Ibn Khaldun
Father of sociology and historiography
Most quoted
"History is the record of human society, or world civilization; of the changes that take place in the nature of that society, such as savagery, sociability, and group solidarity; of the revolutions and uprisings by one set of people against another with the resulting kingdoms and states, with their various ranks and the different occupations and sciences to which they devote themselves; and, finally, of all the changes that occur in all these phenomena, as dictated by the nature of events."
— from Muqaddimah, 1377
"History is, in reality, no more than the record of human society, or world civilization; of the changes that take place in the nature of that society, such as savagery, sociability, and group solidarity; of the revolutions and uprisings by one set of people against another with the resulting kingdoms and states, with their various ranks and the activities that people undertake in their different occupations and sciences, and, in general, of all the transformations that society undergoes."
— from Muqaddimah
"History is the record of human society, or world civilization; of the changes that take place in the nature of that society, such as savagery, sociability, and group solidarity; of the revolutions and uprisings by one set of people against another with the resulting kingdoms and states, with their various ranks and the activities that human beings undertake in their different occupations and sciences, and, in general, of all the transformations that society undergoes."
— from Muqaddimah
All quotes by Ibn Khaldun (397)
The purpose of education is to prepare a person for life, not just for a profession.
The greatest wealth is not money, but knowledge.
The wise man learns from the mistakes of others, the fool learns from his own.
The pen is mightier than the sword, but the sword is often quicker.
The most dangerous animal is a man without knowledge.
The true measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience, but how he stands at times of controversy and challenge.
The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
The only constant in life is change.
He who has no patience has no wisdom.
The more you know, the more you realize you don't know.
The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.
The best revenge is massive success.
Know that the past and the future are like two ends of a rope, and the present is the knot that ties them together. He who lives in the present lives in eternity.
Man is a political animal, and his nature is to live in society. This is because he needs the cooperation of others for his subsistence and defense.
The human soul is a spiritual substance, not a body, nor a power in a body, nor a form of a body. It is a simple, indivisible substance, capable of knowing universals and particulars.
The world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.
The true nature of man is to seek knowledge and to strive for perfection. This is what distinguishes him from other animals.
The purpose of life is to know God and to worship Him. This is the ultimate goal of human existence.
Death is not the end of existence, but a transition to another state of being. The soul is immortal and will continue to exist after the death of the body.