Mentioned in the commentary that there are five shapes, so could you clarify them for us?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. We mentioned five shapes and described them in the commentary, but I do not know which one is correct.
The Shaykh : Okay, draw a square. Is the square clear?
The questioner : Yes, indeed
The Shaykh : The hadith says: “And draw a line in the middle, extending out of it,” the middle of the square extending out of it. Do you visualize it now?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Okay, and draw small lines or lines toward the one in the middle, from its side that is in the middle. Yes, is it clear?
The questioner : One last thing
The Shaykh : Okay, the square now. You have a square in front of you, yes, this square.
The questioner : On the blackboard.
The Shaykh : No, you don’t need it. The issue is one thing: a line in the middle, visible and prominent. It says to draw small lines in the middle, toward the one in the middle, meaning directed toward this middle from its side that is in the middle, not from its outer side, but from its side that is in the middle. And it said this person, and this is the term (ajal) encompassing him or having encompassed him, and this is the hope (amal) that is outside, and these small lines are the afflictions (a'rad). Is it clear?
The questioner : The small lines, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The small lines, one on his right and one on his left.
The questioner : Inside the square?
The Shaykh : Inside the square, yes, meaning inside the square. That is why it said:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 67:9
The questioner : Meaning the square is his life.
The Shaykh : Yes, this square, the term (ajal) encompasses it, meaning his duration; he cannot exceed it.
The questioner : Meaning the hope (amal) is more?
The Shaykh : The hope (amal) is in excess of the term (ajal). A person might estimate his life at fifty years, but he does not live even two years. Is it clear? The afflictions (a'rad) are on the right and left in the line. If he is saved from the right, what is on the left strikes him. If he is saved from the left, what is on the right strikes him. In front of these lines... it was said this is the description of creation... with the first one on the right, the one above. Does this fit the hadith or not?
The questioner : It does not fit.
The Shaykh : It does not fit it because it says: from its side that is in the middle. And this shape has lines outside. Okay, then it was said its description is like this, meaning it placed all the lines outside. This also does not fit it. And it was said its description is like this, which also does not fit it, because the hope (amal) is not visible.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The third one, from the right now. We started from the first on the right, so the first. And it was said its description is this, which is never straight, it is far off. Okay, and it was said its description is
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The last one.
The Shaykh : No, it is not the last one. It is the one before it, the second one on the left.
The questioner : These lines are outside.
The Shaykh : These lines are outside? There is no difference between them and the one above them except that this line, one of the squares, is open for me.
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : This is considered not straight, and Ibn al-Tayyib drew it like this. Even this is not correct.
The questioner : Al-'Ayni, O Shaykh, drew it. He drew a beautiful drawing.
The Shaykh : This is correct. Al-'Ayni. Al-'Ayni’s words are the best. There are only two drawings.
The questioner : Al-Qastallani has three.
The Shaykh : Like al-Fath?
The Shaykh : Yes, no, this does not fit, it is far off. No, the best thing is Al-'Ayni. The closest thing is Al-'Ayni.
The questioner : Does the square include the rectangle, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The square.
The Shaykh : Okay, draw a square. Is the square clear?
The questioner : Yes, indeed
The Shaykh : The hadith says: “And draw a line in the middle, extending out of it,” the middle of the square extending out of it. Do you visualize it now?
The questioner : Yes
The Shaykh : Okay, and draw small lines or lines toward the one in the middle, from its side that is in the middle. Yes, is it clear?
The questioner : One last thing
The Shaykh : Okay, the square now. You have a square in front of you, yes, this square.
The questioner : On the blackboard.
The Shaykh : No, you don’t need it. The issue is one thing: a line in the middle, visible and prominent. It says to draw small lines in the middle, toward the one in the middle, meaning directed toward this middle from its side that is in the middle, not from its outer side, but from its side that is in the middle. And it said this person, and this is the term (ajal) encompassing him or having encompassed him, and this is the hope (amal) that is outside, and these small lines are the afflictions (a'rad). Is it clear?
The questioner : The small lines, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The small lines, one on his right and one on his left.
The questioner : Inside the square?
The Shaykh : Inside the square, yes, meaning inside the square. That is why it said:
From its side that is in the middle
من جانبه الذي في الوسطThe questioner : Meaning the square is his life.
The Shaykh : Yes, this square, the term (ajal) encompasses it, meaning his duration; he cannot exceed it.
The questioner : Meaning the hope (amal) is more?
The Shaykh : The hope (amal) is in excess of the term (ajal). A person might estimate his life at fifty years, but he does not live even two years. Is it clear? The afflictions (a'rad) are on the right and left in the line. If he is saved from the right, what is on the left strikes him. If he is saved from the left, what is on the right strikes him. In front of these lines... it was said this is the description of creation... with the first one on the right, the one above. Does this fit the hadith or not?
The questioner : It does not fit.
The Shaykh : It does not fit it because it says: from its side that is in the middle. And this shape has lines outside. Okay, then it was said its description is like this, meaning it placed all the lines outside. This also does not fit it. And it was said its description is like this, which also does not fit it, because the hope (amal) is not visible.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : The third one, from the right now. We started from the first on the right, so the first. And it was said its description is this, which is never straight, it is far off. Okay, and it was said its description is
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : The last one.
The Shaykh : No, it is not the last one. It is the one before it, the second one on the left.
The questioner : These lines are outside.
The Shaykh : These lines are outside? There is no difference between them and the one above them except that this line, one of the squares, is open for me.
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : This is considered not straight, and Ibn al-Tayyib drew it like this. Even this is not correct.
The questioner : Al-'Ayni, O Shaykh, drew it. He drew a beautiful drawing.
The Shaykh : This is correct. Al-'Ayni. Al-'Ayni’s words are the best. There are only two drawings.
The questioner : Al-Qastallani has three.
The Shaykh : Like al-Fath?
The Shaykh : Yes, no, this does not fit, it is far off. No, the best thing is Al-'Ayni. The closest thing is Al-'Ayni.
The questioner : Does the square include the rectangle, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : The square.