Hadeeth: Illustrative example of Life between Hope and Death

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

`Alee Ibn Abee Taalib رضي الله عنه said:

❝Verily, this worldly life is departing and the Hereafter is approaching and each of them has its children. So be the children of the Hereafter, and don’t be the children of this world. For indeed today there are (opportunities to do) deeds and there is no reckoning, but tomorrow there will be reckoning and no deeds.❞ 

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Narrated `Abdullaah (Ibn Mas`ood) رضي الله عنه: The Prophet ﷺ drew a square and then drew a line in the middle of it and let it extend outside the square and then drew several small lines attached to that central line, and said:

❝This is the human being, and this, (the square) is his lease of life, encircles him from all sides (or has encircled him), and this (line), which is outside (the square), is his hope, and these small lines are the calamities and troubles (which may befall him), and if one misses him, another will snap (i.e. overtake) him, and if the other misses him, a third will snap (i.e. overtake) him.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6417)]

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Narrated Anas bin Malik رضي الله عنه: The Prophet ﷺ drew a few lines and said:

❝This is (man's) hope, and this is the instant of his death, and while he is in this state (of hope), the nearer line (death) comes to Him.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (6418)]

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Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

❝Allaahu Akbar! The Prophet ﷺ set forth this parable by a means of an illustration. He ﷺ drew a square, meaning: the four lines drawn in a way which are connected with each other to form a square. Then he drew a line from the middle of this square and extended it to the outside of it; then he drew several lines around it; meaning: the hope of a human being extends way beyond what has been ordained for him. The four lines encompass him and he cannot go beyond them. But as for his hope, it extends way beyond (his limit). A person may hope to live for twenty years whereas (in reality) he may not even life for another month. His hope exceeds the boundary whereas his stated term (i.e. death) surrounds him from every side. As for the calamities, which push (or deliver) him towards his death, are upon his right and left. So, if he is saved from one calamity, another one will overtake him, (and this will continue) till death over takes him, so his hope is shattered and wasted.

Therefore, upon us is to be diligent and dedicate ourselves (in doing more good deeds) before death overtakes us. As for hope, then it can grow and keep growing, but no one knows if he will achieve what he had hoped for or not. How many hoped to return to their families for lunch or for dinner, but alas neither were they able to have lunch with their families or dinner. And Allaah’s aid is sought.❞

[Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaaree of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen]

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[Note: The above illustration is what al-`Ainee رحمه الله drew in his Sharh of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, entitled: “`Umdatul-Qaaree” and this is what Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله preferred. Ibn al-Hajar also drew five different drawings to illustrate the possibility of what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم might have drawn. See also al-Saheehah of Shaikh al-Albaanee under Hadeeth (3428)]