Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say, “When evening comes, do not wait for the morning; and when morning comes, do not wait for the evening. Draw on your health before sickness strikes, and on your life before death overtakes you.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī. (1)

580 – From the same Companion it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “No Muslim who possesses something he wishes to bequeath should sleep two consecutive nights without having his will written and kept with him.” Agreed upon; this is al-Bukhārī’s wording. In Muslim’s version it reads: “three nights.” Ibn ʿUmar remarked, “Since I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say that, not a single night has passed without my will being with me.”

581 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ drew a series of lines and then said, “This is the human being, and this is his appointed term. While he is in that state, the nearest line overtakes him.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī.

582 – Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet ﷺ drew a square, then drew a line in the middle that extended beyond it, and drew small lines reaching toward that central line from its side within the square. He then said, “This is the human being, and this is his allotted span surrounding him—or he said, encircling him—and the line that goes beyond is his hope. These small lines are life’s setbacks; if one of them misses him, another will strike, and if that one misses him, yet another will strike.” Narrated by al-Bukhārī. “And this is its depiction (2):”

Figure 1

Lifespan
┌──────────────────┐
│ ││││││││││││││ │
├──────────────────┼──── Hope
│ │
└──────────────────┘
Setbacks

Figure 2

Lifespan
┌──────────────────┐
├──────────────────┼──── Hope
│ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ │
└──────────────────┘
Setbacks

Figure 3

┌──────────────────┐
├──────────────────┼────
│ ││││││││││││││ │
└──────────────────┘