“The lifespan of a dynasty rarely exceeds three generations. In the first generation, the traits of a rough, uncivilised rural life are still preserved — harsh living conditions, courage, fierceness and partnership in power. The strength of asabiyyah therefore endures”;

“At the beginning of a dynasty, taxation yields a large revenue from small assessments. At the end of a dynasty, taxation yields a small revenue from large assessments”;

“Throughout history many nations have suffered physical defeat, but this has never marked the end of a nation. But when a nation falls victim to psychological defeat, that means the end of the nation”;

“If the soul is impartial in receiving information, it devotes to that information the share of critical investigation the information deserves, and thus its truth or falsehood becomes clear. However, if the soul is infected with partiality for a particular opinion or sect, it immediately accepts the information that suits it. Prejudice and bias obscure the critical faculty and exclude critical investigation. As a result, falsehood is accepted and passed on.”

“Sedentary culture is the goal of civilisation. It means the end of its life and leads to its corruption”;

“People, for the most part, are unaware of the interests of the human race”.

(Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406) was a major Arab Muslim philosopher, historian and social thinker.)