Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1635
sahih

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to the drinking place and asked for water. Al-Abbas said, "O Fadl! Go to your mother and bring water from her for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Give me water to drink." Al-Abbas said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ! The people put their hands in it." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) again said, 'Give me water to drink. So, he drank from that water and then went to the Zamzam (well) and there the people were offering water to the others and working at it (drawing water from the well). The Prophet (ﷺ) then said to them, "Carry on! You are doing a good deed." Then he said, "Were I not afraid that other people would compete with you (in drawing water from Zamzam), I would certainly take the rope and put it over this (i.e. his shoulder) (to draw water)." On saying that the Prophet (ﷺ) pointed to his shoulder.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْحَذَّاءِ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم جَاءَ إِلَى السِّقَايَةِ، فَاسْتَسْقَى، فَقَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ يَا فَضْلُ اذْهَبْ إِلَى أُمِّكَ، فَأْتِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَرَابٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اسْقِنِي ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ فِيهِ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ اسْقِنِي ‏"‏‏.‏ فَشَرِبَ مِنْهُ، ثُمَّ أَتَى زَمْزَمَ، وَهُمْ يَسْقُونَ وَيَعْمَلُونَ فِيهَا، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اعْمَلُوا، فَإِنَّكُمْ عَلَى عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ ـ ثُمَّ قَالَ ـ لَوْلاَ أَنْ تُغْلَبُوا لَنَزَلْتُ حَتَّى أَضَعَ الْحَبْلَ عَلَى هَذِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ ـ يَعْنِي عَاتِقَهُ ـ وَأَشَارَ إِلَى عَاتِقِهِ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 25, Hadith 118
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 26, Hadith 700 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Messenger of Allah ﷺwas a great example in humbleness and engaging with people. He ﷺlived like them and refrained from distinguishing himself with anything that Allah has not distinguished him with. In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that in the Farewell Hajj, which was in the 10th year of Hijrah, and after having performed the Tawaaf of Ifaadah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺwent to the place where water is provided for pilgrims. This place serves pilgrims during the Hajj season and others throughout the year, and it is located close to the well of Zamzam. When he ﷺarrived there, he asked for water from his uncle, al-‘Abbaas(ra). However, as it was the habit of people to put their hands into the ponds of water provision, al-‘Abbaas asked his son, al-Fadl to go to his mother, Umm al-Fadl, whose full name is Lubaabah bint al-Haarith al-Hilaaliyyah, to bring clean water for the Messenger of Allah ﷺfrom her. The Prophet ﷺrepeated his request to drink from the present place of water from where people drink. Thus, he gave him the water and he drank it. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺproceeded to the well of Zamzam where the water was drawn from the well and then poured into the ponds so pilgrims and people can drink from it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺremarked to the people who were working in the site, “Carry on! You are doing a good deed,” – that is providing the pilgrim with water. To show the virtue of their work, he ﷺexplained that he would have participated in the work but if he did so then a great number of people will show up in drawing water with the intention to follow the Prophet ﷺ. From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is one may refuse receiving better service and generosity when there is a higher interest that opposes it. just as what the Prophet ﷺdid due to the interest of humbleness that appeared on him. It also encourages us to provide water to people, especially, the Zamzam water..
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