Ismatullah Butt

“O youth.......be assured that knowledge alone does not strengthen the hand......Though a man read a hundred thousand scientific questions and understood them or learned them, but did not work with them---They do not benefit him except by working.....Knowledge is the tree, and working is its fruit; and though you studied a hundred years and assembled a thousand books, you would not be prepared for the mercy of Allah the Exalted except by working.”
― Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, أيها الولد

“Live as long as you want, but you must die; love whatever you want, but you will become separated from it; and do what you want, but you will be repaid for it!”
― Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Al-Ghazali's Letter to a Disciple

“How many nights have you remained awake repeating science and poring over books, and have denied yourself sleep. I do not know what the purpose of it was. If it was attaining worldly ends and securing its vanities, and acquiring its dignities, and surpassing your contemporaries, and such like, woe to you and again woe; but if your purpose in it was the vitalizing of the Law of the Prophet, and the training of your character, and breaking the soul commanding to evil, then blessed are you and again blessed.”
― Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, أيها الولد

“رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم قال لبعض أصحابه : اعمل لدنياك بقدر مقامك فيها ، واعمل لآخرتك بقدر بقائك فيها ، واعمل لله بقدر حاجتك إليه واعمل للنار بقدر صبرك عليها ، و إذا أردت أن تعصي مولاك ، فاطلب مكاناً لا يراك .”
― Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, أيها الولد