“…A company of my community was shown to me, just as in the first vision.”

She said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah that He make me one of them.”

He replied, “You will be among the first.”

Anas continued: She later sailed on campaign during the time of Muʿāwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān. When she disembarked, she was thrown from her mount and died. This took place under the caliphate of ʿUthmān, while Muʿāwiyah was his governor. During ʿUmar’s caliphate the Muslims had never taken to the sea for battle; their first naval expedition occurred in ʿUthmān’s era. They captured the island of Cyprus and brought its prisoners to Damascus, where Abū al-Dardāʾ was still alive, and he began to weep.

Someone asked him, “What makes you weep, Abū al-Dardāʾ? Today Allah has honored Islam.”

He replied, “I weep because I have seen this nation when it was triumphant and dominant; then it neglected Allah’s command concerning it, so Allah reduced it to what you now see. How insignificant people become to Allah when they forsake His command.”

In the two Ṣaḥīḥ collections it is also related that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I asked my Lord for three things; He granted me two and withheld one. I asked Him that He not give power …”