Your Thoughts Make Your Fate

"Look out for your thoughts, for they will become your words.

Look out for your words, for they will become your actions.

Look out for your actions, for they will become your habits.

Look out for your habits, for they will become your character.

Look out for your character, for they will become your fate."

Imam Ali (AS)

Really, how brilliantly has Imam Ali (AS) described the process by which one’s fate is shaped through the necessity of looking out for his/her thoughts. Undoubtedly, some might imagine that one should be allowed to possess any kind of thought(s) she or he may like. Yet the truth, as we can infer from the above-mentioned narrative, is that just good thoughts can lead us to the enlightened path and eternal happiness and evil thoughts lead us to evil words, evil deeds, and evil habits and consequently an evil character which obviously result in a condition in which the individual is doomed to a mischievous destination. As an example, we can refer to thoughts aroused by jealousy thoughts, needless to say, such thoughts are evil and urge the individual to commit evil actions and then her/she would suffer from the consequences, and he/she may in turn cause troubles for other individuals.If you carefully review certain historical accounts, you may find the roots of all tragedies in evil thoughts including those originating from rancor, unrestrained lusts, self-praise, self-centeredness, greed, money-loving and domination etc.Likewise, all services rendered to humanity, and in fact each and every benevolent act done by human beings can be traced to the benevolent thoughts nurtured in the mind(s) of the individual(s) having done the good, beneficial act(s) and service(s) which benevolence, no doubt, has good effects on the fate of the benevolent person(s) too, bringing them closer to the Beneficent Creator and attracting Divine favors for them.Thus, it is of vital significance for us to mind our thoughts first and foremost if we desire happiness and salvation, and also to teach our children and youngsters to do the same, for their hearts are as Imam Ali (AS) has said: “Like a fertile land which takes and grows any seed sown in it.”And let’s start purifying our thoughts from this very moment and try to be on guard against harmful, forbidden thoughts which, as Imam Ali (AS) has clarified, lead to misfortune and misery.May Allah help all of us to achieve that blessed fate which our Infallible leaders (AS) have desired for us.

M. Salimi