Another chain from him (may Allah be pleased with him)
Muslim said: “Suwayd ibn Saʿīd and Ibn Abī ʿUmar both narrated to us, from Marwān al-Fazārī—[Ibn Abī ʿUmar added: ‘Marwān al-Fazārī narrated to us’]—from Abū Mālik al-Ashjaʿī, Saʿd ibn Ṭāriq; from Abū Ḥāzim; from Abū Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
‘My Pool is farther than Aylah is from Aden. It is indeed whiter than snow and sweeter than honey mixed with milk. Its vessels outnumber the stars, and I shall certainly drive people away from it just as a man drives other people’s camels from his own watering place.’
They asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, will you recognize us on that Day?’
He replied, ‘Yes. You will have a mark that no other nation possesses: you will come to me radiant, with gleaming faces and limbs from the traces of wuḍūʾ (ritual ablution).’ This is Muslim’s wording. (1)
Another chain from him (may Allah be pleased with him)
Muslim also recorded it through the narration of Ismāʿīl ibn Jaʿfar, from al-ʿAlāʾ, from his father, from Abū Hurayrah, with the same content. (2)
Another chain from him (may Allah be pleased with him)
Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḍiyāʾ narrated—from the ḥadīth of Yaḥyā ibn Ṣāliḥ; Sulaymān ibn Bilāl narrated to us; Ibrāhīm ibn Abī Asīd narrated to us, from his grandfather; from Abū Hurayrah—that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
‘When I die, I will precede you to the Pool.’
It was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, what is the Pool?’
He replied, ‘Its width equals the distance between Jarbāʾ and Adhruḥ; its whiteness is that of milk, and it is sweeter than honey and sugar. (3) Its drinking vessels are like the stars in the sky. Whoever reaches it will drink, and whoever drinks from it will never thirst thereafter. Beware—people whom I know and who know me will approach, yet a barrier will be placed between me and them. I will say, “They are from my community,” but it will be said, “You do not know what they introduced after you.” I will then say, “Away with them, away with those who altered matters after me.” (4)’
Al-Ḥāfiẓ al-Ḍiyāʾ then remarked, ‘I do not recall hearing the word “sukkar” (sugar) attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ except in this ḥadīth.’
I reply: On the contrary, the word “sugar” does occur in a ḥadīth related by al-Bayhaqī in the chapter on wedding banquets and the scattering of nuts: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ attended a marriage contract, and trays of almonds and sugar were brought and scattered about; he began to snatch them while the people were snatching them from him… the ḥadīth in full, and it is exceedingly rare. (5)