37/22. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2454 — Life, Obstacles, and Long Hope
An Illustration About the Length of Life and a Person's Aspirations Increasing As He Becomes Old, and That He Will Become Old in the End
Hadith About Life, Obstacles, and Long Hope
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2454
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2454
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي يَعْلَى، عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ بْنِ خُثَيْمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ خَطَّ لَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَطًّا مُرَبَّعًا وَخَطَّ فِي وَسَطِ الْخَطِّ خَطًّا وَخَطَّ خَارِجًا مِنَ الْخَطِّ خَطًّا وَحَوْلَ الَّذِي فِي الْوَسَطِ خُطُوطًا فَقَالَ " هَذَا ابْنُ آدَمَ وَهَذَا أَجَلُهُ مُحِيطٌ بِهِ وَهَذَا الَّذِي فِي الْوَسَطِ الإِنْسَانُ وَهَذِهِ الْخُطُوطُ عُرُوضُهُ إِنْ نَجَا مِنْ هَذَا يَنْهَشُهُ هَذَا وَالْخَطُّ الْخَارِجُ الأَمَلُ " . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ .
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) drew a square line (on the ground) for us, and in the middle of the (square) line he drew another line, and he drew another line going out of the (square) line. Around the one that was in the middle, he drew (various) lines. Then he said: 'This Is The Son Of Adam, And This Is His Life-Span Encircling Him, And This One In The Middle In The Person, And These Lines Are His Obstacles, If He Escapes This One, This One Ensnares Him, And The Line Extending Outside Is His Hope.'
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2454In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 40English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2454
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2454
This hadith uses a simple drawing to explain the life of the son of Adam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم drew a square, a line in the middle, a line extending outside it, and smaller lines around the middle line. He explained that the square is the person’s lifespan surrounding him. The person is represented by the middle line. The surrounding lines are obstacles or troubles. If he escapes one, another may catch him. The line going outside is his hope. This hadith about long hope and death teaches that human wishes often stretch beyond the time a person is given. It invites the believer to think clearly about life’s limits.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used a drawing to teach about life.
- A person’s lifespan surrounds him even when hopes go beyond it.
- Life contains repeated obstacles and tests.
- Long hope should not make a person forget his limited time.
