11/21. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 904 — The River of Al-Kawthar
Reciting: "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"
Hadith About Al-Kawthar and the River in Paradise
Sunan an-Nasai : 904
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 904
أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ بَيْنَمَا ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِنَا - يُرِيدُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم - إِذْ أَغْفَى إِغْفَاءَةً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مُتَبَسِّمًا فَقُلْنَا لَهُ مَا أَضْحَكَكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " نَزَلَتْ عَلَىَّ آنِفًا سُورَةُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ { إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ * فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ * إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الأَبْتَرُ } " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " هَلْ تَدْرُونَ مَا الْكَوْثَرُ " . قُلْنَا اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ . قَالَ " فَإِنَّهُ نَهْرٌ وَعَدَنِيهِ رَبِّي فِي الْجَنَّةِ آنِيَتُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ عَدَدِ الْكَوَاكِبِ تَرِدُهُ عَلَىَّ أُمَّتِي فَيُخْتَلَجُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْهُمْ فَأَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي . فَيَقُولُ لِي إِنَّكَ لاَ تَدْرِي مَا أَحْدَثَ بَعْدَكَ " .
Anas in Malik Narrated from:
One day when he-the Prophet (ﷺ)- was still among us, he took a nap, then he raised his head, smiling. We said to him: 'Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: 'Just now this Surah was revealed to me: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad) Al-Kawthar. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you, he will be cut off.'Then he said: 'Do you know what Al-Kawthar is?' We said: 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'It is a river that my Lord has promised me in Paradise. Its vessels are more than the number of the stars. My Ummah will come to me, then a man among them will be pulled away and I will say: O Lord, he is one of my Ummah" and He will say to me: 'You do not know what he did after you were gone."
[1] Al-Kawthar 108:1-3.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 904In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 29English translation : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 905
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 904
This hadith about Al-Kawthar describes a moment when the Prophet raised his head smiling after a short sleep and said that a surah had just been revealed to him. He recited Surah Al-Kawthar, then asked the companions if they knew what Al-Kawthar was. When they replied that Allah and His Messenger knew best, he explained that it is a river promised to him by his Lord in Paradise. Its vessels are described as more than the number of the stars. The hadith also mentions that some from his Ummah will come, but a person will be pulled away, and the Prophet will be told that he did not know what that person did after him.
What we learn from this hadith
- Al-Kawthar is described in this narration as a river promised to the Prophet in Paradise.
- The Prophet recited Surah Al-Kawthar after saying it had just been revealed to him.
- The companions responded with humility by saying Allah and His Messenger know best.
- The report warns that later actions matter, as some people will be pulled away.
