وَعَنْ أَبِي قَبِيلٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا عِنْدَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو بْنِ الْعَاصِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَسُئِلَ أَيُّ الْمَدِينَتَيْنِ تُفْتَحُ أَوَّلًا، الْقُسْطُنْطِينِيَّةُ أَوْ رُومِيَّةُ فَدَعَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِصَنْدُوقٍ لَهُ حِلَقٌ، فَأَخْرَجَ مِنْهُ كِتَابًا، قَالَ: فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ حَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَكْتُبُ إِذْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَيُّ الْمَدِينَتَيْنِ تُفْتَحُ أَوَّلًا، أَقُسْطُنْطِينِيَّةُ أَوْ رُومِيَّةُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ”مَدِينَةُ هِرَقْلَ تُقْتَحُ أَوَّلًا“ يَعْنِي الْقُسْطُنْطِينِيَّةَ
Abu Qabeel says: We were sitting with Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was asked which of the two cities, Constantinople or Rome, would be conquered first. He called for a box with hinges, took out a book from it, and said: Once we were sitting around the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) writing down ahadith, when the same question was asked to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Which city will be conquered first, Constantinople or Rome? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: The city of Heraclius, that is, Constantinople, will be conquered first.