19. A WISE MAN LOOKS FAR AHEAD AND ESTIMATES OUTCOMES
He who does not investigate, study outcomes and does not prepare for what can happen is not a wise person.
This applies to all matters. Some people for example, are fooled by their youthfulness so they aggressively commit sins and postpone seeking repentance (tawbah). Death might take them suddenly before reaching their dreams.
Similarly, he who postpones seeking knowledge (ilm) or acting upon it, and spends his time in procrastination (taswij) will miss out on his objective.
Some people intend to do well and might designate their wealth as endowment (waqf), but they procrastinate and are overtaken suddenly.
A wise person tries to imagine what may take place diligently, and acts accordingly. If he lives long, he will not be harmed, and will be prepared should something bad take place.
You may speak to a leader about how bad a subordinate of his is, then dmes change, the subordinate takes charge and could take revenge.
You might act against your friend not knowing that a day might come when he becomes an authoritative figure and harms you back.
So a wise person looks at what might happen and never takes anyone as his enemy lightly.
If there was a reason for animosity you should conceal it. If Islam allows for you to take revenge then it is permissible to do so, yet forgiving is better for a happier life.
You might do a favour for a person who is seeking a job employment; later on he works and pays back the favour.
So use what I have said as a yardstick to measure all other affairs.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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