Anas bin Malik said, "Once the time of the prayer became due and the people whose houses were close to the Mosque went to their houses to perform ablution, while the others remained (sitting there). A stone pot containing water was brought to the Prophet, who wanted to put his hand in it, but It was too small for him to spread his hand in it, and so he had to bring his fingers together before putting his hand in the pot. Then all the people performed the ablution (with that water)." I asked Anas, "How many persons were they." He replied, "There were eighty men."
Virtues and Merits of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions
Sahih al-Bukhari 3575 - Commentary by Imam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani
Contextual Analysis
This narration demonstrates the miraculous nature (mu'jizah) of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, where a small quantity of water sufficed for eighty companions through divine blessing.
The incident occurred when prayer time commenced, revealing the companions' diligence in maintaining ritual purity despite practical constraints.
Scholarly Interpretation
Imam al-Qurtubi notes the Prophet's fingers becoming a source of barakah (blessing), similar to the miracle of Moses striking the rock. The gathering of fingers symbolizes concentration of divine grace.
Scholars highlight this as evidence for the permissibility of using shared water for ablution and the virtue of congregational prayer preparation.
Spiritual Significance
The miracle emphasizes that material scarcity is no barrier when divine will intervenes, teaching reliance on Allah rather than material means alone.
Anas bin Malik's specific number (eighty men) indicates the preservation of precise prophetic tradition and authentic transmission chain.