I have a question concerning a hadith in Muwatta Malik’s collection, book 9 hadith number 2. This is concerning the valley of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. The prophet tells Muadh that if he lives long enough, he will see this place filled with gardens. Is there another way to interpret this saying of ‘if he lives long enough’, considering the fact that the Tabuk valley is only now turning green as per my knowledge and therefore Muadh could not have been around to see it. Is there something in the translation from Arabic to English that is misunderstood?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The aforementioned Hadith is also compiled in Saheeh Muslim, the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, and other references. What the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had foretold about the Spring of Tabuk occurred, and Muadh saw it, and the scholars of the third century AH saw it after him. Ibn Abd Al-Barr narrated in Al-Tamheed with his chain of transmission on the authority of the Andalusian Hadith scholar Muhammad ibn Waddah (d. 281 AH/894 AD) that the latter said: “I saw that place all around that spring; it was green and had lush gardens.” [End of quote]

Abu Al-Walid Al-Baji said: “The fact that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, singled out Muadh with this information was because Muadh was one of the Companions of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who settled and died in the Levant. This was a proof that the divine revelation had come to tell the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, of what Muadh would see when that place would have been full of gardens.

Therefore, the view that Tabuk Valley did not become green except in our time is incorrect.

Allah knows best.