Recent Precious Quotes by Prince KarimAga Khan about Humanity

Islamic Civilization
“We don’t do enough to illustrate to the peoples of our world the greatness of Islamic civilisations,”

History
“Because they don’t know our history, they don’t know our literature, they don’t know our philosophy, they don’t know the physical environment in which our countries have lived, they view the ummah (the Muslim nation) in terminology which is completely wrong.”

Culture and Modernity
“My interest in working in Syria is to take the various lead countries of the ummah and say, let’s start, let’s move together, let’s revive our cultures so that modernity is not only seen in the terminology of the West, but in the intelligent use of our past,”

Charity
“In the Judaeo-Christian world, charity is a notion which evokes generosity with nothing in return,”
“In Islam, the ‘best of charities’, but not the only one, is to help the poor be self-sufficient,”

Social, Ethical, Islamic Values
“I was born with Islamic ethics, in a Muslim family. There is nothing wrong with being well off as long as money has a social and ethical value and is not the object of one’s own greed.
“That is why I wanted to set up institutions that can manage everyday problems based on Islamic values.

Principle of Islam
“One of the principles of Islam is that on his deathbed every person must try to leave behind a better world,”

Humanity

Humility is a quality achieved with great effort and spiritual practice. Prayer and the repetition of the holy name of God are of help in the acquisition of humility.Sri Ramakrishna says: "Many a man with a show of humility says: 'I am like an earth-worm grovelling in the dust.' In this way, thinking themselves always to be worms, in time they become like worms. Let not despondency ever enter into your heart.

The practice of humility involves:

1. One should never have a base or inferior opinion of oneself. One should have a healthy self-respect.
2. One should respect all creation as the manifestation of God. The Indian custom of greeting others with Namaste i.e., 'Salutation to the Lord within you,' is a great custom.
3. One should never criticise or find fault with anyone.
4. One should never feel jealous of others. However humble may be our outward behaviour, entertaining jealousy indicates we are inwardly conceited.
5. One should be open-minded to receive truth from whatever source or from whomsoever it comes.
6. One should strive to unfold one's latent talents and use them in the service of the Lord. Not to do so is unspiritual.
7. Finally, one should never forget that humility means seeing God in everything.

Humility has great power; a humble man can never be destroyed. Before the power of humility, all people - kings, scholars, wealthy people - all bow down their heads in reverence; because humility is Godliness