We were with the Prophet ﷺ, and we complained to him of poverty, lack of clothing, and scarcity of means. He said: “Receive glad tidings! By Allah, I fear for you from abundance of wealth more than I fear for you from scarcity. By Allah, this matter [Islam] will continue among you until the lands of Persia, Rome, and Himyar will be conquered for you, and you will become three armies: an army in as-Sham, an army in Iraq, and an army in Yemen; until a man is given a hundred dinars and remains dissatisfied”. Ibn Hawalah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, who can go to ash-Sham while the Romans—people of great strength—are there?”. He ﷺ replied: “By Allah, Allah, the Almighty and Supreme, will surely make you successors therein , until a group of them—wearing white shirts and with the backs of their heads shaved—stand at the head of a dark-skinned, shaven-headed man from among you. Whatever he commands them, they do. Yet, in that land today, there are men who view you as more insignificant than ticks on the backs of camels”. Ibn Hawalah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: “Choose for me, O Messenger of Allah, if I live to see that time”. He said: ‘I choose for you ash-Sham, for it is Allah’s chosen land from among His lands, and to it He draws His chosen servants. O people of Islam, you must hold to ash-Sham, for it is the chosen land of Allah . For whoever refuses, let him draw water from the ponds of Yemen, for Allah (the Almighty and Supreme) has guaranteed ash-Sham and its people for me”. He [the narrator] said: I heard ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr say: “The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ recognized the description mentioned in this hadith in Juz’ ibn Suhayl al-Sulami. He had been placed in charge of non-Arabs, and he was a short, dark-skinned man. They saw the non-Arabs standing around him, whatever he commands them, they do; and they were amazed by [the fulfillment of] this Hadith”.