Project Living | Alireza Panahian

Project Living

Imam Sadiq (‘a) said, “Planning is a part of religion.” People, who do not plan, live based on projects. For some time, all of their concern is about a certain thing. Then, they leave that and all of their concern is something else. When they work, they don’t pray. When they pray, they don’t work. When they study, they don’t pray or work. When they are having fun, they do nothing, nothing, nothing. But, each of these has a certain time.

The Household of the Prophet (‘a) repeatedly divided the times of a person’s day. Imam Khazim (‘a) said, “Endeavour to divide your time into four parts. One part should be for talking to God (and worshiping Him). One part should be for working and making money. A part is for communicating with friends. And, a part should be for Halal enjoyments. Use this last part to gain energy for the other three parts.” (Tuhaf al-Oqul, vol. 1, p. 409)

After saying to divide your time into four parts, the tradition goes on to say not to sit and think about just anything. This means that you should have a plan for your thinking too. A person shouldn’t let his mind wander. You should have a program. What should I think about now?

A person is watching TV and says, “TV, tell me what to think about. It has a movie. Let’s watch it!” “What is the movie about?” “I Don’t know!” Let’s have a contest for drawing the caricature of such a person. I suggest a caricature where the TV has two rollers for flattening asphalt. And the person is sitting in front of it. The TV passes over him with the rollers! Then, his mother comes and collects him with a scraper from the ground! Should a human being live like this?

When satellite dishes and foreign TV channels had first come and people debated about them, I talked about not watching TV. A young man started complaining, “So we shouldn’t watch TV either?!” I replied, “Watch TV, but not too much. How many hours do you watch TV per day?” “Three hours a day.” I said, “So I don’t have anything to say to you. There’s no use in you!” He watches TV three hours a day!

People, who do not plan, live based on projects. Each of these has a certain time. “Endeavour to divide your time into four parts.”

[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “What is sinning? How should we repent?”]

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