“The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: those with brains, but no religion, and those with religion, but no brains.”
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
“Make not, when you work a deed of shame, The scoundrel's plea, 'My forbears did the same.”
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
“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-Maʿarri (973-1057)
“So, too, the creeds of man: the one prevails
Until the other comes; and this one fails
When that one triumphs; ay, the lonesome world
Will always want the latest fairytales.”
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"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-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"Reason forbade me many things which,
Instinctively, my nature was attracted to;
And a perpetual loss I feel if, knowing,
I believe a falsehood or deny the truth."
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"A little doubt is better than total credulity."
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"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-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"The world holds two classes of men; intelligent men without religion, and religious men without intelligence."
― Al-Maʿarri (973-1057)
"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-Maʿarri (973-1057)