Amid the heat and thirst of the Day of Judgement, Hawd al-Kawthar is a special blessing from God for the Prophet Muhammad's community. On Prothom Alo's religion page, Foyzullah Riad describes it from the Quran and authentic hadith.

The first verse of Surah Al-Kawthar says: 'Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar.' The Arabic word means abundant good. In religious accounts it has two senses: a river in Paradise and a vast pool, the hawd, on the plain of Judgement. In Sahih al-Bukhari (6581) the Prophet describes the river he saw on the night of the Mi'raj, with domes of hollow pearl on its banks and soil, or scent, like fine musk.

In Sahih Muslim (2292) the pool is a month's journey across with equal sides, its water whiter than silver and its scent sweeter than musk, its cups as many as the stars; whoever drinks from it once will never thirst again. Sunan al-Tirmidhi (2542) says its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey.

Imam al-Qurtubi wrote that the thirsty community will drink from the pool before the reckoning and the crossing of the Sirat. Hadith say the Prophet himself will stand at its edge waiting for his followers.

There is also a warning. A hadith in Sahih Muslim (2293) says some people will be turned away from the pool because they changed the religion after the Prophet. Imam al-Nawawi explains that these are people who abandoned the Sunnah for innovation, hypocrites or those who left the faith. The writer says the blessing is to be hoped for through following the Sunnah and gratitude; in Surah Al-Kawthar the announcement is followed by the command to pray and sacrifice.

The article was published on Prothom Alo's religion page; its writer is Foyzullah Riad.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

Source: Prothom Alo