I remained contemplating this for the rest of my night. When morning came, I went early to the door of my Master Abu Muhammad al-Hasan—exalted be his glory—having intended to ask about this matter. I saw Ishaq ibn Muhammad sitting at the door and thought to ask him. I said: "O my lord, O Abu Ya'qub, it is related from Lord Muhammad that he said: 'The lifespan of the believer in the Abode is eighty shirts, and the lifespan of the adversary is seventy shirts.' Have we not completed eighty shirts by this time of ours?"
He replied: "No." I asked: "How is that?" He said: "Because when the Creator—Majestic is He as a Speaker—said: {Am I not your Lord? They said, 'Yes'}1, they preceded us in their saying 'Yes'; thus they moved forward and we were delayed2" Suddenly, our Lord Abu Shu’ayb—peace be upon him—approached while we were talking. We rose and offered him peace. When he sat, he asked: "What are you two discussing?" I repeated the statement to him. Abu Shu’ayb—peace be upon him—said: "This is not the answer." He was about to speak further when Saqil opened the door and permitted the people to enter.
Lord Abu Shu’ayb and Ishaq entered, as did the Shia who were at the door, and they offered peace to our Master. When we were settled in the assembly, the Master—exalted be his glory—looked at me without a word and said: "O Hasani, repeat your question." I repeated the statement and the answer given by Ishaq. Our Master said to Abu Shu’ayb: "O Gate of God, inform him of that."