25 Omar Khayyam Quotes Honoring The Brilliant Polymath
Published May 24, 2023
Step up your level of genius with our Omar Khayyam quotes.
History is full of multi-genius thinkers, and our Omar Khayyam quotes will remind you why he was one of the most complex thinkers of his time.
Who was Omar Khayyam?
Omar Khayyam was a Persian scholar, scientist, and poet.
He lived from May 18, 1048, to December 4, 1131, and his life was one of enlightenment and achievement.
Check out these Omar Khayyam facts below:
- Khayyam was one of the greatest thinkers of his time.
- Khayyam had a deep appreciation for wine, love, and fun.
- Khayyam’s mathematical achievements are still in use today.
What is Omar Khayyam famous for?
The more appropriate question would be, what is Omar Khayyam not famous for?
This trendsetter was a true renaissance man with master-level skills in many disciplines.
Khayyam was an Islamic scholar, poet, mathematician, and astronomer.
During his career, he compiled astronomical tables, contributed to calendar reform, and even discovered a geometrical method of solving cubic equations by interesting a parabola with a circle.
Khayyam was born in Nishapur, the original capital of the Seljuk Dynasty in the Persian Empire.
His accomplishments were well known among his contemporaries and eventually became known to the world.
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What is Omar Khayyam’s most famous poem?
Khayyam has a litany of writings, but his most well-known poem is the Rubaiyat.
Rubaiyat is a witty and enthusiastic poem that celebrates the three L’s: life, love, and liquor.
Scholars continue to debate Khayyam’s faith because of the compelling content of his poem.
Many of the Islamic faith consider alcohol haram or forbidden under Islamic law.
However, despite being a devout man of faith, Khayyam’s writings are full of praises for the joys of wine consumption.
His imagery and playfully expressed wordplay stir the reader’s emotions.
Many say it is impossible to read a Khayyam poem and not smile.
Did Omar Khayyam believe in God?
The short answer is yes.
However, when we look back at someone’s life who lived over a thousand years ago, we are putting pieces of a puzzle together.
Omar is commonly recognized as an Islamic scholar, but others perceive him to be agnostic.
His poetry touches the hearts of many, yet much of the subject matter addresses subjects that other scholars would not attempt to address.
What was Omar Khayyam’s philosophy?
Khayyam was a man of many hats.
He expanded his knowledge of the world by consuming the information that was available to him.
Sometimes this meant looking outside of the world of Islam.
His content’s complexity often leads historians or fans of his work stuck in a paradox.
Some of his philosophical writings, such as his Rubaiyat, embrace Islamic philosophy while expressing an acute skepticism regarding faith.
Short poetic Omar Khayyam quotes that will touch your soul
Omar Khayyam was a man of many words, but he only needed a few to touch our souls.
1. “A hair divides what is false and true.” — Omar Khayyam
2. “The thoughtful soul to solitude retires.” — Omar Khayyam
3. “Fools, your reward is neither here nor there.” — Omar Khayyam
4. “Awake, my little ones, and fill the cup before life’s liquor in its cup be dry.” — Omar Khayyam
5. “Better be jocund with the fruitful grape than sadden after none, or bitter, fruit.” — Omar Khayyam
The top Omar Khayyam quotes about living in the present for today
Khayyam was the champion of living in the moment. Here are some of his best quotes about being present in the now.
6. “My friend, let’s not think of tomorrow, but let’s enjoy this fleeting moment of life.” — Omar Khayyam
7. “We are in truth but pieces on this chessboard of life, which in the end we leave, only to drop one by one into the grave of nothingness.” — Omar Khayyam
8. “The value of three things is justly appreciated by all classes of men: youth, by the old; health, by the diseased; and wealth, by the needy.” — Omar Khayyam
9. “Living life tomorrow’s fate, though thou be wise. Thou canst not tell nor yet surmise; Pass, therefore, not today in vain. For it will never come again.” — Omar Khayyam
10. “I can’t reveal the mystery to either saint or sinner; I can’t state at length what I’ve said curtly; I achieve an altered state that I can’t explain; I have a secret that I cannot share.” — Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam quotes about the glory of drinking wine and life’s pleasures
Khayyam was known for his love of the spirits and encouraged everyone to live in peace and happiness with a glass of wine.
11. “Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you.” — Omar Khayyam
12. “Dust into Dust, and under dust to lie, sans wine, sans song, sans singer, and sans end!” — Omar Khayyam
13. “It is the season for wine, roses, and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” — Omar Khayyam
14. “When once you hear the roses are in bloom, then is the time, my love, to pour the wine; Houris and palaces and Heaven and Hell- These are but fairy-tales, forget them all.” — Omar Khayyam
15. “How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this clay of yours will make a cup, bowl, one day a jar.” — Omar Khayyam
The top Omar Khayyam quotes about love, grief, and living your joy
Omar reminds us that love always wins and that happiness is a choice.
16. “As far as you can avoid it, do not give grief to anyone. Never inflict your rage on another. If you hope for eternal rest, feel the pain yourself; but don’t hurt others.” — Omar Khayyam
17. “And this I know; whether the one true light kindle to love, or wrath consume me quite, one flash of it within the tavern caught better than in the temple lost outright.” — Omar Khayyam
18. “To wisely live your life, you don’t need to know much. Just remember two main rules for the beginning: You better starve than eat whatever, and better be alone than with whoever.” — Omar Khayyam
19. “How sad, a heart that does not know how to love, that does not know what it is to be drunk with love. If you are not in love, how can you enjoy the blinding light of the sun, the soft light of the moon?” — Omar Khayyam
20. “Realise this: one day, your soul will depart from your body, and you will be drawn behind the curtain that floats between us and the unknown. While you wait for that moment, be happy because you don’t know where you came from and you don’t know where you will be going.” — Omar Khayyam
Inspirational Omar Khayyam quotes about faith
21. “Drink! for you know not when you came, nor why; Drink! for you know not why you go, nor where.” — Omar Khayyam
22. “When I want to understand what is happening today or try to decide what will happen tomorrow, I look back.” — Omar Khayyam
23. “The moving finger writes, and having written moves on. Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it.” — Omar Khayyam
24. “In monasteries, seminaries, retreats, and synagogues, they fear hell and seek paradise. Those who know the mysteries of God never let that seed be planted in their souls.” — Omar Khayyam
25. “When you are so full of sorrow that you can’t walk, can’t cry anymore, think about the green foliage that sparkles after the rain. When the daylight exhausts you, when you hope a final night will cover the world, think about the awakening of a young child.” — Omar Khayyam
What can we learn from Omar Khayyam today?
Khayyam’s works encourage us to practice metacognition.
Metacognition is the idea of thinking about how we think.
We do not know what we do not know, so it is natural for many of us to assume the ideas, practices, beliefs, and customs we are raised with are universal.
Obviously, this is not the case, and when we get exposure to other cultures, we become aware that there are numerous ways in which we can perceive the world.
Many believe that paradox can be a place of power.
When we accept that something can embody two opposite ideas simultaneously, we better integrate our multi-dimensional reality.
Omar Khayyam’s work allows us to accept paradox as a place to learn acceptance of opposing ideas while serving as the integration point between them.
Do you have a favorite Omar Khayyam quote?
Please be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
