Cat Stevens Quotes

Communal well-being is central to human life.

The verses talked about other Prophets as brothers preaching the same unifying script of mankind, showing every man and woman the way to Paradise. I saw the names of Jesus, of Moses, of Abraham, of Jacob, of Noah and of course, crucially, the name of this last messenger, the last Messenger of God, Muhammad.

It's very difficult to ignore humanitarian disasters. The royalties from my albums continue to support my charity work.

The private little world that I create with my music is something that most people like to listen to alone and get into.

The very first lesson that I learnt from the Qur'an was the message of unity and peace.

It's hard to get by just upon a smile,

And if my mind breaks up In all so many ways I know the meaning of The words, I love you

Muslims have been subjected to so many tyrants and oppressive regimes. That's what the Arab Spring was about, but the problem comes in trying to direct a revolution.

It is part of my faith as a Muslim to try to help those who are suffering from poverty or economic or political injustice.

If I ever loose my eyes, I won't have to cry no more.

They have hijacked my religion.

I believe Islam was truly spread by example. So whatever good a Muslim does publicly will be seen - the same is true for the bad.

I've been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one. And I believe it could be someday it's going to come.

The greatest legacy is that which benefits the widest number of people for the longest period without limit to value. No one but the Prophet Muhammad was given that role as the seal of God's message.

I'm being followed by a moon shadow
Leaping and hopping on a moon shadow ...
Did it take long to find me, I asked the faithful light
... and are you going to stay the night?

The fact that the Prophet cared for every human being and tried his best to ensure their security in the hereafter must be the most telling of his compassionate and merciful characteristics.

A person who steals bread during a famine is not treated as a thief.

I can never quite trust anybody anymore.

'Peace Train' is a song I wrote, the message of which continues to breeze thunderously through the hearts of millions. There is a powerful need for people to feel that gust of hope rise up again.

I found a religion that blended scientific reason with spiritual reality in a unifying faith far removed from the headlines of violence, destruction and terrorism.

You can argue with a philosopher, but you can't argue with a good song. And I think I've got a few good songs.

I'm afraid that a lot of things that people believe about Islam are totally different from the religion that most of us recognize. I was really fortunate that I got to know Islam before it became a headline.

To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are.

I think kids relate to me because I have some ability to remain a little bit naive. Even during interviews. Mostly during interviews.

But when it comes to being loved, she's first/That's how I know
The first cut is the deepest.

The theatre is a world in itself. The possibility for creating experiences that move people is increased many times over. In the end, the best stories are usually about a battle of good over evil - that has never changed.

Maybe some people may have thought or imagined that Islam drains all creativity. In fact, when you look at history, you discover that the golden age of Spain is what actually produced what we call the guitar.

Considering the fact that I have been in the spotlight more or less since I was 18, there is an aspect of normality to my public profile, which I have grown to live with. As much as I would like to disappear into the crowd, my work won't let me - difficult as it is for my family.

I wouldn't be writing songs if I didn't have something to say.

I thought everybody would embrace and understand my reasons for becoming Muslim.

If you want to be free be free

I became alienated from this religious upbringing, and started making music. I wanted to be a big star. All those things I saw in the films and on the media took hold of me, and perhaps I thought this was my god: the goal of making money.

I became very famous, as a teenager, and my name and photo were splashed in all the media. They made me larger than life, so I wanted to live larger than life, and the only way to do that was to be intoxicated.

Don't you feel a change a coming From another side of time, Breaking down the walls of silence, Lifting shadows from your mind.

I grew up in the West End, so my whole background was living among theatres and musicals and the West End's coffee bars and clubs. It's kind of obvious that one day I should do something like that.

In Islam there is a line between let's say freedom and the line which is then transgressed into immorality and irresponsibility and I think as far as this writer is concerned, unfortunately, he has been irresponsible with his freedom of speech. Salman Rushdie or indeed any writer who abuses the prophet, or indeed any prophet, under Islamic law, the sentence for that is actually death. It's got to be seen as a deterrent, so that other people should not commit the same mistake again.

I suppose that the media and their portrayal of Islam and the almost tribal separations and divisions of the Muslims are the greatest issues confronting Muslims in the United Kingdom.

Now I'm not making love to anyone's wishes, Only for that light I see 'Cause when I'm dead and lowered low in my grave, That's gonna be the only thing that's left of me

I was brought up in the modern world of all the luxury and the highlight of show business. I was born into a Christian home.

Baby I know, the first cut is the deepest.

Rather than go to a demonstration to burn an effigy of the author Salman Rushdie, I would have hoped that it'd be the real thing.

Businesswomen are fine. But they shouldn't be forced to pay for the raising of the family. It's the husband's job. That's the way I see it.

I'm looking for a hard-headed woman, One who will make me do my best, And if I find my hard-headed woman, I know the rest of my life will be blessed

I'm a mirror glass for the Muslims as well as the Western world, which looks at me in a slightly different way, but they are looking in the same mirror.

I always stood for the elimination of conflict and wars, and any of those causes that ignite them.

This is the beauty of the Qur'an: it asks you to reflect and reason, and not to worship the sun or moon but the One who has created everything. The Qur'an asks man to reflect upon the sun and moon and God's creation in general.

I never thought I'd be on the same stage as Kiss.

Music is part of God's universe.

In those days a concert was a personal experience. I wanted to be as close as possible to the audience, and of course big stadiums didn't enable you to do that. It wasn't my style.

If you want to be free, be free, because there's a million things to be.

Because I don't play guitar any more, African harmonies and rhythms have been an inspiration to me. I love the raw origin of the sound. It complements my voice and words naturally.

Lord, my body has been a good friend But I won't need it when I reach the end Miles from nowhere, Guess I'll take my time Oh yeah, to reach there

Everything I do is for the pleasure of Allah.

I remember when I was a kid, when I just used to love listening to something again and again and over and over. You know, everybody else got sick of it, but I loved that discovery of music and what it did to my world, to my imagination. And so I started really considering, "Yeah, I've got to do more," for kids, particularly.

When many astronauts go to space, they see the insignificant size of the earth and vastness of space, and they become very religious, because they have seen the Signs of Allah.

I looked at some of the statues of Jesus; they were just stones with no life. When they said that God is three, I was puzzled even more but could not argue. I believed it, simply because I had to have respect for the faith of my parents.

I listen to the wind, the wind of my soul.

After embracing Islam in 1977, I considered the majority of underprivileged dark-skinned people of the so-called Third World brothers and sisters in humanity.

I became a vegetarian, and I carried around a suitcase full of vitamins and special drinks everywhere I went.

I suppose that by being absent from the music business, it appeared that I just dropped out, but really I never did. I was continuously working and doing various things.

Music can be healing, and with my history and my knowledge of both sides of what looks like a gigantic divide in the world, I feel I can point a way forward to our common humanity again.

I used Coldplay's mixer, Michael H. Brauer, on 'Roadsinger'; he's brilliant. He won a Grammy for their record.

If you want to be you, BE YOU!

And though you want to last forever,
You know you never will,
You know you never will,
And the good-bye makes the journey harder still.

So on and on I go, the seconds tick the time out There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out.

Then one day I found my head when I wasn't even trying.

There's been this argument about Coldplay stealing this melody from Joe Satriani, but, if you listen to it, it's mine! It's the 'Foreigner Suite,' it is!

Islam is not just a religion. Islam is everything.

I did not come into contact with any Muslim before I embraced Islam. I read the Qur'an first and realized no person is perfect, Islam is perfect, and if we imitate the conduct of the Holy Prophet ... we will be successful.

I enjoy life. I think I'll enjoy death even more. Life is too confusing.

In music, you can use metaphors with ease - if a person doesn't understand the parable, they can still enjoy the melody of the music. If, however, a person reads a book and misses the meaning of its metaphors, this will be extremely disheartening for both the reader as well as the author.

I had to learn my faith and look after my family, and I had to make priorities. But now I've done it all and there's a little space for me to fill in the universe of music again.

Salman Rushdie, indeed any writer who abuses the prophet or indeed any prophet under Islamic law, the sentence for that is actually death.

I let my music take me where my heart wants to go.

Music is a lady that I still love because she gives me the air that I breathe. We need all sorts of nourishment. And music satisfies and nourishes the hunger within ourselves for connection and harmony.

Ooh baby, baby, it's a wild world, it's hard just to get by upon a smile.

The latest horror to hit the U.S. looks to have been caused by people of Middle Eastern origin, bearing Muslim names. Again, shame. This fuels more hatred for a religion and a people who have nothing to do with these events.

Oh God! If you save me I will work for you.

Man is created to be God's deputy on earth and it is important to realize the obligation to rid ourselves of all illusions and to make our lives a preparation for the next life.

My whole aim in whatever I say, whatever I do, is to follow the peaceful line of having people live together ... If we can all play in that game, the world will be a better place.

I tried Zen and Ching, numerology, tarot cards and astrology. I tried to look back into the Bible, and could not find anything. At this time I did not know anything about Islam, and then, what I regarded as a miracle occurred. My brother had visited the mosque in Jerusalem, and was greatly impressed that while on the one hand it throbbed with life.

In the early days I had a very black-and-white view of everything. I think that's kind of natural for anyone who's just embraced Islam - or any religion - as a convert. It was important for me to duck out of the fast and furious life I'd been living as a pop star. I was in a different mood.

It seems to be the easiest thing in the world these days to make scurrilous accusations against Muslims, and in my case it directly impacts on my relief work and damages my reputation as an artist. The harm done is often difficult to repair.

Life is a journey, you know; and a lot of journeys, you go out, you come back.