LIFE

CHAPTER ON DEATH AND HOPE 147 - Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) drew a square shape on the ground with a stick. Then, he drew a line through its middle, and a line outside of it. Then he drew some small lines stemming from the middle line pointing towards the center. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) explained these drawings as follows: This line is the human. The square surrounding it is his lifespan (ajal). The line extending outside is his hope/ambition. The small lines (cutting the hope line) are afflictions. If the arrow of affliction misses the human, another one hits him. If that one also misses, the arrow of death hits him. Bukhari, Riqaq 3; Tirmidhi, Qiyamah 23, (null6); Ibn Majah, Zuhd 27, (4231).