Part 124

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah # said, “Whoever it pleases that Allah should give him wine to drink in the Hereafter, then let him forsake it in the world. And whomever it pleases that Allah should clothe him in silk in the Hereafter, then let him forsake it in the world. The rivers of Paradise gush forth from underneath hills ~ or mountains ~ of musk (the best kind of perfume). Were the jewels (ornaments) of the lowest dweller of Paradise to be compared to the jewels (ornaments) of all the inhabitants of the world, the jewels (ornaments) of the lowest dweller of Paradise would be superior to the jewels (ornaments) of all inhabitants of the world (put together).” (Related by Tbn Abee Ad-Dunyaa)

By way of Abu Mu’aawiyah, ‘Abdullah # said, “The rivers of Paradise gush forth from musk (the best kind of perfume).” This is more authentic as a saying of ‘Abdullah than it is as a saying of the Prophet #84.

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A Description Of Al-Kauthar, The Most Famous of The Rivers Of Paradise. May Allah 3¢ Give Us Drink From It, By His Grace And Generosity

“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad 38) Al-Kauthar (a

river in Paradise). Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and

sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you (O Muhammad 2%),

he will be cut of (from posterity and every good thing in this world

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In another narration, Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah #6 said, “I have been given Al-Kauthar; it is a river that flows on the surface of the ground; its two sides are domes of pearls, without being roofed. I struck my hand on its soil, and its soil was musk (the best kind of perfume) Adhfar (pure, unmixed), and its pebbles are pearls.” (Ahmad)

Anas ibn Maalik 4 reported that the Messenger of Allah 2% was asked about the Kauthar, and he 2% said, “It is river in Paradise which Allah gave me. Its soil is musk (the best kind of perfume). Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Birds, whose necks are like the necks of Al-Jazoor (camels that are ready to be slaughtered), come to drink from it” Abu Bakr & said, “O Messenger of Allah, they (the birds) are soft?” He #% said, “Eating them is softer than them.” (Ahmad)

Hudhaifah . related that the Messenger of Allah 38 said, “Verily, in Paradise there are birds that are like Al-Bukhaatee (camels that have long necks).” Abu Bakr % said, “They are soft, O Messenger of Allah?” He #8 said, “The one who eats them is softer than them, and you are from those who will eat them, O Abu Bakr.” (Related by AlHaakim) Al-Haakim then related it through Qataadah in Mursal form.

The Narration Of Ibn “Umar

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narration of this hadith, and the latter said, “Hasan sahih.”

The Narration Of Ibn ‘Abbaas

Sa’eed ibn Jubair related that Ibn ‘Abbaas said about the Kauthar, “It is the goodness that Allah. gave him (ie, gave to the Prophet #8). (Bukhaaree)

Tbn Bishr said, “I said to Sa’eed ibn Jubair, ‘Some people claim that it is a river in Paradise.” Sa’eed said, “The River that is in Paradise is from the goodness that Allah gave to him (.¢., to the Prophet ##).”” Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Al-Kauthar is a river in Paradise; its two sides are gold and silver, and it flows on rubies and pearls. Its water is whiter than snow and sweeter than honey.” (Related by Ibn Jareer) Al’Aoufee related the same from Tbn ‘Abbaas +

The Narration Of ‘Aishah %

Abu ‘Ubaidah #: said, “I asked ‘Aishah % about the saying of Allah

“Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammad #) Al-Kauthar (a river in Paradise).'"") She % said, “Al-Kauthar is a river which your Prophet #3 was given. Its two shores are hollow pearls, and its vessels are, in number, like the stars.” (Bukhaaree) And ‘Aishah % said, “It is a river in Paradise. When one puts his fingers in his ears, he hears the flowing sound of that river.” In another narration, ‘Aishah % said, “Whoever would love to hear the flowing sound of the water of Al-Kauthar, then he will not hear it with his eyes, but rather its sound is like the sound that is heard when a person puts two of his fingers in his ears.” (Related by Ibn Jareer)

A Mention Of The Al-Baidakh River In Paradise

‘Anas 4 said, “The Messenger of Allah 2 liked the good dream, and maybe he would say, ‘Did any of you see a dream?’... A woman.

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(once) came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, | saw what was like me entering Paradise, and I heard a sound, for which the people of Paradise cried. I looked, and I saw that so-and-so son of so-and-so was brought, and so-and-so-son of so-and-so, until I counted 12 men,’ It happened that the Messenger of Allah #% had sent a group on a mission just before that. ‘They were brought, and upon them were dirty garments, and the veins around their necks were dripping blood. It was said: take them to Al-Baidakh — or the river of Al-Baidakh. They immersed themselves in it, and when they came out, their faces were like the moon on the night of the full moon. Then chairs of gold were brought and they sat on them. Then a tray... was brought; in it were unripe dates, and they ate from them. They did not change its sides except that they ate from the fruit that they wanted, and I ate with them,’ The herald of that group (that went on a mission) came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, such and such were the matters that we went through. So and so was afflicted (ie., killed), until he counted the same twelve that the woman enumerated. The Messenger of Allah #¥ said, ‘Bring the ‘woman to me.’ She came and he #& said, ‘Give an account of your dream to this one.’ She gave an account of it, and he said, ‘It is as she said, O Messenger of Allah.” (Atmad)

A Shining River At The Gate Of Paradise

Ibn ‘Abbaas . related that the Messenger of Allah #% said, “The martyrs are on Baarig (literally, shining) river at the gate of Paradise, ina green dome, Their sustenance comes out to them in the morning and in the evening.” (Ahmad)

‘The following is in the hadith of Al-Israa (the night journey), when Sidratul-Muntahaa is being mentioned: “And two internal (or hidden) rivers are coming out of its source, and two external tivers. The two internal rivers are in Paradise, and the external ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.”

Abu Buraizah . reported that the Messenger of Allah #¢ said, “Saihaan, Jaihaan, the Euphrates, and the Nile — these are all from the rivers of Paradise.” Ahmad and Muslim related this, and the

Jbn ‘Abbaas # reported that the Prophet 4 said, “Allah sent down

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five rivers from Paradise: Saihoon, and it is the tiver of India; Jaihoon, and it is the river of Balkh; Dijlah and the Euphrates, and they are the rivers of Iraq; and the Nile, which is the river of Egypt. Allah a sent them down from one source, from the sources of Paradise — from the lowest of their levels, on the wings of Jibreel. He deposited them in the mountains and made them flow in the earth. And He placed many benefits in them for the people, in the different aspects of their livelihood. And that is the saying of Allah

“And we sent down from the sky water (rain) in (due) measure, and

We gave it lodging in the eartl at} “When Yajooj and Majooj come out, Allah will send Jibreel, and he will raise the following from the earth: the Qus’an AlAdheem; all knowledge; the black stone, from the corner of the House (Ka’bah), at the Station of Tbraaheem; the Taaboot (Ark) of Moosa, with that which is in it; and these five rivers. All of that will be raised to the sky, and that is the saying of Allah #8: