Hadiths of the Prophet on the Merit of the Levant and Its People
Among the hadiths highlighting the virtue of the Levant and its inhabitants are the following:
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “If the people of the Levant become corrupt, there will be no good in you; a group of my nation will always be upheld, and they will not be harmed by those who forsake them until the Day of Judgment.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated: “O Allah, bless our Levant! O Allah, bless our Yemen!” They asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what about our Najd?” He replied: “O Allah, bless our Levant! O Allah, bless our Yemen!” They asked again: “What about our Najd?” He is recorded to have said on the third occasion: “There will be earthquakes and trials there, and from it will rise the horn of Satan.”
- Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “While we were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) compiling the Quran from pieces of parchment, he said: ‘Bliss be upon the Levant.’ They asked, ‘Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?’ He replied: ‘Because the angels of the Merciful are spreading their wings over it.'”
Hadiths of the Prophet on the Virtue of Residing in the Levant
Here are some hadiths regarding the benefits of living in the Levant:
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The matter will eventually lead you to become soldiers; one army will be in the Levant, another in Yemen, and another in Iraq.” Ibn Hawala said: “O Messenger of Allah, if I live to see that, where should I be?” He replied: “Stay with the Levant, for it is the choicest part of Allah’s land; He selects His best servants for it. But if you refuse, then proceed to your Yemen and drink from your aquifers, for Allah has taken care of the Levant and its people.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared: “I saw the pillar of the Book taken from beneath my pillow; I looked and it was a brilliant light leading towards the Levant. Indeed, faith will be when the trials occur in the Levant.”
Hadiths of the Prophet on Trials and Conflicts Associated with the Levant
Here are some hadiths concerning trials and conflicts related to the Levant:
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated: “The Muslims’ camp during the great battle will be in Ghouta, next to a city called Damascus, which is one of the best cities of the Levant.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “When the battles arise, Allah will send forth a group from Damascus, they are the most noble of the Arabs in their horses, and the finest in their weapons; Allah will support the religion through them.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed: “There will continue to be a group from my nation steadfast in following Allah’s command, undeterred by those who oppose them; they will fight their enemies. Whenever one conflict subsides, another will arise against a different people. Allah will cause the hearts of some to stray so that they may be granted victory until the Hour arrives, which will appear as a piece of dark night, and they will be alarmed by it, causing them to don their armor.” He pointed with his finger towards the Levant as he emphasized his words.
Hadiths of the Prophet on Signs of the Hour Related to the Levant
Among the hadiths concerning the signs of the Hour associated with the Levant is what was narrated by An-Nawwas ibn Sam’an (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned the Antichrist, saying: ‘If he appears while I am among you, I will be your advocate against him; if he appears and I am not among you, then each person is responsible for their own actions. Allah is my successor over every Muslim. Whoever among you encounters him should recite the opening verses of Surah Al-Kahf, for they will serve as protection against his trials.’ We asked, ‘What will be his duration on Earth?’ He replied: ‘Forty days: one day will be like a year, one day like a month, one day like a week, and the rest will be like your days.’ We then asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, is one day’s prayer enough for that day which is like a year?’ He said: ‘No, but estimate it accordingly.’ He went on to say: ‘Jesus son of Mary will descend at the white minaret east of Damascus and will reach him at the gate of Ludd, where he will kill him.'”
Hadiths on the Levant as the Gathering Place
Here are some hadiths regarding the Levant being the gathering place:
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The Levant is the land of gathering and resurrection.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also stated: “A fire will emerge from the area of Hadramaut, gathering people together.” We asked: “What should we do, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Stay with the Levant.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, where do you advise me to go?’ He pointed with his hand towards the Levant and said: ‘You will be gathered there, whether walking or riding, and you will be pushed on your faces.'”