Inspiration from Past & Present
There are two kinds of Zuhd: Obligatory Zuhd and voluntary Zuhd. The former requires from you that you abandon pride, haughtiness, and arrogance; that you avoid doing deeds for show; that you stop trying to gain fame; and that you desist from adorning your deeds for other people. The latter involves forsaking the lawful things that Allah gave you. If you forsake some of the lawful things He gave you, it becomes obligatory upon you not to return to those lawful things unless you do so for the sake of Allah.
—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]
(Read on pg 93, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)
Giving up positions of leadership is more difficult than giving up the world (and its pleasures).
—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]
(Read on pg 92, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)
From what I have seen, the one thing that people are least willing to give up is the desire to become a leader of others. You will see a person give up eating and drinking (excessively); he will abandon wealth and (expensive) clothing. But when we assign him a position of leadership, he stands up and becomes antagonistic and defensive (and ambitious).
—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]
(Read on pg 91-92, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)
I have never struggled to rectify something that is more difficult to overcome than my soul; sometimes I win, and sometimes I lose.
—Sufyān al-Thawrī [d. 161H/778CE]
(Read on pg 86, Salaahud-Deen ibn ‘Alee ibn ‘Abdul-Maujood, The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree. Darussalam Publishers. Riyadh:2005.)