Idries Shah Quotes

The vocation of every man and woman is to serve other people.

If you are always trying to do something for a cause bigger than you - connected with serving others - then it is hard to be guilty.

The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.

Human life has meaning only to that degree and as long as it is lived in the service of humanity.

No one who has come to true greatness has not felt in some degree that his life belongs to the people, and what God has given them he gives it for mankind.

Now the only way you can serve God on earth is by serving others.

We are here to help others; what the others are here for, I have no idea.

Doing Good Is My Religion

I'm here on this planet to live in service to humanity.

The secret of life is in love the love of God and the service of humanity.

Life is not meaningful...unle ss it is serving an end beyond itself; unless it is of value to someone else.

Personally I am always looking for God to show me where He would like me to give or make a difference in someone else’s life. I wake up every day and ask God how He would like me to be a blessing to someone that day.

Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble.

Significance in life doesn’t come from status, because you can always find somebody who’s got more than you. It doesn’t come from sex. It doesn’t come from salary. It comes from serving.

Perhaps when we face our maker, we will not be asked, 'How many positions did you hold,' but rather, 'How many people did you help?

As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.

Service is the highest form of prayer as far as I am concerned.

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion.

I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve becuase I love Jesus.

There is no joy equal to that of being able to work for all humanity and doing what you're doing well.

Live for yourself and you will live in vain; Live for others, and you will live again.

Love God. Love people. And do stuff. That's my punch list everyday.

If you're going to live in a community, you have to refrain from killing one another and stealing from one another. You must have honor and honesty in your dealings with one another. But I think the deeper thing that we need to do is to become so fully human that we don't grasp at life; we give life away. We give love away. We give being away. That is the ultimate work of religion.

Life is very short; be willing to serve.

Let us cultivate love and compassion, both of which give life true meaning. This is the religion I preach. It is simple. Its temple is the heart. Its teaching is love and compassion. Its moral values are loving and respecting others, whoever they may be. Whether one is a lay person or a monastic, we have no other option if we wish to survive in this world.