Q0582
“Most people cling to the outer forms of worship; to strip those…” — Ibn Tufayl (Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (Goodman))
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (Goodman). Theme: education.
English
Most people cling to the outer forms of worship; to strip those forms away suddenly only harms them.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (Goodman) and files it under Islamic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Ibn Tufayl
Ibn Ṭufayl (c. 1105–1185) was an Andalusian physician and vizier best known for the philosophical romance Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mary Wollstonecraft and Plato), education is framed through Platonism and Renaissance Humanism. Some passages define education; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through education, faith, limits.
Concepts in this quote
- Education
- Education appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat education as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Faith
- Faith appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat faith as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Limits
- Limits appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat limits as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Ibn Tufayl. (n.d.). Most people cling to the outer forms of worship; to strip those forms away suddenly only harms them. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0582
MLA: Ibn Tufayl. “Most people cling to the outer forms of….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0582.
Chicago: Ibn Tufayl. “Most people cling to the outer forms of….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0582.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Most people cling to the outer forms of…”?
The passage is attributed to Ibn Tufayl, Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (Goodman). The archive attributes this English wording to Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān (Goodman) and files it under Islamic Philosophy. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Ibn Tufayl mean by education?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mary Wollstonecraft and Plato), education is framed through Platonism and Renaissance Humanism. Some passages define education; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through education, faith, limits.