Hadithcore
Riyad as-Salihin, 576

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) drew up a square and in the middle of it he drew a line, the end of which jutted out beyond the square. Further across the middle line, he drew a number of smaller lines. Then he (ﷺ) said, "The figure represents man and the encircling square is the death which is encompassing him. The middle line represents his desires and the smaller lines are vicissitudes of life. If one of those misses him, another distresses him, and if that one misses him, he falls victim to another." <b>[Al-Bukhari]</b>.

وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ خط النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم خطا مربعا، وخط خطاً فى الوسط خارجاً منه، وخط خططاً صغاراً إلى هذا الذى فى الوسط من جانبه الذى فى الوسط، فقال‏:‏ “هذا الإنسان، وهذا أجله محيطا به -أو قد أحاط به- وهذا الذى هو خارج أمله، وهذه الخطط الصغار الأعراض فإن أخطأه هذا ، نهشه هذا، وإن أخطأه هذا نهشه هذا” ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏

References1 variant
In-Book Reference
Introduction, Hadith 576
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
<b>Guidance from the Hadiths:</b><br> 1) We grow old and our hopes remain youthful. Blissful are those whose biggest hope is to win the pleasure of Allah Almighty.<br> 2) A person should hasten to repent, for death comes suddenly and his deeds will be his companion in the grave.<br> 3) Life does not cease to include afflictions, for it is the abode of trials, and the Hereafter is the abode of recompense.<br> <br> <br> <br> <b>Words in the Hadith:</b><br> Vicissitudes: what afflicts man of calamities, misfortunes, etc.
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