Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I read the following extract of a hadeeth:

I am leaving amongst you two things, you will never go astray as long as you cling to them: the Book of Allaah and my Sunnah. They will not separate from each other, until you meet me at the Lake.”

From the above can you please explain to me what is meant `the lake`

Jazak Allaah Kheir 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

The lake of Kauthar

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: From the above can you please explain to me what is meant `the lake`

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 108 Surah Al-Kauthar verses 1-3:

1 To thee (O Mohamed (saws)) have We granted the Fount (or Lake or River) of Kauthar (Abundance).

2 Therefore to thy Lord turn in Prayer and Sacrifice.

3 For he who hateth thee he will be cut off (from all Hope).

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.580 Narrated by Ibn Abbas

The word 'Al-Kauthar' means the abundant good which Allah gave to him (the Prophet Muhammad (saws)). Abu Bishr said: I said to Saeed, "Some people claim that it (Al-Kauthar) is a river in Paradise." Said replied, "The river which is in Paradise is but one item of that good which Allah has bestowed upon him (Muhammad (saws))."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 6.489 Narrated by Abu Ubaida

I asked 'Aisha regarding the verse: "Verily we have granted you the Kauthar." She replied, "The Kauthar is a river which has been given to your Prophet on the banks of which there are (tents of) hollow pearls and its utensils are as numberless as the stars."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 9.174 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad

I heard the Prophet (saws) saying, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount (Kauthar), and whoever will come to it, will drink from it, and whoever will drink from it, will never become thirsty after that.”

The ‘Lake’ refers to the Fount of Kauthar which the Lord Most Gracious Most Bounteous has bestowed as a special gift and honor to the Prophet Mohamed (saws) in the Realms of Paradise. It is related in several authentic Ahadeeths that every person from the Ummah of Prophet Mohamed (saws) who has managed to fulfill the criteria to be bestowed with the Rewards of Paradise by the Lord Most High in the Hereafter will meet the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws) on the banks of this blessed Fount or Lake of Kauthar immediately after crossing the tumultuous Bridge of ‘As-Siraat’, below which is the Fire of Hell and across it would be Paradise. All the fortunate and blessed ones from amongst the Ummah of Prophet Mohamed (saws) who will cross the Bridge of ‘As-Siraat’ will drink from this Lake of Kauthar; and such will be this blessed drink that one who drinks of this blessed Lake will never never ever experience the anguish of thirst ever again!

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 1.770 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger (saws)! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" He (saws) replied, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a clear (not cloudy) night?" They replied, "No, O Allah's Messenger (saws)!" He (saws) said, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They replied in the negative. He (saws) said, "You will see Allah (your Lord) in the same way! On the Day of Resurrection, people will be gathered and He will order the people to follow what they used to worship. So some of them will follow the sun, some will follow the moon, and some will follow other deities; and only this nation (Muslims) will be left. Allah will call them, and ‘As-Siraat’ (a bridge) will be laid across Hell and I (Muhammad (saws)) shall be the first amongst the Prophets to cross it with my followers. Nobody except the Prophets will then be able to speak and they will be saying then, 'O Allah! Save us. O Allah Save us.'

Blessed and fortunate indeed will be those who get to taste of the blessed drink from the Lake of Kauthar; and we humbly, in absolute fear and in ardent hope, beg and implore Allah Subhanah to make you, us and all the believers to be amongst those fortunate ones. Ameen.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan