“Tomorrow—God willing—you will arrive at the spring of Tabūk. You will not reach it until the forenoon, so whoever gets there ahead of me must not touch any of its water until I come.”

We reached the place, but two men had preceded us, and the spring was no more than a thin trickle, like the strap of a sandal, giving off only a little water. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, asked them, “Have you touched any of its water?” They said, “Yes.” The Prophet scolded them and said to them whatever Allah willed him to say. Then we kept scooping small handfuls of water from the spring until a modest pool had gathered. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, washed his hands and face in it and then poured the water back into the spring, whereupon it burst forth with a rushing—or he said, copious—flow, and the people drank their fill.

He then said, “Before long, O Muʿādh—if you live long enough—you will see this entire area transformed into lush gardens.”