— Idries Shah

“The teacher works in accordance with the prospects of his students and the possibility of maintaining the community of Sufis.”

— Idries Shah

“The selection and following of a spiritual guide is the most important duty of a Sufi.”

— Idries Shah

“The Sufis,' runs the saying, 'understand with their hearts what the most learned scholars cannot understand with their minds”

— Idries Shah

“The would-be students wish to transcend books. But, ask yourselves: if someone says that books do not contain wisdom, and yet he writes books;…

— Idries Shah

“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”

— Idries Shah

“Sufis hold that the superior experience and knowledge comes to a man or woman in exact accordance with his worth,capacity,and earning of it.”

— Idries Shah

“Sufis are not here to satisfy a demand. They exist to share what they have got. These two things are not always the same.”

— Idries Shah

“The Sufis are unanimous that a Guide (Sheikh) is absolutely essential, though never available on demand: 'the Sufis are not merchants'.”

— Idries Shah

“One of the basic Sufi needs is to enable people to see themselves as they really are.”

— Idries Shah

Scholars of the East and West have heroically consecrated their whole working lives to making available, by means of their own disciplines, Sufi literary…

— Idries Shah

“Sufism is known by means of itself.”

— Idries Shah