2513 — “I was given al-Kawthar: it is a river flowing [thus, upon the surface of the earth], without carving out a channel. Its banks are domes of pearl. I struck its soil with my hand, and it was intensely fragrant musk; and its pebbles are pearls.”

Ahmad recorded it (3/152): ‘Abd al-Samad narrated to us—and this version contains the addition—and (3/247): ‘Affan narrated to us, whose wording is given here. They both said: Hammad narrated to us: Thabit informed us, from Anas ibn Malik, that he recited this verse: “Indeed, We have granted you al-Kawthar.” He said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said it. Ibn Hibban also recorded it in his Sahih (7/133/6437) through the route of Hudbah ibn Khalid: Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us with the same chain; and al-Bazzar (4/179/3488) through the route of Ruh: Hammad narrated to us with the same chain.

I say: This is an authentic chain of transmission according to Muslim’s criteria. Al-Suyuti, in al-Durr al-Manthur (6/401), also attributed it to Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Mardawayh, from Anas. Ibn al-Qayyim said in Hadi al-Arwah (1/286): “Abu Khaythamah said: ‘Affan narrated to us. Hammad ibn Salamah narrated to us … And Ibn Abi al-Dunya said: Ya‘qub ibn ‘Ubayd—[the original reads: ‘Ubaydah, which is an error]—narrated to us; Yazid ibn Harun narrated to us; al-Jurayri narrated to us, from Mu‘awiyah ibn Qurrah, from Anas ibn Malik, who said:”