Reports on the Abdal and that they are in Syria

Shurayh bin Ubayd states: The people of Sham were mentioned in the presence of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), who was in Iraq at that time. The people said: "O Commander of the Believers! Curse them." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No! I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'The Abdal (substitutes) will be in Sham; they will be forty men. Whenever one of them dies, Allah Almighty will bring another man in his place. Because of them rain will be sent down, through them help will be sought against the enemy, and because of them punishment will be turned away from the people of Sham.'"
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih, except Shurayh bin Ubayd, and he is thiqah (trustworthy); he heard from Sayyiduna al-Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna al-Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away before Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) reports this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "The Abdal will be in this Ummah; they will be thirty people, like Sayyiduna Khalil al-Rahman (peace be upon him). Whenever one of them dies, Allah Almighty will bring another person in his place."
Ahmad recorded it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih except Abd al-Wahid bin Qays; al-Ijli and Abu Zur'ah declared him thiqah (trustworthy), and others besides them declared him da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will always be 30 people in my Ummah because of whom the earth will remain standing, through whom rain will be sent down, and through whom help will be given." Qatadah says: I hope that al-Hasan is one of them.
Al-Tabarani recorded it through Umar, and al-Bazzar from Anbasah al-Khawwas, and I do not know either of them; the rest of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The earth will not be empty of 40 people who will be like Sayyiduna Khalil al-Rahman (peace be upon him). Because of them you will be given water, and because of them you will be helped. Whenever one of them dies, Allah Almighty will bring another in his place." The narrator Sa'id says: I heard Qatadah say: We have no doubt that al-Hasan is one of them.
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, and its chain is hasan (good).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will always be forty people in my Ummah whose hearts will be like the heart of Sayyiduna Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Because of them Allah Almighty will ward off (punishment and the like) from the people of the earth; they will be called the Abdal." the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They will not reach this rank because of prayer, fasting or charity." The people said: "O Messenger of Allah! Then by what will they reach this rank?" the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Through generosity and through sincere goodwill towards the Muslims (they will reach this rank)."
Al-Tabarani recorded it through Thabit bin Ayyash al-Ahdab from Abu Raja' al-Kalbi, and I do not know either of them; the rest of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.

Shahr bin Hawshab states: When Egypt was conquered, the people reviled the people of Sham. Sayyiduna Awf bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) brought his head out of his hooded cloak and said: "O people of Egypt! Do not speak ill of the people of Sham, for I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Among them are the Abdal; because of them you are helped, and because of them you are given provision.'"
Al-Tabarani recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Amr bin Waqid, whom the majority of the Imams declared da'if (weak), while Muhammad bin al-Mubarak al-Suri declared him thiqah (trustworthy). It also contains a narrator, Shahr, about whom there is a difference of opinion; the rest of its narrators are thiqat (trustworthy).