would hand over a luxuriant orchard for a worn-out she-camel fitted with a pack-saddle. (1) This is the wording transmitted by al-Ḥākim.

Imām Aḥmad likewise related it through Yazīd ibn Hārūn, though he did not mention Abū Dharr’s recitation of the verse, and he added at the end: “yet he will not be able to obtain it.” (2)

In the Musnad of Imām Aḥmad there is also the report of Bahz—and others—from his father Ḥakīm ibn Muʿāwiyah, from his grandfather Muʿāwiyah ibn Ḥaydah al-Qushayrī, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “You will be gathered here,” and he pointed with his hand toward the region of Syria, “on foot, riding, and dragged upon your faces. You will be presented before Allah with muzzles (3) on your mouths; the first part of any one of you that will speak will be his thigh and his hand.” Al-Tirmidhī likewise recorded it—from Aḥmad ibn Manīʿ, from Yazīd ibn Hārūn, from Bahz ibn Ḥakīm, from his father, from his grandfather—with a similar wording, and he graded it ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ. (4)

Aḥmad also said: ʿUthmān ibn ʿUmar narrated to us, ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd ibn Jaʿfar narrated to us, he said: Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī related to us from Rāfiʿ ibn Bishr al-Salamī, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Very soon a fire will emerge from Ḥabs Sayl (5). It will move at the pace of camel-mounted riders (6): it will travel during the day and halt at night; it will set out in the morning and return in the evening. It will be proclaimed, ‘The fire has set out—people, travel!’ then, ‘The fire has halted—people, take your midday rest!’ then, ‘The fire has set out—people, resume your march!’ Whoever it overtakes it will consume.” This chain is unique to this report. Abū Nuʿaym also cited it in the biography of Bishr Abū Rāfiʿ al-Salamī, adding: “The necks of the camels in Buṣrā will glow from its light.” (7)

All of these narrations show that this gathering (hashr) concerns those alive at the very end of the world, who will be driven from every region of the earth to the place of assembly, namely the land of Syria. They will fall into three categories: a group that will be well-fed, well-clothed, and mounted; a group that will at times walk and at other times ride, taking turns (8) on a single camel—as stated in the two Ṣaḥīḥs: “Two on a camel, three on a camel,” until he said, “and ten on a camel, taking turns because of the scarcity of mounts,” as has already been cited—and, as another ḥadīth clarifies, “the rest of them will be herded by the Fire.” That is the fire which will burst forth from the depths of ʿAdan, encircle the people from behind, and drive them from every direction toward the land of assembly; whoever lags behind will be devoured by the fire.