“that He not send upon them a famine that would kill them through hunger,” instead of “...by drowning.” This is the wording commonly found in the corroborating reports referred to above. Among them is the hadith of Thawban, attributed to the Prophet: “Allah drew the earth together for me...” It includes the words: “by a widespread famine.” Muslim (8/171) and others narrated it, and al-Tirmidhi (2/27) graded it authentic. Its documentation has already appeared under hadith 1683, no. 3.

Another is a similar report from Anas ibn Malik, attributed to the Prophet. Abu Nuʿaym narrated it in al-Hilyah (8/326), as did al-Hakim (1/314), who said: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Al-Dhahabi concurred. Another is the hadith of Khabbab ibn al-Aratt, whose documentation appears in The Description of the Prayer.

However, the wording mentioning drowning has corroboration in the hadith of Saʿd ibn Abi Waqqas, attributed to the Prophet: “I asked my Lord for three things. He granted me two and withheld one. I asked my Lord not to destroy my ummah by a widespread famine, and He granted it to me. I asked Him not to destroy my ummah by drowning, and He granted it to me. And I asked Him not to make their violence be among themselves, but He withheld it from me.” Muslim (8/171–172), Ahmad (1/175 and 182), and al-Jundi in The Virtues of Madinah (no. 59—my copy) narrated it.

This indicates that the mention of drowning is also preserved. It therefore appears that the original hadith mentioned both drowning and famine, as is indicated by the hadith of Saʿd cited above; then some narrators mentioned one of them, while others mentioned the other. And Allah knows best.

1725 — “I have put on weight, so when I bow, bow; and when I rise...”