THE BELIEF CONCERNING THE POND (al-Hawd) (1)

Says the Shaykh Abü Ja'far, the mercy of Allah be upon him: Our belief concerning the Pond (al- hawd) is that it is true. Its width is the distance between Ayla' (2) and San'a', and it belongs to the Prophet, on whom be peace. And verily in it there are as many pitchers as stars in the sky. And verily on the day of resurrection the giver of drink out of it will be the Prince of Believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib, on whom be peace. He will give his friends water to drink and drive away his enemies. He who drinks of it once will never thirst again. And the Prophet said:                                                    

       A group of persons among my followers will be dragged before me, when I shall be at the pond (of Kawthar), and be taken towards the left side (i.e. hell). Then shall I raise the cry: My companions, [122] my companions, O my Lord! And I shall be told: You do not know what they did after you.

(1). Hawd is rendered as "basin" by Wensinick, Handbook of Early Muh. Tradition, 33-34. Cp. MC, 195 (art. 21) 231 sqq. 258,268,274.  

(2) Among Sunnites, Ayla (S.Syria) and Aden, MC,232.

A SHI'ITE CREED, by Sheikh al-Saduq, translated by Asaf A. A. Fyzee.