It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Hawalah that once I presented myself in the service of the Prophet (peace be upon him) while he was sitting in the shade of a tree and there was a scribe with him to whom he was dictating something. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "O Ibn Hawalah, should we not write you down as well?" I submitted, "I do not know what Allah and His Messenger have preferred for me." So the Prophet (peace be upon him) turned away from me, and again leaned towards the scribe to dictate. After a while, the same question and answer took place. Then I saw that the names of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar were written in the document. I thought in my heart that the names of these two could only be written for a good purpose. Then for the third time, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "O Ibn Hawalah, should we not write you down as well?" I submitted, "Yes." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "O Ibn Hawalah, when tribulations erupt in the corners of the earth like the horns of a cow, what will you do?" I submitted, "I do not know what Allah and His Messenger will prefer for me." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Make Syria obligatory upon yourself." Then he asked, "After that, when another tribulation will immediately appear, which will be like the speed of a rabbit, then what will you do?" I replied as before. Now I do not remember what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said this time. Knowing the answer to this would be more beloved to me than such and such things.