Al-Matalib al-'Aliyah 4085 — The virtue of Abu Ka'b al-Harithi

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Ka'b al-Harithi (may Allah be pleased with him), who is known by the title "Dhu al-Idawah" (the one with the water-skin), that he said: "I went out in search of some stray camels of mine, and I took milk as provision for the journey in a leather vessel (idawah). Then I thought to myself that I had not acted fairly: (if this is milk) where will the water for ablution come from? So I poured out the milk, filled the vessel with water and said: This is for ablution and also for drinking. Then I began searching for my camels. Whenever I intended to perform ablution, I would pour water from that vessel and perform ablution, and whenever I wished to drink, I would pour milk from it and drink it. I remained in this state for three days." (Hearing this) Asma' al-Bahraniyyah asked him: "O Abu Ka'b, was it stale milk hung behind the saddle, or freshly drawn milk?" He replied: "You are talking utter nonsense; rather, it was such (blessed) milk that it protected from hunger and quenched thirst."
I narrated this hadith to some people of my tribe, among whom was Ali bin al-Harith, the chief of Banu Qiyan, and he said: "I do not think that what you are saying is really as you have described it."