Excerpt from the Book of Tao, #38:


"High Virtue is non-virtuous;
Therefore it has Virtue.
Low Virtue never frees itself from virtuousnessness;
Therefore it has no virtue.

High Virtue makes no fuss and has no private ends to serve;
Low Virtue not only fusses but has private ends to serve.

High Humanity fusses but has no private ends to serve;
High morality not only fusses but has private ends to serve.
High ceremony fusses but finds no response;
Then it tries to enforce itself with rolled-up sleeves.

Failing Tao, man resorts to virtue.
Failing Virtue, man resorts to humanity.
Failing humanity, man resorts to morality.
Failing morality, man resorts to ceremony."

This is such a beautiful expression of what we Muslims have become.