Tradition

"صَلاحُ حالِ التَّعايُشِ و التَّعاشُرِ مِلء مِكْيال ثُلْثَاهُ فِطْنَةٌ وَ ثُلْثَهُ تَغافُلٌ"

Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is narrated to have said: “The reformation of life is completed through a measure that is two thirds caution and one third a lack of care and attention.”1

Brief Commentary

Nothing can ever be completed without careful study, planning, and cautiousness. At the same time, nothing can ever be completed without a lack of care as well. Yet, how can this be since such a statement appears to be a complete contradiction? The answer is that if we want to do something without study, proper planning, and attention, then we would be unable to take that to completion.

At the same time, if we wanted to plan for all the possible things which could happen or all the things which could go wrong, then we would become bogged down with all the possibilities, and even simple tasks would end up taking years upon years of difficult planning and thought. In a nutshell, over thinking and over planning play a role similar to a lack of thought and a lack of proper planning. One needs to have these two elements in the proper proportions in order to achieve their goals.

• 1. Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p. 267. Bihar Al-Anwar Vol 75, page 241