Surah No. 108
Introduction
Merits of the Surah1
1. Ibn `Abbas, Kalbi and Muqatil have said that this chapter is Makkan, but the opinion of Hasan, `Ikrimah, Mujahid and Qatadah is that it is Madinan (Shawkani).
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ (1) 108|1) Indeed, We have bestowed on you (O Muhammad) Kawthar.2
2. Kawthar is literally 'A large quantity, or number, of property or cattle.’ As a proper noun it signifies: 'A certain river in Paradise...’ (Majid). In fact when someone asked a woman what her son had brought back from his trade voyage, she replied, “kawthar” (i.e., plenty) - Razi, Qurtubi.
Asad notes: “The term kawthar is an intensive form of the noun katharah (Zamakhshari), which, in its turn, denotes ”copiousness", “multitude” or “abundance”; it also occurs as an adjective with the same connotations (Qamus, Lisan al-`Arab, etc.). In the above context, which is the sole instance of its usage in the Qur’an, al-Kawthar obviously relates to the abundant bestowal on the Prophet of all that is good in an abstract, spiritual sense..."
Kawthar the Spring
Ibn `Umar, Ibn `Abbas, `A’isha and Anas are of the opinion that Kawthar is the name of a spring in Paradise that has jewel-studded banks, whose water is whiter than milk, sweater than honey and more fragrant than misk. (A hadith to this effect has been recorded in Tirmidhi: Qurtubi; and in Ibn Majah: Ibn Kathir). Another hadith of Ahmad runs as follows:“I entered Paradise and came upon a river whose banks had tents made of pearls. I thrust my hand into its flowing water and found that it smelt strongly of musk. I asked, “What is this, Jibril?” He answered, “This is the Kawthar that Allah the Mighty, the Majestic has given you." According to another Sahih report:
Jazur of the above text was used for a sheep or camel that yielded tender meat (Au.).
However, another opinion coming from Ibn `Abbas is that it alludes to abundance. When asked if it was not the spring in Paradise, he said, 'abundance is included by it.’ `Ikrimah, Sa`id ibn Jubayr and Mujahid are also of the same opinion. But the former opinion prevails in view of some ahadith which report that when the Prophet was taken to Paradise during his nocturnal journey he was shown a long river of the above description and told that it was the Kawthar he was given. According to other reports when the Prophet (saws) was asked what Kawthar was, he said that it is a river in Paradise that Allah has bestowed on him (Ibn Jarir).
The above is confirmed by a hadith in Muslim according to which,
The Prophet slumbered for a few moments (in Madinah: Au.) and then, raising his head, smiled. Someone asked him the reason. He said: “Just now a surah has been revealed to me: 'Indeed We have bestowed on you Kawthar...’ Then he asked: "Do you know what Kawthar is?” We said: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It is a river in Paradise that my Lord has promised me. It is a great gift. It is a huge Pond which my followers will visit on the Judgment Day. Its glasses are as numerous as the stars in the heaven. Then someone will be pulled out of the crowd (by the angels). I will say, 'O My Lord. He is one of my followers!’ I will be told, 'You do not know what he did after you.’” (That, and many others besides him, would be a hypocrite, or those who apostatized after him: Au.).
As for the hadith about he being shown Kawthar as a river during his nocturnal journey, it stands confirmed by reports in Bukhari and Muslim (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir). The hadith is also in Ahmad, Abu Da’ud, Nasa’i and others (Shawkani). In fact, ahadith reporting that Kawthar is a river in Paradise reach the status of tawatur (Ibn Kathir).
Ahadith also tell us that whoever drank from it will never be thirsty again (Zamakhshari).
The above and other ahadith confirm that Kawthar is both a river in Paradise as well as the Pond from which the Prophet will hand out water to his followers.
Thanwi adds: Some ahadith say that Kawthar is in Paradise, others that it is a Pond in the Field of Judgment. It is possible that the main river is in Paradise from which the Pond in the Field will be fed.
Ibn Kathir writes: Reports suggest that two heavenly runnels will be spewing water into it.
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ (2) 108|2) Pray to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him).3
3. According to several reports coming from Ibn `Abbas, Abu Ja`far, Mujahid, Hasan, Qatadah and `Ata’, the allusion by the term inhar is to sacrifice. Consequently, the overall meaning is, turn away from all else save Allah, pray to Him and sacrifice to Him, in contrast to the pagans who pray to deities and sacrifice to them (Ibn Jarir).
Reports coming from `Ali about where and how to fold the hands during the Prayers as explanation of the term inhar are weak (Ibn Kathir).
إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ (3) 108|3) Surely, he who hates you4 is the one cut off.5
4. Literally, shana’an is hatred, and shani’ is hater (Razi).
According to ibn `Abbas here shani’ means an enemy and, according to him as well Sa`id ibn Jubayr, Mujahid, Qatadah and Ibn Zayd, the allusion is to `As b. Wa’il al-Sahmi. That is to say that he was the first man to whom the verse was applicable (Ibn Jarir).
5. The word in the original is abtar which is used to describe one who leaves no male issue behind him and is, therefore, forgotten after he is dead. (A tail-less animal is also called abtar: Qurtubi).
The Quraysh used to taunt the Prophet using this term when his male issues died in infancy (Qasim and `Abdullah: Qurtubi, and Ibrahim: Razi), implying that with his own death it will be the end of his mission. Allah refuted them by assuring the Prophet that it is his enemies who are cut off (Ibn Kathir).
It is said that whenever the Prophet (saws) was mentioned before `As b. Wa’il he would say: “Let him alone. He is an abtar”.
The Branchless
`As b. Wa’i, however, was not alone in using the term for the Prophet. The Quraysh in general, and several of their men in particular seem to be fond of employing the word for the Prophet in trying to disparage him. Once when Ka`b b. al-Ashraf - the Jewish poet - had come down to Makkah they asked him: “You are a chief of your people. Tell us what you think of us and this branchless (abtar) Muhammad? We are the keepers of the House, servants of the pilgrims, and those who water the pilgrims. Are we better or Muhammad?” He ruled pontifically: “You are better” (Qurtubi). This last report is trustworthy (Ibn Kathir).
Majid adds: “Apart from the superstitious pagans, the Jews also have considered it as the greatest curse for a man to remain childless. `Since the days of Abraham, to possess a child was always considered as the greatest blessing God could bestow; and to be without children was regarded as the greatest curse. The Rabbis regarded the childless man as dead; while the Cabalists in the Middle Ages thought of him who died without posterity as of one who had failed in his mission in the world’ (JE. IV. p. 27).”
Ibn Taymiyyah has said that in every age Allah will destroy the enemies of Muhammad in such a way that history will leave no trace of them behind them (Thanwi from Ruh).