Narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah (bin Mas'ud) رضي الله عنه that the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم drew a square shape and drew a line extending out from it, and on this line he drew small lines on both sides. He said: "(Inside the square) is a man, and the square is his death which surrounds him from all sides, and the long line that extends outside the square is man's hope (desire), and these small lines are calamities and accidents (illnesses). If he escapes one calamity, he falls into another, and if he escapes that one, he is afflicted by a third."

Narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) drew several lines (like the shape in the first hadith) and said: "This (the line extending out of the circle) is the example of man's desire; he remains engrossed in this desire when death comes to him."