Ibn Khaldun

science arabic work writing

“All the sciences came to exist in Arabic. The systematic works on them were written in Arabic writing.”

―Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

business responsible merchant wealthy ruler

“Businesses owned by responsible and organized merchants shall eventually surpass those owned by wealthy rulers.”

―Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

geometry enlighten mind right

“Geometry enlightens the intellect and sets one's mind right.”

―Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

history nation suffer physical defeat psychological

"Throughout history many nations have suffered a physical defeat, but that has never marked the end of a nation. But when a nation has become the victim of a psychological defeat, then that marks the end of a nation."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

man ignorant learned knowledge

"Man is essentially ignorant, and becomes learned through acquiring knowledge."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

government institution prevent injustice commit

"Government is an institution which prevents injustice other than such as it commits itself."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

pathfinder trail leader recognize

"He who finds a new path is a pathfinder, even if the trail has to be found again by others; and he who walks far ahead of his contemporaries is a leader, even though centuries pass before he is recognized as such."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

soul impartial information truth untruth partisanship prejudice

"If the soul is impartial in receiving information, it devotes to that information the share of critical investigation the information deserves, and its truth or untruth thus becomes clear. However, if the soul is infected with partisanship for a particular opinion or sect, it accepts without a moment's hesitation the information that is agreeable to it. Prejudice and partisanship obscure the critical faculty and preclude critical investigation. The results is that falsehoods are accepted and transmitted."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

sedentary culture civilization end corruption

"Sedentary culture is the goal of civilization. It means the end of its lifespan and brings about its corruption."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

habit quality soul

"Habits are qualities of the soul".

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

dynasty taxation yield revenue assessment large small

"It should be known that at the beginning of the dynasty, taxation yields a large revenue from small assessments. At the end of the dynasty, taxation yields a small revenue from large assessments."

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)

change condition world alter existence anew

"When there is a general change of conditions,

It is as if the entire creation had changed

and the whole world been altered,

as if it were a new and repeated creation,

a world brought into existence anew. "

—Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406)