--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that…" description: "\"These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century, - is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark, on a world of what proves explosive powder, blazes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/thomas-carlyle-207_century_these-arabs-the-man-mahomet-and-that-one_1909046.png" --- # These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century, - is… ![“These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century, - is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark, on a world of what proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada! I said, the Great man was always as lightning out of Heaven; the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then…” quote by Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/thomas-carlyle-207_century_these-arabs-the-man-mahomet-and-that-one_1909046.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/thomas-carlyle-207_century_these-arabs-the-man-mahomet-and-that-one_1909046.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/thomas-carlyle-207_century_these-arabs-the-man-mahomet-and-that-one_1909046.png) > “These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century, - is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark, on a world of what proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada! I said, the Great man was always as lightning out of Heaven; the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then they too would flame...” [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A charismatic leader can ignite widespread upheaval, inspiring masses to act like tinder waiting for a spark. **In simple terms:** Great leaders spark massive change. Key Takeaway Recognize and harness transformative ideas. Themes leadership revolution influence Mood dramatic inspirational Type historical motivational When to use this quote - political reform - social activism - cultural renaissance - grassroots organizing Key Concepts charisma mass movement historical cycles Questions to Reflect On - What qualities make a leader a catalyst for change? - How can societies channel such energy responsibly? A Different Perspective Such leaders can also cause unintended chaos and backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Granada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/granada/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Whether Osama bin Laden is doing it cynically and has no interest in these matters, or whether he's doing it out of genuine conviction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/whether-osama-bin-laden-is-doing-it-cynically-and-has-no-interest-in/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Iraq was only the latest in a succession of countries. Earlier, there was Cuba, Nicaragua, Libya, Granada, Panama. But this time it wasn't just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/iraq-was-only-the-latest-in-a-succession-of-countries-earlier-there/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Granada had never been on the water before and she marveled at how the creek was a living thing with a will of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-odell/granada-had-never-been-on-the-water-before-and-she-marveled-at-how/) [Jonathan Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-odell/) > [I've been going to Granada for many years and 12 years ago bought a house a few miles outside the city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/i-ve-been-going-to-granada-for-many-years-and-12-years-ago-bought-a/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) > [“The river Guadalquivir Flows between oranges and olives The two rivers of Granada Descend from the snow to the wheat Oh my love! Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-garc-a-lorca-2/the-river-guadalquivir-flows-between-oranges-and-olives-the-two/) Federico García-Lorca > [“The traveler wishing to observe Islamic Spain has his choice of two cities, Granada with its Alhambra or Córdoba with its Great Mosque (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/the-traveler-wishing-to-observe-islamic-spain-has-his-choice-of-two/) [James A. 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is to tell the Archbishop of Granada that his sermons are worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/to-say-to-a-rich-man-you-are-poor-is-to-tell-the-archbishop-of/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Spain is my kind of football, I was happy Granada were interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-pereira/spain-is-my-kind-of-football-i-was-happy-granada-were-interested/) [Andreas Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-pereira/) > [We had a lot of difficult times at Granada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreas-pereira/we-had-a-lot-of-difficult-times-at-granada/) [Andreas Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreas-pereira/) > [“Soy una granada repetí.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/soy-una-granada-repet/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Leave me in Granada in the middle of paradise where my soul wells with poetry; Leave me until my time comes and I may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-zorilla/leave-me-in-granada-in-the-middle-of-paradise-where-my-soul-wells/) Jose Zorilla ## More by Thomas Carlyle > [O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/o-thou-that-pinest-in-the-imprisonment-of-the-actual-and-criest/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness than disbelief in great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/no-sadder-proof-can-be-given-by-a-man-of-his-own-littleness-than/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The sincere alone can recognize sincerity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-sincere-alone-can-recognize-sincerity/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-glory-of-a-workman-still-more-of-a-master-workman-that-he-does/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [All human things do require to have an ideal in them; to have some soul in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/all-human-things-do-require-to-have-an-ideal-in-them-to-have-some/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Insurrection, never so necessary, is a most sad necessity; and governors who wait for that to instruct them are surely getting into the fatalest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/insurrection-never-so-necessary-is-a-most-sad-necessity-and-governors/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [What is philosophy but a continual battle against custom?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-is-philosophy-but-a-continual-battle-against-custom/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Let Time and Chance combine, combine! Let Time and Chance combine! The fairest love from heaven above, That love of yours was mine, My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/let-time-and-chance-combine-combine-let-time-and-chance-combine-the/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Thought will not work except in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/thought-will-not-work-except-in-silence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The public is anold woman.Let her maunderand mumble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-public-is-anold-woman-let-her-maunderand-mumble/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Does not every true man feel that he is himself made higher by doing reverence to what is really above him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/does-not-every-true-man-feel-that-he-is-himself-made-higher-by-doing/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [The press is the fourth estate of the realm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/the-press-is-the-fourth-estate-of-the-realm/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) [Explore all 917 Thomas Carlyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More Century quotes > [I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-always-that-i-am-an-outsider-a-stranger-in-this-century-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Anybody looking for a quiet life has picked the wrong century to born in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anybody-looking-for-a-quiet-life-has-picked-the-wrong-century-to-born/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The poetry from the eighteenth century was prose; the prose from the seventeenth century was poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/the-poetry-from-the-eighteenth-century-was-prose-the-prose-from-the/) [David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. 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