If we understand the blessed hadith «مَنْ أَوْمَأَ إِلَى مُتَفَاوِتٍ، خَذَلَتْهُ الْحِيَلُ» in this way, we come closer to the Imam’s intended meaning: “Whoever attends to things that are far apart (at the same time) will find that neither cunning nor resourcefulness can help him (and will gain nothing from his efforts).”
It seems unlikely that the Imam’s point is confined to economic and worldly affairs. Rather, it has a wide application: for example, trying to possess both this world and the Hereafter; seeking both material and spiritual gains; immersing oneself in the views of different schools of thought and accepting every idea and opinion; wanting to have one’s cake and eat it too; or pouring one’s physical and intellectual energies into a range of economic, political, doctrinal and other pursuits.
In economic activity, one should first, placing one’s trust in God and believing that the Almighty is the Provider, Apportioner and Bestower of bounty, focus on a single undertaking and bring it to the best and fullest possible conclusion. If there is room in one’s schedule for additional work, one may devote that time to another suitable economic activity, provided it does not undermine the first.
Certainly, in economic affairs too, if one’s attention is divided among different activities, the limited capacity of the human mind will cause one’s mental energy to be fragmented, leaving all the undertakings incomplete. This difficulty may, however, be avoided in light of the explanation given above.
Trust and reliance on God will always lead a person to the fulfilment of their intentions and aspirations. But beware of relying at the same time on ourselves, on others, and … alongside our trust in God; otherwise, we will become clear instances of the blessed hadith.
منْ أَهْوَى إِلَى مُتَفَاوِتٍ خَذَلَتْهُ الرَّغْبَة
Tuḥaf al-ʿUqūl, text, p. 202, Ibn Shuʿba al-Ḥarrānī, Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, Society of Seminary Teachers—Qom, second edition, 1404 / 1363 AH.