Al-Ma'arri Quotes

#1. Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than men [to thy charity]. For their race brings not harm upon thee in any wise, when thou fearest it from thine own race.

Al-Ma'arri

#2. The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: those with brains, but no religion, and those with religion, but no brains.

Al-Ma'arri

#3. They recite their sacred books, although the fact informs me
that these are a fiction from first to last.
O Reason, thou (alone) speakest the truth.
Then perish the fools who forged the religious traditions or interpreted them!

Al-Ma'arri

#4. Make not, when you work a deed of shame, The scoundrel's plea, 'My forbears did the same.

Al-Ma'arri

#5. O fools, awake! The rites ye sacred hold
Are but a cheat contrived by men of old
Who lusted after wealth and gained their lust
And died in baseness-and their law is dust.

Al-Ma'arri

#6. A little doubt is better than total credulity

Al-Ma'arri

#7. They all err - Muslims, Christians, Jews and Magians. There are two kinds of humans - the intelligent, who have no religion, and the religious, who have no intellect.

Al-Ma'arri

#8. The world holds two classes of men - intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence.

Al-Ma'arri

#9. Hanifs (Muslims) are stumbling, Christians all astray
Jews wildered, Magians far on error's way.
We mortals are composed of two great schools
Enlightened knaves or else religious fools.

Al-Ma'arri