by Sibabalwe Oscar Masinyana
(after Imam Habib)
There are few virtues in thinking. Unless thought is taken seriously and leads to action there is almost no point wallowing in it. Most of us engage in this sort of 'useless' thinking. I suppose the next question then is what entails "action"? Behaviour. But then we can be convinced in right thought but still behave inappropriately (counter to the pull of our thought) or do nothing about it - was that thought valueless then? Yes. That is a good thought wasted - but the possessor of that thought cannot be given credit for holding it whilst not enacting or acting up on it. All worthy thought is deemed thus through its proper application. This is not easy for anyone. And what of applied thoughts that result in dangerous, problematic, unjust behaviour or action? Those thoughts could not have been worthy in the first place. Though all thought finds its completion and value in action, not all action gives worth to the parent-thought. But can good come from bad thought? Accidentally, maybe (there is so much randomness in the world), but the rule of the thumb is unwavering: The Wholesome thoughts applied give rise to wholesome actions or upright behaviour; unwholesome thoughts applied birth unsavoury behaviour or actions; from a good tree comes good fruit and from a bad, bad. This is one of the laws of the universe and thus, regardless of how much we wish it were otherwise it cannot be but as is. May we all have the strength to raise, maintain and contain wholesome thoughts that then give rise and momentum to wholesome states of being.
