‘Abd al-‘AzIz b. Rufai' said he asked Anas b. Malik to tell him something he knew about God's messenger, viz. where he prayed the noon prayer on yaum at-tarwiya, and he replied that it was in Mina. He asked where he had prayed the afternoon prayer on yaum an-nafr,( There are two days with this name, the first being the 12th of Dhul Hijja and the second the following day. The second of these is said to be the one referred to here) and he replied that it was in al-Abtah.(The part of the wadi of Mecca with small pebbles) He then said, “Do as your commanders do.”
Anas said that the Prophet prayed the noon, afternoon, sunset and evening prayer, after which he had a sleep, in al-Muhassab. (The valley opening on al-Abtah between Mecca and Mina ; so called because of the pebbles in it) He then rode to the House and performed the circumambulation.
‘A’isha said that stopping at al-Abtah was not a sunna ; God’s messenger stopped there simply because it was easier for him to depart from when he left.
Ibn ‘Abbas said that when God’s messenger came to the place for supplying water and asked for some, al-‘Abbas said, “Goto your mother, Fadl, and bring God’s messenger something to drink from her.” He asked again for water, and he said, “Messenger of God, they are putting their hands in it.” He asked once more and drank some of it. He then went to Zamzam where they were exerting themselves in supplying water and said, “Go ahead, for you are engaged in a good work.” Then pointing to his shoulder he said, “Were it not that you would be overpowered, I would go down and put the rope on this.” (This means that if the Prophet were seen drawing water from Zamzam himself others would think they had the right to do the same, and chose who had the office of drawing water would lose their privilege)
