al-Shām, just as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was taken by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque. Thus, the best people on earth at the end of time will be those who remain most firmly in the land to which Abraham, peace be upon him, migrated, namely al-Shām. Thus, the matter’s bearing is as observed and known.

The glorious Quran indicates the blessedness of al-Shām in five verses. Allah says:

“And We caused the people who had been oppressed to inherit the eastern and western regions of the land which We had blessed.”

The land that Allah Most High caused the Children of Israel to inherit was none other than al-Shām.

He also says:

“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed.”

And He says:

“And We delivered him and Lot to the land which We had blessed.”

And He says:

“And for Solomon We subjected the wind, blowing forcefully at his command towards the land which We had blessed.”

And He, Most High, says:

“And We placed between them and the towns which We had blessed other towns in plain sight”—to the end of the verse.

These are five explicit scriptural statements. “Blessing” encompasses blessings in religion and in worldly life. Both are known beyond doubt.

This, however, concerns the general and predominant situation. For many people, residing somewhere other than al-Shām may be better, as explained earlier. Likewise, many inhabitants of al-Shām would be better off leaving it for a place where they would be more obedient to Allah and His Messenger.

Abū al-Dardā’ wrote to Salmān al-Fārisī—may Allah be pleased with them both—saying:

“Come to the land