Abu Hurayrah and Ibn Umar. We have already mentioned the report of Abu Hurayrah. Abu al-Shaykh (12) narrated in "Kitab al-Thawab" (The Book of Reward), with his chain of transmission from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: "The completion of Ribat is forty days" (13). It is also narrated from (14) Nafi', from Ibn Umar, that he came to Umar ibn al-Khattab from Ribat, and he (Umar) said to him: "How long did you station yourself?" He replied: "Thirty days." He said: "I adjure you not to return until you complete forty days" (15). If one stations himself for longer, he has his reward, as Abu Hurayrah said: "And whoever does more, Allah gives him more."

Section: The best of Ribat is staying in the most fearful frontier territories (thughur), because they are the most in need, and one's presence there is the most beneficial. Ahmad said: "The best of Ribat is the most intense of them in hardship." It was said to Abu Abd Allah: "Where is it most beloved to you that a man should settle with his family?" He said: "Every city that is a stronghold for the Muslims, such as Damascus." He also said: "The land of al-Sham is the land of the Gathering (Mahshar), and Damascus is a place where people will gather when the Romans prevail." It was said to Abu Abd Allah: "What about these hadiths that have come down, such as: 'Allah has guaranteed to me al-Sham' (16) and the like?" He said: "How numerous are the reports that have come regarding that!" It was said to him: "This is regarding the frontier territories." He disapproved of this and said: "Where is the land of al-Quds (Jerusalem)? 'The people of the West (al-Gharb) will continue to be victorious'—they are the people of al-Sham." Ahmad interpreted 'the West' in this hadith as 'al-Sham', and it is an authentic hadith narrated by Muslim (17). He only interpreted it as such because al-Sham is called the 'Maghrib' (the West), as it is the west of Iraq, just as Iraq is called the 'Mashriq' (the East). For this reason, it was said: 'And for the people of the East, there is Dhat 'Irq.' It has indeed come in a hadith explicitly stating: 'A group of my Ummah will continue to be victorious over the truth, not harmed by those who forsake them, until the command of Allah arrives while they are in al-Sham.' And in a hadith (18) from Malik