of al-Shām (Greater Syria), as is explicitly affirmed in authoritative texts and sound narrations.

He then quoted the ḥadiths that speak of the Fire’s rising from Yemen, from the depths of ʿAdan Abyan, of its driving people from East to West, and of its pushing them on to the land of al-Shām. He reconciled the reports by saying that there are two fires: one that will herd the people from East to West, and a second that will break out in Yemen and drive the people to the place of gathering, which is al-Shām.

He added: “If, in Allah’s knowledge, there is only a single Fire, the reports can still be harmonized. One wording says, ‘A Fire will appear in Ḥaḍramawt before the Day of Resurrection and will drive the people.’ Another states, ‘A Fire will erupt from the depths of ʿAdan and will convey the people to the place of gathering.’ A third says, ‘A Fire will herd the people from East to West.’ The reconciliation is that al-Shām—the place of gathering—lies west of the East. Thus, the Fire will first arise from the depths of ʿAdan in Yemen, then spread eastward, and from there drive the people westward to al-Shām, the place of gathering.”

The word ‘Abyan’ (pronounced on the pattern of aḥmar) is the name of the king who built the city.

Ibn al-Athīr says in his Nihāya: “‘ʿAdan Abyan’ is a well-known city in Yemen, ascribed to Abyan—pronounced on the pattern of abyad—a man from Ḥimyar who settled there (ʿadana bihā, that is, took up residence).” And Allah knows best.