Imam Mahdi Nasser Mohammed al-Yamani

13 Muḥarram 1431 AH
30 December 2009 AD
7:05 PM
(According to the Official Mecca Calendar)

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Every Share of Water Is Muhtadar

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, upon his pure and noble family, and upon those who follow the truth until the Day of Judgment.

My noble brother who inquires concerning the clarification of the Word of Allaah the Exalted:

{كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ}

Allaah Almighty has spoken the truth. (Al-Qamar 54:28)


Translator’s Note: The term muhtadar has been intentionally left untranslated and rendered in transliteration, as the discussion centers upon its precise Qur’anic meaning and interpretation. Translating the term would diminish the linguistic nuance being examined in the original Arabic text.

The intended meaning pertains to the term “muhtadar.” That is to say, the people were prohibited from drawing water from the well on the appointed day designated for the she-camel. Thus, they were not to drink from the well on that day. In its place, they were provided with pure milk, pleasant and wholesome for those who drank it, during the known day assigned to the she-camel's share of water. Therefore, Allaah forbade them from the water on the designated day of the she-camel's drinking, just as He forbade the she-camel from their allotted day of drinking.

This is in line with the Word of Allaah the Exalted:

{قَالَ هَـٰذِهِ نَاقَةٌ لَّهَا شِرْبٌ وَلَكُمْ شِرْبُ يَوْمٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴿١٥٥﴾}

Allaah Almighty has spoken the truth. (Ash-Shu‘arā’ 26:155)

Thus, the water of the well was apportioned between them and the she-camel: one day for her and one day for them. Accordingly, the meaning of:

{كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ}

is that each allotted share of water is muhtadar, meaning that they were barred from drinking on the day assigned to the she-camel's share.

This is affirmed by the Words of Allaah the Exalted:

{إِنَّا مُرْسِلُو النَّاقَةِ فِتْنَةً لَّهُمْ فَارْتَقِبْهُمْ وَاصْطَبِرْ ﴿٢٧﴾ وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ ﴿٢٨﴾}

Allaah Almighty has spoken the truth. (Al-Qamar 54:27-28)

Consequently, they were prohibited from drinking on the known day appointed for the she-camel's share. This is in line with the saying of Allaah the Exalted:

{وَنَبِّئْهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَاءَ قِسْمَةٌ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ كُلُّ شِرْبٍ مُّحْتَضَرٌ ﴿٢٨﴾}

Allaah Almighty has spoken the truth. (Al-Qamar 54:28)

Peace be upon the Messengers, and all praise belongs to Allaah, Lord of the worlds.

The Mufti who expounds the Qur’an through the decisive verses of the Qur’an:
The Awaited Mahdi, Nasser Mohammed al-Yamani