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 human being is a moral animal.
The future is uncertain, but we can learn from the past.
The more a society is educated, the more prosperous it becomes.
The ruler should be a model of virtue.
The sciences are a means of improving human life.
The human being is a spiritual animal.
The world is constantly changing, and we must adapt to it.
The more a society is free, the more creative it becomes.
The ruler should be a guardian of justice.
The sciences are a path to truth.
The differences between nations and classes of society are nothing but the result of different ways of life.
History is the intellectual science par excellence.
Geometry enlightens the intellect and sets one's mind right. All of its proofs are very clear and orderly. It is hardly possible for errors to enter it, since each result is reached by precise determination. It has been said that nothing which can be proved by mathematical induction can ever be impious.
Sedentary civilization requires protection and support.
The transformation of the Bedouins into sedentary people is the goal of civilization.
Dynasties have a natural life span like individuals.
The ruin of a dynasty is due to luxury and extravagance.
Knowledge is of two kinds: religious knowledge and worldly knowledge.
The life of a dynasty does not normally exceed three generations.
Civilization both in the world of religion and world of war is the result of a natural process.