--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A Better Beard that Yours. 'All true…" description: "\"“A Better Beard that Yours. 'All true devotees wear a beard,' said the Imam to his audience. 'Show me a thick and lustrous beard and I'll show you a tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/idries-shah-450_hair_a-better-beard-that-yours-all-true-devot_845087.jpg" --- # A Better Beard that Yours. 'All true devotees wear a… ![“A Better Beard that Yours. 'All true devotees wear a beard,' said the Imam to his audience. 'Show me a thick and lustrous beard and I'll show you a true believer!' 'My goat has a beard far bushier and longer than yours,' replied Nasrudin. 'Does that mean he is a better Muslim than you?” quote by Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/idries-shah-450_hair_a-better-beard-that-yours-all-true-devot_845087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/idries-shah-450_hair_a-better-beard-that-yours-all-true-devot_845087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/760/idries-shah-450_hair_a-better-beard-that-yours-all-true-devot_845087.jpg) > ““A Better Beard that Yours. 'All true devotees wear a beard,' said the Imam to his audience. 'Show me a thick and lustrous beard and I'll show you a true believer!' 'My goat has a beard far bushier and longer than yours,' replied Nasrudin. 'Does that mean he is a better Muslim than you?”” [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A story about judging faith by superficial traits, illustrating that appearances can be misleading. **In simple terms:** Don't judge belief by looks. Key Takeaway Focus on actions and intentions rather than outward symbols. Themes faith appearance judgment Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - religious discourse - personal reflection Key Concepts Islamic folklore Sufi teaching Practical Applications - social interactions Questions to Reflect On - What deeper qualities define true belief? - How do cultural symbols affect perception? A Different Perspective The lesson may overlook deeper theological nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Sufis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufis/) [Sufism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufism/) [True believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-believer/) ## Related quotes > [There is only one God and He is God to all; therefore it is important that everyone is seen as equal before God. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/there-is-only-one-god-and-he-is-god-to-all-therefore-it-is-important/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [If a pot can multiply. One day Nasrudin lent his cooking pots to a neighbour, who was giving a feast. The neighbour returned them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/if-a-pot-can-multiply-one-day-nasrudin-lent-his-cooking-pots-to-a/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Dicho del Mulá Nasrudín. Si sobrevivo a esta vida sin morirme, me sorprenderé. Las sutilezas del incomparable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/dicho-del-mul-nasrud-n-si-sobrevivo-a-esta-vida-sin-morirme-me-2/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Saying of the Mulla Nasrudin. If I survive this life without dying, I'll be surprised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/saying-of-the-mulla-nasrudin-if-i-survive-this-life-without-dying-i/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Instant Reading. A certain famous Fakir was claiming in the village that he could teach an illiterate person to read by a lightning technique.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/instant-reading-a-certain-famous-fakir-was-claiming-in-the-village/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Dicho del Mulá Nasrudín. Si sobrevivo a esta vida sin morirme, me sorprenderé.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/dicho-del-mul-nasrud-n-si-sobrevivo-a-esta-vida-sin-morirme-me/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Learning how to learn involves examining assumptions. Mulla Nasrudin tales very often fulfil this funcition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/learning-how-to-learn-involves-examining-assumptions-mulla-nasrudin/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“If I knew what two and two were – I would say Four!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/if-i-knew-what-two-and-two-were-i-would-say-four/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You have grown a little beard, I said. You see it is not true that one can't change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/you-have-grown-a-little-beard-i-said-you-see-it-is-not-true-that-one/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) > [My wife asked me about that: "What happened to your beard?" I said, "What are you talking about?" She said, "Hey, the right side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/my-wife-asked-me-about-that-what-happened-to-your-beard-i-said-what/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [There was an old man with a beard, who said: 'It is just as I feared! Two owls and a hen, four larks and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lear/there-was-an-old-man-with-a-beard-who-said-it-is-just-as-i-feared-two/) [Edward Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lear/) ## More by Idries Shah > [“To be a Sufi is to detach from fixed ideas and from preconceptions; and not to try to avoid what is your lot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/to-be-a-sufi-is-to-detach-from-fixed-ideas-and-from-preconceptions/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Teach honesty by all means - you do know what it is, don't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/teach-honesty-by-all-means-you-do-know-what-it-is-don-t-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufism is transmitted by means of the human exemplar, the teacher.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufism-is-transmitted-by-means-of-the-human-exemplar-the-teacher/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“No existe práctica en aislamiento.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/no-existe-pr-ctica-en-aislamiento/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A king who feared wasps once decreed that they were abolished. As it happened, they did him no harm. But he was eventually stung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/a-king-who-feared-wasps-once-decreed-that-they-were-abolished-as-it/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Do not tell your secrets to everyone in this headquarters, Earth. We have surveyed it well. There was nobody to whom to entrust secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/do-not-tell-your-secrets-to-everyone-in-this-headquarters-earth-we/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Sufis are those who have expunged from their minds the human tendencies of envy and enmity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/sufis-are-those-who-have-expunged-from-their-minds-the-human/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“Yes, the world is an illusion. 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You”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/who-is-the-wrong-person-to-criticise-you/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“You may be able to get the bone down your throat But if it reaches your stomach it will tear your navel. (Gulistan)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/you-may-be-able-to-get-the-bone-down-your-throat-but-if-it-reaches/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [“People are always trying to understand. There is only one way to do that. 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