Verily Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: My Cistern has its dimensions wider than the distance between Aila and Aden, and its water is whiter than ice and sweeter than the honey diluted with milk, and its cups are more numerous than the numbers of the stars. Verily I shall prevent the (faithless) people therefrom just as a man prevents the camels of the people from his fountain. They said: Messenger of Allah, will you recognise us on that day? He said: Yes, you will have distinctive marks which nobody among the peoples (except you) will have; you would come to me with blazing forehead and bright hands and feet on account of the traces of ablution.
The Excellence of Ablution
This blessed hadith from Sahih Muslim 247a establishes the profound spiritual significance of ablution (wudu) in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) describes his Hawd al-Kawthar (Cistern) in Paradise with magnificent attributes: its vast expanse surpasses the distance between Aila (modern-day Aqaba) and Aden (Yemen), its water is purer than ice and sweeter than honey mixed with milk, and its drinking vessels outnumber the stars.
Distinguishing Marks of the Believers
The Companions' concern about recognition on the Day of Resurrection is met with divine reassurance. The Prophet confirms that his Ummah will be distinguished by the luminous traces of ablution - radiant foreheads, hands, and feet shining from proper wudu. This physical manifestation of spiritual purity will serve as their exclusive identifier, separating them from other nations.
Scholarly Commentary
Classical scholars emphasize that this hadith from The Book of Purification in Sahih Muslim demonstrates both Allah's immense reward for ritual purity and the Prophet's intercessory role. The prevention of certain people from the Cistern refers to those who neglected ablution or performed it improperly. The luminous limbs signify the divine light (nur) that accompanies ritual purity, making the believers recognizable in the spiritual realm.
Imam Nawawi comments that the comparison to camel protection illustrates the Prophet's authority to deny access to those who abandoned his Sunnah regarding purification. The radiant marks are not merely physical but represent the spiritual illumination gained through consistent obedience in purification rituals.