4/14. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 400a — Meaning of Al-Kawthar
The Proof Of Those Who Say That The Bismillah Is A Verse At The Beginning Of Every Surah, Except Bara'ah (At-Tawbah)
Hadith About Al-Kawthar and the Prophet's Cistern
Sahih Muslim : 400a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 400a
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ السَّعْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْمُخْتَارُ بْنُ فُلْفُلٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا إِذْ أَغْفَى إِغْفَاءَةً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مُتَبَسِّمًا فَقُلْنَا مَا أَضْحَكَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَىَّ آنِفًا سُورَةٌ " . فَقَرَأَ " بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ { إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ * فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ * إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأَبْتَرُ} " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْكَوْثَرُ " . فَقُلْنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ " فَإِنَّهُ نَهْرٌ وَعَدَنِيهِ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ خَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ هُوَ حَوْضٌ تَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ آنِيَتُهُ عَدَدُ النُّجُومِ فَيُخْتَلَجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْهُمْ فَأَقُولُ رَبِّ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي . فَيَقُولُ مَا تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثَتْ بَعْدَكَ " . زَادَ ابْنُ حُجْرٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ . وَقَالَ " مَا أَحْدَثَ بَعْدَكَ " .
Anas Narrated from:
One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting amongst us that he dozed off. He then raised his head smilingly. We said: What makes you smile. Messenger of Allah? He said: A Sura has just been revealed to me, and then recited: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Verily We have given thee Kauthar (fount of abundance). Therefore turn to thy Lord for prayer and offer sacrifice, and surely thy enemy is cut off (from the good).Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what Kauthar is? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It (Kauthar) is a canal which my Lord, the Exalted and Glorious has promised me, and there is an abundance of good in it. It is a cistern and my people would come to it on the Day of Resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the number of stars. A servant would be turned away from (among the people gathered there). Upon this I would say: My Lord, he is one of my people, and He (the Lord) would say: You do not know that he innovated new things (in Islam) after you.Ibn Hujr made this addition in the hadith:" He (the Holy Prophet) was sitting amongst us in the mosque, and He (Allah) said: (You don't know) what he innovated after you"
[1] Al-Kawthar (108).Reference : Sahih Muslim 400aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 56USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 790
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 400a
This hadith about Al-Kawthar gives a direct explanation from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. While sitting among the companions, he dozed, raised his head smiling, and said a surah had just been revealed to him. He recited Surah Al-Kawthar, then asked if they knew what Al-Kawthar was. When they replied that Allah and His Messenger knew best, he explained that it is a canal promised by his Lord with abundant good in it. He also described it as a cistern where his people would come on the Day of Resurrection, with vessels like the number of stars. The report also warns that some people would be turned away because of what they introduced after him.
What we learn from this hadith
- Al-Kawthar is described in the hadith as a promised canal with abundant good.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained the meaning after reciting the revealed surah.
- The cistern is linked in the text to the Day of Resurrection.
- The report warns against introducing new things after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
