Reports on the virtue of Syria

Jubayr bin Nufayr states: The Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated to us from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Syria (al-Sham) will soon be conquered for you. When you are given a choice of dwelling places in it, you must live in the city called 'Damascus', for it will be the stronghold of the Muslims in the great battles, and their camp in it will be in the land called 'al-Ghutah'."
Ahmad recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Abu Bakr bin Abi Maryam, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) states: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Once, while I was sleeping, angels came to me and took the pillar of the Book from beneath my pillow, and carried it off towards Syria (al-Sham). Behold! When the tribulations occur, faith will be in Syria."
Ahmad recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Aziz bin Ubaydullah, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "While I was sleeping, I saw the pillar of the Book being lifted from beneath my head. I thought it would perhaps be taken away. I followed it with my gaze, and it was taken towards Syria (al-Sham). Behold! When the tribulations occur, faith will be in Syria."
Ahmad and al-Tabarani recorded it; the narrators of Ahmad are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) states: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "While I was sleeping, I saw the pillar of the Book being lifted from beneath my head. I followed it with my gaze, and it was being taken towards Syria (al-Sham). Behold! When the tribulations come, faith will be in Syria." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said this three times.

In one narration the words are: "When the tribulations occur, security will be in Syria (al-Sham)."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat with various chains. One of these chains contains a narrator, Ibn Lahi'ah, and he is hasan al-hadith (fair in hadith); he has been corroborated (mutaba'ah) in this report. The remaining narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "I saw the pillar of the Book being pulled out from beneath my pillow. I kept my gaze on it, and it was a radiant light, until I thought that it would perhaps be taken away; then it was taken towards Syria (al-Sham). I have interpreted this to mean that when the tribulations occur, faith will be in Syria."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Ufayr bin Ma'dan, and there is agreement on his being da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Hawalah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "On the night I was taken on the Night Journey, I saw a white pillar, like a shimmering pearl, which the angels were carrying. I asked: 'What are you carrying?' They said: 'It is the pillar of the Book; we have been commanded to place it in Syria (al-Sham).'" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Once, while I was sleeping, I saw the pillar of the Book being snatched from beneath my pillow, and I thought that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, had abandoned the people of the earth. I followed it with my gaze, and it was like a radiant light before me, until it was placed in Syria." Sayyiduna Ibn Hawalah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! Choose (a city or region) for me." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must live in Syria."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and the narrators of this report are the narrators of the Sahih, except Salih bin Rustam, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
"Soon you will be formed into various armies: an army in Syria (al-Sham), in Egypt, in Iraq and in Yemen." The people said: "O Messenger of Allah! Make a choice for us (that is, recommend one)."
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must live in Syria."
The people said: "We are people with livestock; we cannot manage to live in Syria." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Whoever cannot manage to live in Syria should go to his Yemen, for Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria."
Al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani recorded it, and al-Tabarani recorded these words:
"He should go to his Yemen and drink from its water-pools."
Both reports contain a narrator, Sulayman bin Utbah, whom a group declared thiqah (trustworthy); there is disagreement about him that does no harm. The remaining narrators of this report are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "There will be an army in Syria (al-Sham) and an army in Yemen." A man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah! Make a choice for me!" So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must live in Syria, for Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Ishaq bin Idris al-Aswari, and he is matruk (abandoned).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Hawalah al-Azdi (may Allah be pleased with him) states that he said: "O Messenger of Allah! Choose (that is, recommend) a city for me in which I should live. If I knew that you would remain, I would not choose anything over being near you." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must live in Syria (al-Sham)." The narrator states: When he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw that I disliked Syria, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you know what Allah Almighty has said about Syria? Allah Almighty has said: 'O Syria! You are My chosen one among My lands, and I will bring into you the best of My servants.' (Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:) Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say:
Abu Dawud recorded this report in a much abridged form.
Al-Tabarani recorded it through two routes; the narrators of one of them are the narrators of the Sahih, except Salih bin Rustam, and he is thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna al-Irbad bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that one day he stood among the people and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people! Soon a time will come when you will be divided into various armies: an army in Syria (al-Sham), an army in Iraq and an army in Yemen." Sayyiduna Ibn Hawalah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah! If I reach that time, choose (one of them) for me (that is, recommend it)." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I choose Syria for you, for it is the land of the best of the Muslims and the chosen one of Allah Almighty among His lands; Allah Almighty will draw to it the elect of His creation. Whoever refuses should go to his Yemen and drink from its water-pools. Indeed, Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Wathilah bin al-Asqa' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "People will be divided into various groups: an army in Yemen, an army in Syria (al-Sham), an army in the East and an army in the West." A man said: "Welcome to you, O Messenger of Allah! Make a choice for me (that is, recommend something), for I am a young man and I may live to see such a situation; so what do you instruct me to do in that case?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must go to Syria." Al-Tabarani recorded this report in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir through two routes; both contain a narrator, al-Mughirah bin Ziyad, about whom there is disagreement. The remaining narrators of one of the two routes are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Wathilah bin al-Asqa' (may Allah be pleased with him) states: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying this to Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him); the two of them had consulted him about where to settle. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed towards Syria (al-Sham). The two of them asked him about it again, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed towards Syria. The two of them asked him again, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed towards Syria and said: "You two must go to Syria, for it is the chosen one among the lands of Allah Almighty; He will settle there the best of His creation. Whoever does not accept this should go to his Yemen and drink from its water-pools. Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it with chains that are all da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), whose name is Sayyiduna Dhar' (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will be four armies; so you must live in Syria (al-Sham), for Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; he mentioned this Companion among the names beginning with the letter "Dhal". There is disagreement about whether he was a Companion. (Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Its chain contains a group of narrators about whose use as evidence there is disagreement.

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The chosen part of Allah Almighty's earth is Syria (al-Sham), and in it He will place the chosen ones of His creation and His servants. And a group from among you, from my Ummah, will surely enter Paradise who will neither be taken to account nor be punished."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Aziz bin Ubaydullah al-Himsi, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Syria (al-Sham) is the chosen one, in the sight of Allah Almighty, among His lands, and He will draw to it the chosen ones of His servants. Whoever leaves Syria for another region will do so because of the displeasure of Allah Almighty, and whoever leaves another region for Syria will do so because of the mercy of Allah Almighty."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Ufayr bin Ma'dan, and he is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You will be divided into various armies." A man said: "O Messenger of Allah! Recommend one for me." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You must go to Syria (al-Sham), for it is the chosen one of Allah Almighty among His lands, and in it Allah Almighty will place the best of His servants. Whoever turns away from that should go to his Yemen and drink from its water-pools, for Allah Almighty has given me a guarantee concerning Syria and its people."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in "al-Awsat", and al-Bazzar also recorded it, but he recorded these words: "Whoever turns away from it should go to his Najd." The chains of both contain narrators whom I do not know.

Sayyiduna Khuraym bin Fatik al-Asadi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a Companion of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), states that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The people of Syria (al-Sham) are the whip of Allah in His earth; through them Allah Almighty will take vengeance on whomever He wills of His servants. It is forbidden for the hypocrites among the people of Syria to prevail over the believers there, and they (that is, the hypocrites) will die only in anxiety and grief."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and Ahmad recorded it as a mawquf report (stopping at Sayyiduna Khuraym (may Allah be pleased with him)). The narrators of both reports are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Salamah bin Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The heartland of the abode of Islam is in Syria (al-Sham)."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Zayd bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) states: the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, while we were with him at the time: "Glad tidings for Syria (al-Sham)!" We said: "O Messenger of Allah! In what respect?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Most Merciful has spread His mercy over it."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Al-Tirmidhi recorded these words from this Companion: "The angels of the Most Merciful have spread their wings over Syria."
Al-Tabarani recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty has turned my face towards Sham and placed Yemen behind my back, and He said to me: 'O Muhammad! I have placed before you spoils and provision, and behind your back I have placed reinforcement. Islam will continue to increase and polytheism will continue to decrease, until two women will travel and they will have no fear of any oppression.'" Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in whose Hand my soul is! The succession of night and day will not come to an end until this religion reaches as far as this star reaches."
Al-Tabarani recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Abdullah bin Hani, who lived on to the time of Abu Hatim, and he is accused of lying.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) states that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Iblis entered Iraq and fulfilled his need there; then he entered Sham, and its people drove him out; then he entered Egypt, and there he laid eggs and hatched young and spread his progeny."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir and al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, but there he has these words: "So they drove him out until he reached Baysan."
This report is narrated by Ya'qub bin Abdullah bin Utbah bin al-Akhnas from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), although he did not hear from him; its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Abdullah bin Dirar narrates from his father that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah Almighty divided goodness and made it into ten parts; He placed nine of the ten parts in Sham and placed the remaining one part in the rest of the earth. And Allah Almighty divided evil into ten parts; He placed one part of it in Sham and placed all the remaining parts in the rest of the earth."
Al-Tabarani recorded it as a mawquf report (a saying of the Companion), and the narrator Abdullah bin Dirar is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The people of Sham, their wives, their children, their male slaves and their female slaves, up to the farthest limit of the Jazirah, will be counted as those guarding the frontier (murabitun). Whoever stays in any city of Sham is guarding the frontier, and whoever stays in one of the frontier outposts is a mujahid."
Al-Tabarani recorded it through Artat bin al-Mundhir, from a person who narrated it to him, from Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him); he did not name that person, and the rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "A group of my Ummah will continue to fight at the gates of Damascus and around it, and at the gates of Bayt al-Maqdis and around it. Whoever tries to forsake them, his attempt will not harm them (that is, the Muslims), and they will continue to be steadfast upon the truth until the Hour is established."
Abu Ya'la recorded it, and its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) states: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A fire will come out from the sea of Hadramawt (the narrator is unsure, or perhaps the words are:) from Hadramawt, which will drive the people along. We said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What do you command us to do?' the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'You must hold to Sham.'"
Abu Ya'la recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.