We came to the camp, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Jabir, call out for water for ablution."So I called out, "Is there any water for ablution? Is there any water for ablution? Is there any water for ablution?"I said, "Messenger of Allah, I cannot find a single drop among the caravan."There was a man from the Ansar who used to cool water for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in waterskins hung on a frame of palm branches.He said to me, "Go to so-and-so the Ansari, and see whether there is anything in his waterskins."So I went to him and looked, but I did not find anything in them except a drop in the mouth of one of the skins. If I had emptied it out, the dry skin itself would have absorbed it. I came back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "Messenger of Allah, I found nothing in them except a drop in the mouth of one of the skins. If I were to pour it out, the dry skin would drink it up."He said, "Go and bring it to me."So I brought it to him. He took it in his hand and began to say something I could not make out, while pressing it with his hands. Then he handed it back to me and said, "Jabir, call for a large bowl."So I called out, "Bowl of the caravan!" It was brought, carried over to him, and I placed it before him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ put his hand into the bowl like this, spreading it out and parting his fingers, then placed it at the bottom of the bowl and said, "Take it, Jabir. Pour it over me, and say, 'In the name of Allah.'"So I poured it over him and said, "In the name of Allah." I saw the water gushing from between the fingers of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then the bowl began to bubble and swirl until it was full.He said, "Jabir, call out to anyone in need of water."The people came and drank until they were quenched. I said, "Is there anyone left who still needs it?"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then lifted his hand from the bowl while it was still full... and the hadith continues.
فأتينا المسكر، فقال رسول الله ﷺ: يا جابر! ناد بوضوء. فقلت: ألا وضوء؟ ألا وضوء؟ ألا وضوء؟ قال: قلت: يا رسول الله! ما وجدت في الركب من قطرة، وكان رجل من الأنصار يبرد لرسول الله ﷺ الماء، في أشجاب له، على حمارة من جريد، قال: فقال لي: انطلق إلى فلان بن فلان الأنصاري، فانظر هل في أشجابه من شيء؟ قال: فانطلقت إليه فنظرت فيها فلم أجد فيها قطرة في عزلاء شجب منها، لو أني أفرغه لشرب يابسه، فأتيت رسول الله ﷺ فقلت: يا رسول الله! إني لم أجد فيها إلا قطرة في عزلاء شجب منها، لو أني أفرغه لشربه يابسه، قال: اذهب فأتني به فأتيته به، فأخذه بيده فجعل يتكلم بشيء لا أدري ما هو، ويغمزه بيديه، ثم أعطانيه فقال: يا جابر! ناد بجفنة. فقلت: يا جفنة الركب! فأتيت بها تحمل، فوضعتها بين يديه، فقال رسول الله ﷺ بيده في الجفنة هكذا، فبسطها وفرق بين أصابعه، ثم وضعها في قعر الجفنة، وقال: خذ، يا جابر! فصب علي، وقل: باسم الله. فصببت عليه وقلت: باسم الله، فرأيت الماء يفور من بين أصابع رسول الله ﷺ، ثم فارت الجفنة ودارت حتى امتلأت، فقال: يا جابر! ناد من كان له حاجة بماء. قال: فأتى الناس فاستقوا حتى رووا، قال: فقلت: هل بقي أحد إلا جاجة، فرفع رسول الله ﷺ يده من الجفنة وهي ملأى… الحديث.
Muslim narrated it in Zuhd (74:3031), through a chain from Hatim bin Ismail, from Yaqub bin Mujahid Abu Hazra, from Ubada bin Walid bin Ubada bin Samit, who said, "My father and I set out seeking knowledge until we came to Jabir bin Abdullah," and he related the story.Explanation of unfamiliar terms, "among some worn waterskins of his," the ashjab are the plural of shajb, which is a waterskin that has become old and worn out and turned into a shann. It is said "shajib," meaning dry, and it comes from shajb, which means destruction.Himarah, these are sticks upon which waterskins are hung."So little that its dryness could be drunk," meaning it was so scanty, combined with the severe dryness of the rest of the waterskin, that if he had emptied it out, the dry part would have absorbed it entirely and nothing would have come out of it."And he squeezes it with his hands," meaning he presses it."O bowl of the travelers," meaning, O owner of the travelers' bowl, the possessive noun being dropped because it is understood that this is what is meant, and because a bowl itself cannot be addressed. Its meaning is, O owner of the travelers' bowl that satisfies them, bring it, meaning whoever has a bowl of this description should bring it forward.