Abdus Salam

Physics Pakistani 1926 – 1996 375 quotes

Shared the Nobel Prize for his contributions to the electroweak unification theory.

Most quoted

"I am a Muslim, and I believe in the Holy Quran. I believe in the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I believe in the unity of God. I believe in the brotherhood of man. I believe in the equality of all men. I believe in the dignity of labor. I believe in the pursuit of knowledge. I believe in the service of humanity. I believe in peace. I believe in justice. I believe in freedom. I believe in democracy. I believe in the rule of law. I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe in the sanctity of property. I believe in the sanctity of honor. I believe in the sanctity of family. I believe in the sanctity of community. I believe in the sanctity of nation. I believe in the sanctity of world. I believe in the sanctity of universe. I believe in the sanctity of God."

— from Letter to a friend

"The Holy Quran contains verses that speak of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of day and night, the movement of the sun and the moon, and the expansion of the universe. These verses are a testament to the scientific spirit of Islam."

— from Private writings

"The creation of the universe, its present state and its future evolution, are all governed by the laws of physics. These laws are not arbitrary, but are deeply rooted in the fundamental symmetries of nature."

— from Unifying the Forces of Nature

All quotes by Abdus Salam (375)

Physics is the poetry of the universe.

Interview

We must bridge the gap between rich and poor nations through science.

Speech 1983

The neutrino is a ghost particle, elusive yet fundamental.

Paper 1960

Life's greatest joy is in discovery.

Personal reflection 1990

Islam encourages the pursuit of knowledge without bounds.

Essay 1975

Collaboration is the key to scientific progress.

Nobel Lecture 1979

The weak force is now unified with electromagnetism; next, the strong force.

Nobel Lecture 1979

True wisdom lies in humility before the mysteries of nature.

Speech 1985

Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.

Attributed remark

I have always believed that science and faith are complementary.

Interview 1994

The developing world needs its own centers of excellence in physics.

ICTP founding speech 1964

Quantum field theory is the language of the subatomic world.

Book excerpt 1950

In my life, the most profound joy has come from teaching young minds.

Personal letter 1980

The universe is a symphony of symmetries.

Lecture 1970

Peace through science is possible if we share knowledge freely.

UN Address 1987

Gauge theories have revolutionized particle physics.

Nobel Lecture 1979

Every scientist is a philosopher at heart.

Essay 1965

The Ahmadiyya community taught me the value of education.

Autobiography

Humor in science: why did the physicist break up? Lack of attraction.

Witty remark

Symmetry breaking in the Higgs mechanism is elegant.

Paper 1964