Hawzah News Agency | Imam Ali, peace be upon him, states in Wisdom 69 of Nahj al-Balaghah:
«إِذَا لَمْ یَکُنْ مَا تُرِیدُ، فَلَا تُبَلْ [کَیْفَ] مَا کُنْتَ.»
“If you do not attain what you wanted, do not be anxious (do not despair) regarding what you are.”
Explanation:
Profound wisdom lies within this utterance of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, the understanding of which can prepare a foundation of tranquility within the human soul and assist one on the path of servitude to God Almighty.
Some individuals are dissatisfied with their present state and their current possessions because what they sought and imagined has not materialized. This very fact negatively impacts both their worldly and spiritual lives.
Heeding the words of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, can truly create a balance and sense of peace within a person, preventing them from regretting the past and enabling them to be content with their present. As mentioned, whatever one loses or fails to achieve is either worldly or spiritual. If it is worldly, it is unworthy of grief. If it is spiritual, yet remained unrealized despite earnest effort, one must remember that God Almighty does not leave the pursuit of spiritual heights unrewarded. Therefore, missed expectations should not threaten our worldly or spiritual peace.
The Holy Qur'an also points to this truth:
«لِکَیْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَیٰ مَا فَاتَکُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاکُمْ.»
"So that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor boast for what comes your way." (Al-Hadid; 57:23)
It should be noted that one of the prominent attributes of the pious and the ascetic returns to this very principle. In another passage of Nahj al-Balaghah, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, says:
«الزُّهْدُ کُلُّهُ بَیْنَ کَلِمَتَیْنِ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ: "لِکَیْلا تَأْسَوْا عَلی ما فاتَکُمْ وَ لا تَفْرَحُوا بِما آتاکُمْ"؛ وَ مَنْ لَمْ یَأْسَ عَلَی الْمَاضِی وَ لَمْ یَفْرَحْ بِالْآتِی، فَقَدْ أَخَذَ الزُّهْدَ بِطَرَفَیْهِ.»
“The entire concept of asceticism (Zuhd) is summarized in two phrases from the Holy Quran: ‘…So that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor boast for what comes your way.‘ (Quran 57:23). Thus, whoever does not grieve over the past and does not become attached to what he possesses, has grasped both sides of asceticism (from its beginning to its end).” (Wisdom no. 439)
Of course, the only instance worthy of regret and sorrow is when a flaw occurs in one’s faith or spiritual affairs, causing one to become separated—even for a moment—from their Beloved (God). Only then should a person truly feel regret; for lamenting over that which is eternal and divine is the act of the wise, and naturally, one must strive to rectify it.
Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, addressed this truth to his disciples as follows:
«لاَ تَأْسَوْا عَلَی مَا فَاتَکُمْ مِنْ دُنْیَاکُمْ إِذَا سَلِمَ دِینُکُمْ کَمَا لاَ یَأْسَی أَهْلُ اَلدُّنْیَا عَلَی مَا فَاتَهُمْ مِنْ دِینِهِمْ إِذَا سَلِمَتْ دُنْیَاهُمْ.»
“As long as your faith remains intact, do not grieve over what you have lost of this world, just as the people of this world do not grieve over their lost faith as long as their worldly lives remain intact.” (Wasa'il al-Shia, v. 16, p. 192)
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