Anas bin Malik said, "Once the time of the prayer became due and the people whose houses wereclose to the Mosque went to their houses to perform ablution, while the others remained (sitting there).A stone pot containing water was brought to the Prophet, who wanted to put his hand in it, but It wastoo small for him to spread his hand in it, and so he had to bring his fingers together before putting hishand in the pot. Then all the people performed the ablution (with that water)." I asked Anas, "Howmany persons were they." He replied, "There were eighty men."