The Perils of Haste
Anxiety and nervousness are big obstacles on the path of achieving peace and calm. And one of the things that cause anxiety and nervousness is haste.
Being hasty is among deplorable characteristics that lead to regret. Doing everything needs some preparations and preludes and avoiding them would ruin it.
For an apple to get ripe, it needs to go through several stages starting from a seed. If those stages are not taken properly and one proceeds to the final stage hastily, the result would not be desirable.
God says in Verse 37 of Surah Al-Anbiya: “The human was created of haste. Indeed, I will show you My signs; so do not ask Me to hasten them.”
Doing anything requires two things, first having the energy and the ability to use the required energy for it and, second, having the mental energy and motivation.
Being in hurry causes both of them to become ineffective. Being hasty leads to wasting one’s energy and power and what is done will not have the desirable outcome.
Therefore, rushing and hurrying most often lead to regret.
That is why Imam Ali (AS) says: “Those who rush to achieve something will be regretful when they achieve it and wish they had not achieved it.” (Sermon 150 of Nahj al-Balagha)
Of course, there should be a distinction between haste and speed. To be hasty is to do something before the necessary preparations have been made, while to have speed is to do the task with the proper speed after the preparations have been made.
