"Not long ago a very wise man told me that souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed. Even though they have hands and feet, they cannot command them." First Dwelling, Chapter 1, p. 39.

"And yet it seems to me that we will never know ourselves unless we seek to know God. Glimpsing His greatness, we recognize our own powerlessness; gazing upon His purity, we notice where we are impure; pondering His humility, we see how far from humble we are." First Dwelling, Chapter 2, p. 46.

"His Majesty knows what is best for us. He does not require our opinion on the matter and, in fact, has every right to point out to us that we don't have any idea what we're asking for." Second Dwelling, Chapter 1, p. 61.

"But I warn you: abandon yourselves only under the condition that you harbor no illusions about the...