It is narrated from Abdullah bin Hawalah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Soon there will be an army in Syria and one in Yemen. A man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, when this happens, give preference to one for me." The Prophet (peace be upon him) said three times, "Make Syria obligatory upon yourself. Whoever cannot do so should go to Yemen and drink from its wells, for Allah has taken responsibility for Syria and the people of Syria on my behalf."