Jewish Role in Preferring the Sham

We stated before that the extolling made by the Jewish rabbis that the Prophet’s rule would be in the Sham was only for a purpose harboured inside their hearts. It is to be stated here that the Sham would have never deserved that extol and flattery, but only because of the establishment of the Umayyad State in it. That State which reversed the rule from a just and fair caliphate to a mordacious deviant government, under whose wing and during whose days the Islamic sects were established, the fact that led to disintegration and decline of the Islamic State, beside prevalence and abundance of hadith fabrication. This phenomenon was exploited by the Jewish priests who embarked on blowing the fire of sedition, providing it with more and more lies and deceit. Among these falsities we can refer to their exaggeration in extolling the Sham and its people, claiming that all good being in it and all evil being in other than it.

However, as previously manifested, the climax of the claims of these priests was that the Prophet’s reign would be verily in the Sham, and that Mu’awiyah alleged as the Messenger said that he was to succeed him as a caliph and asked him to choose the sacred land where the substitutes were living. Through this it is exposed for us another aspect of the Jewish stratagem against Muslims and their religion and rule. That is the claims uttered by the Jews in the Sham, to some of which we referred before, could never quench their grudge but they added to them the claim that the right-supporting sect would be in the Sham too, and in it would be the descension of Jesus, about whom they said he would be in his land.

In the two Sahihs it is reported (that the Prophet said): A group of my Ummah is still backing the truth, and never be harmed by those who disappointed or opposed them, till God’s decree coming to them on this state. In another narration: …. While they be in the Sham.312

In Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: People of the west keep on supporting the truth till the Doomsday. Ahmad and others said: They (meant by the hadith) are verily the people of the Sham.

When Andalusian land was conquered, they (Jews) considered it the west that is intended in the hadith, making this hadith as if said in regard of their homeland. In al-Mu’jib fi talkhis akhbar al-Maghrib, it is reported from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: People of the Maghrib continue to stand by the truth (haqq), unaffected or harmed by whoever disappointed them, till when the (destined) Hour comes.313

In Kashf al-khafa’, it is reported that Ka’b al-Ahbar said: People of the Sham are one of God’s swords with whom Allah revenges upon the rebels. Maybe the term rebels or insurgents here is used for those refusing to submit and be under the command of Mu`awiyah, following other than him, the term used for Ali, may God be pleased with him!

Urwah ibn Ruwaym said: Some man met Ka’b al-Ahbar, saluted him and prayed to God for him. Ka’b asked him: From where are you? He replied: I am from people of the Sham. He (Ka’b) said: You may be one of the host among whom seventy thousand will enter paradise without being called for reckoning, or tormented? He said: who are they? He replied: People of Damascus! He said: I am not among them. Ka'b again asked. You may be from among the host to whom Allah looks twice a day? He said: Who are they? He replied: People of Palestine. He said: I am of them! In another narration. You might be from the troops whose martyr intercedes for seventy persons? He said: Who are they? He replied: People of Hams.314

Ka'b said: The first wall built on the surface of the earth after the inundating flood, was the wall of Harran, then of Damascus, then of Babylon.315

Nafi reported from Ibn Umar, that Ka'b said: A fire will verily appear that takes off people. When you hear news about it you have to go out toward the Sham.315 It is known that Ibn Umar was a disciple of Ka'b.

Following are some traditions recorded in al-Jami‘ al-saghir of al-Suyuti, that were confirmed by Ka'b:
Sham is God's choice from among the lands (He created). For it He selects the best of His bondmen. Whoever departs the Sham toward another place, he will face wrath (of God), and whoever enters it shall be deserving God's mercy.

- Blessed be the Sham, the Beneficent is extending His mercy upon them.

- From a town in the Sham called Hams, Allah will verily forward seventy thousand persons on the Day of Resurrection. They will neither be subject to reckoning nor to torment. He shall despatch them in it between the olive and the wall... etc.

This town of Hams must be in this high status — even in the Hereafter — to the extent that no other town, even the Medina, can ever be compared to it. That is due to the fact that the Jewish priest, who is considered as a great follower by a large number of shaykhs (leaders) of Muslims, has taken it a place of residence, beside its being his burial ground after death. I do not intend to prolong the discussion by citing all the available reports of the kind, sufficing with what I have already stated.

Notes:

312. In the narration of Abu Umamah al-Bahili: When the Prophet was questioned he said: Bayt al-Maqdis and its vicinities (Nihayat al-arab, Vol.I, p.333).

313. See p.15.

314. Ta'rikh Ibn Asakir (the manuscript), Vol.I, p.57; and Hams is the place where his (Ka'b's) corpse was buried.

315. Ibid, p.14.

316. Fath al-Bari, vol.XIII, p.69.

Adapted from: "Lights on the Muhammadan Sunnah" by: "Mahmud Ali Riyyah"