التَّسويف
PROCRASTINATION
النَّهيُ عَنِ التَّسويفِ / Prohibition of Procrastination
1ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): يا أبا ذَرٍّ ، إيّاكَ والتَّسويفَ بِأمَلِكَ ، فإنَّكَ بِيَومِكَ ولَستَ بما بَعدَهُ ، فإن يَكُن غَدٌ لكَ فَكُن في الغَدِ كما كُنتَ في اليَومِ، وان لم يَكُن غَدٌ لكَ لَم تَندَمْ على ما فَرَّطتَ في اليَومِ.
1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, 'O Abu Dharr, beware of procrastinating with your
[high] hopes, for verily you have today
[at your disposal] and have not yet reached tomorrow. When tomorrow comes to you, then be in it as you are in the present;
[that way] even if you do not have tomorrow, you will not have regret for all that you neglected today.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 75, no. 3]
2ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ فيما كَتَبَهُ إلى بعضِ أصحابِهِ ـ: فَتَدارَكْ ما بَقِيَ مِن عُمُرِكَ ، ولا تَقُلْ: غَداً وبَعدَ غَدٍ ، فإنّما هَلَكَ مَن كانَ قَبلَكَ بِإقامَتِهِم على الأمانِيِّ والتَّسوِيفِ ، حتّى أتاهُم أمرُ اللّهِ بَغتةً وهُم غافِلونَ.
2– Imam Ali (AS) said in a letter he wrote to one of his companions, 'Seize what you have left of your life, and do not keep
[deferring] saying, 'Tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow', for verily those before you were ruined because of their persistent wishful thinking and their procrastination, until suddenly the command of Allah
[i.e. death] overtook them while they were heedless.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 75, no. 39]
التَّسويف
PROCRASTINATION
3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): كُلُّ مُعاجَلٍ يَسألُ الإنظارَ ، وكُلُّ مُؤَجَّلٍ يَتَعَلَّلُ بِالتَّسوِيفِ.
3– Imam Ali (AS) said, 'He whom death overtakes early calls for more time, and he whose death is deferred continues to put forth excuses with further procrastination.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 285]
4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَكُن مِمَّن يَرجُو الآخِرَةَ بغَيرِ العَمَلِ ، ويُرَجِّي التَّوبَةَ بِطُولِ الأمَلِ ... إن عَرَضَت لَهُ شَهوَةٌ أسلَفَ المَعصِيَةَ وسَوَّفَ التَّوبَةَ.
4– Imam Ali (AS) said, 'Do not be like one who hopes for
[bliss in] the Hereafter without performance of good deeds, and delays repentance by holding high hopes
[of being forgiven] … when faced with a desire, he is quick to commit a sin but delays the repentance.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 150]
5ـ الإمامُ زينُ العابدينَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ في مُناجاتِهِ ـ: وأعِنّي بِالبُكاءِ عَلى نَفسي ، فقد أفنَيتُ بِالتَّسويفِ والآمالِ عُمرِي ، وقَد نَزَلتُ مَنزِلَةَ الآيِسِينَ مِن خَيرِي .
5– Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said in his intimate supplication, 'And help me
[by allowing me to] weep on account of my self, for indeed I have wasted my life away with procrastination and high hopes, and I have now stooped to the level of those who despair of any good to come.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 98, p. 88, no. 2]
6ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إيّاكَ والتَّسويفَ ؛ فإنّهُ بَحرٌ يَغرَقُ فيهِ الهَلْكى .
6– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, 'Beware of procrastination for verily it is the sea in which losers drown.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 164, no. 1]
7ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): تَأخِيرُ التَّوبَةِ اغتِرارٌ ، وطُولُ التَّسويفِ حَيرَةٌ.
7– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, 'Delaying repentance is an act of self-delusion, and lengthy procrastination is an act of bewilderment.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 73, p. 365, no. 97]