Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili was born in Morocco in 1187 and died in Egypt in 1258. He was a leading figure in the Shadhili Sufi order, which is one of the most important Sufi orders in the world. He was a prolific writer and his works are still studied by Sufis today.

Ash-Shadhili’s teachings are based on the Quran and the Sunnah, but he also drew on the teachings of earlier Sufi masters. He emphasized the importance of love, sincerity, and trust in God. He also taught that the way to God is through the heart.

Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili Quotes

01. “Anyone whose divine illumination takes precedence over his reason is blessed, but anyone whose reason takes precedence over his illumination is impoverished.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

02. “Remembrance of Him is the light of the heart, and His presence (in mind) is the key to the invisible.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

03. “The mystical sciences are garnered treasures, and the illuminations are spiritual insights.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

04. “Sustenance is divinely apportioned. It is not the piety of a pious man that increases it nor is it the impiety of an impious man that diminishes it.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

05. “The understanding man is one who understands what Allah wills for him and from him.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

06. “The exalted man is he who is rooted in the science of reverence, who conducts himself according to the will, and not by passion, appetitive desire or natural disposition.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

07. “Mystical knowledge is that which has severed you from everything except Allah and brought you back to Him.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

08. “If your Kashf (own insights) contradict Quran and Sunnah, then hold on to the Quran and Sunnah, and leave your personal insights aside. Allah (ﷻ) vouchsafed the infallibility of the Quran and the Sunnah, but Kashf is not so warranted, neither ilham (inspiration) nor ru’ya (vision).”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

09. “Do not take as a companion one who prefers himself to you, for he is vile. Neither take one who prefers you to himself, for he will not last long. Hold companionship with him who, when he remembers, remembers Allah, for Allah will take his place when he is absent, and bring enrichment through him when he is present.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

10. If you desire that your heart should not become tarnished, that no care or anxiety should afflict you, and that no sin should remain against you, say often:
“Tasbeeh (Subhan Allah),
Tahmeed (Alhamdu Lillah),
Takbeer (Allahu Akbar), &
Tahleel (La ilaha ill Allah)!”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

11. “Sincerity is a light from the light of Allah that He has deposited in the heart of His believing servant and by which he cuts himself off from all others. The sincerity is that no angel looks upon to record it, no devil to corrupt it and & no evil inclination to deviate it.’
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

12. “The Sufi way is the holding of one’s course toward Allah by four things:
(i) The first of these four is Dhikr (remembrance), the basis of which is righteous works, and the fruit of which is illumination.
(ii) The second is meditation, the basis of which is perseverance, and the fruit of which is knowledge.
(iii) The third is Faqr (asceticism or being non-materialistic), the basis of which is thankfulness, and the fruit of which is an increase of it.
(iv) The fourth is love, the basis of which is dislike of the world and its people, and the fruit of which is union with the Beloved.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

13. “Real prostration is the yielding of the heart to the ordinance of the Lord.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

14. “Sufism is training the Nafs in servitude and restoring it to the rules of Lordship.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

15. “The vilest of men in rank is the one who is niggardly.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

16. “Tawhid is a light which makes you nonexistent to others and makes others nonexistent to you.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

17. “The ranks of the Awliya are four:
(i) rank in respect of nearness to Allah,
(ii) rank in the dominion,
(iii) rank in respect of the fulfilment of divine obligations, and
(iv) rank in respect of election.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

18. “If anyone has faith in the divine apportionment (Qismat), he should not dispute the divine wisdom (Hikmat).”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

19. “There are two virtues that facilitate the way to Allah:
(i) Marifah (mystical knowledge) and
(ii) Mahabbah (unconditional love of Allah).”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

20. “Your love for material things renders you blind and deaf.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

21. “Whenever the Nafs (lower self) is dominant and the Ruh (spirit) is subordinate, then occurs drought and sterility, the whole order is overturned, and every evil befalls. So heed the guiding of Quran and the healing words of His Apostle (ﷺ).”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

22. “Any affliction for which a hope for reward is entertained and punishment is feared, is not an affliction. An affliction for which a reward is not hoped, nor a punishment is feared -that only is an affliction.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

23. “He who is sensitive is not patient. He who burdens himself with trouble, has not resigned his affair to Allah. He who asks is not contented with Allah. He who calls for help has not trusted.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili

24. “Knock on the door of the Dhikr, seeking shelter with Allah and avowing your need of Him, with continual silence toward your fellows and the shepherding of your innermost being to guard it from conversing with the lower self with every breath, if you desire to have spiritual sufficiency.”
— Abul Hasan ash-Shadhili