Merits of al-Sham al-Sharif Forty Narrations on The Immense Merits of al-Shâm Compiled and translated by GF
Haddad
The Arabic word al-Shâm has been left untranslated for lack of an English equivalent. It is originally written and pronounced al-Sha'm and means "the North" with relation to the Hijaz, covering the lands of present-day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan from the Euphrates to Sinai. Ibn Hibban said: "Al-Shâm begins at Bâlis [East of Aleppo] and ends at `Arish Misr [at the border of Egypt]."1 The lexical and geographical inclusion of al-Qudus (Jerusalem) in al-Shâm in the language of the Arabs is established by the narration of Salman al-Farisi's question to the Christians of Persia: "Where is the origin of this religion?" They replied: "In al-Shâm."2 In modern usage al-Shâm often means old Damascus. The Arabic term for the latter is Dimashq, which is cited in the authentic hadith.3 I. In the Noble Qur'an 1. Allah Most High blessed the land of Shâm when He said {Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the Inviolable Place of Worship to the Far Distant Place of Worship the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, that We might show him of Our tokens! Lo! He, only He, is the Nearer, the Seer} (17:1). The Prophet Other narrations of the hadith of isrâ' and
mi`raj state that the
following took place during the Prophet's Gibrîl said: "Alight and pray here." The
Prophet The commentaries are unanimous in adducing the
Prophet's 2. Allah Most High also said {And We caused the folk who were devised to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We had blessed} (7:137), meaning Shâm, as narrated from the authorities in tafsîr among the Tâbi`în.10 3. Allah Most High also said {And We verily did allot unto the Children of Israel a beautiful abode (mubawwa'a sidq), and provided them with good things} (10:93). The scholars of the Tâbi`în explained the beautiful abode to mean Shâm.11 4. Allah Most High also said {And We rescued him [Ibrahim] and Lot (and brought them) to the land which We have blessed for (all) peoples} (21:71) meaning Shâm according to the Salaf as reported by the commentators.12 5. Allah Most High also said {And unto Solomon (We subdued) the wind in its raging. It set by His command toward the land which We had blessed} (21:81), meaning Shâm.13 Ibn `Abd al-Salam said that the scholars differed whether this blessing consisted in the presence of the Prophets and Messengers, or with the abundance of harvests and water.14 6. Allah Most High also said {And We set, between them and the towns which We had blessed, towns easy to be seen, and We made the stage between them easy, (saying): Travel in them safely both by night and day} (34:18). The early scholars have identified those blessed towns as Shâm.15 7. Allah Most High also swore {By the fig and the olive, By Mount Sînâ} (95:1-2), meaning by "the fig" al-Shâm and by "the olive" Palestine, which is also in Shâm, as is Sînâ.16 Each of these three symbols and the places they stand for refers in turn to a Prophet, respectively Ibrahim `alayhi as-Salam, `Isa `alayhi as-Salam, and Musa `alayhi as-Salam. 8. The divine mention of "the first gathering" in the verse {He it is Who has caused those of the People of the Scripture who disbelieved to go forth from their homes unto the first gathering} (59:2) is an allusion to the second and final gathering, both of which take place in Shâm.17 9. The land of refuge for `Isa ibn Maryam `alayhi as-Salam and his mother in the verse {And We made the son of Mary and his mother a portent, and We gave them refuge on a height (rabwa), a place of flocks and water springs} (23:50) was Damascus according to Ibn `Abbas, `Abd Allah ibn Salam, Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib, and al-Hasan al-Basri.18 10. His - the Most High - statement {many columned Iram, The like of which was not created in the lands} (89:7-8) was explained by Bishr ibn al-Harith to refer to Shâm.19 II. In the Noble Hadith [below] NOTES 1In Ibn Hibban (16:294). Bâlis is sixty miles East of Aleppo, at the South-East bend of the Euphrates, while `Arish Misr is the first Egyptian town on the side of Shâm, on the Mediterranean coast as defined in Mu`jam al-Buldan. Al-Suyuti in al-Durr al-Manthur mentions that Ibn `Asakir narrates something similar from the Tâbi`î Abu al-Aghdash. This definition is confirmed by the report narrated from Ka`b al-Ahbar below. 2Narrated as part of a very long hadith by Ahmad in his Musnad and al-Tabarani, both with sound chains as stated by al-Haythami in Majma` al-Zawa'id, and by al-Bazzar in his Musnad. 3Cf. below, Part I #9 and Part II #14, 23, 26, 27, and 36. 4Narrated as part of a long hadith from Anas by Muslim and Ahmad. 5A city on the shore of the Red Sea bordering Tabuk near the valley of Shu`ayb. 6The tree under which Musa `alayhi as-Salam rested from fatigue and hunger during his flight from Fir`awn. 7Narrated as part of a long hadith from Anas by al-Nasa'i with a sound chain and from Shaddad ibn Aws by al-Bayhaqi who declared it sound in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (2:355-357), and by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir and al-Bazzar with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami in Majma` al-Zawa'id. See Ibn Hajar's Mukhtasar (1:90-91 #32). 8See al-Suhayli, al-Ta`rif wa al-I`lam fi ma Ubhima fi al-Qur'an min al-Asma' wa al-A`lam (p. 96) and the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (5:155), Ibn Kathir (3:22-24), al-Jalalayn (p. 365), al-Durr al-Manthur (5:182, 5:195, 5:222), al-Tabari (15:5), al-Wahidi (2:627), al-Nahhas (4:119), etc. Also al-Mubarakfuri, Tuhfa (8:450). 9In al-Suyuti, Mufhimat al-Aqran fi Mubhamat al-Qur'an (p. 21). 10Narrated from al-Hasan and Qatada by `Abd al-Razzaq, `Abd ibn Humayd in his Musnad, al-Tarabi in his Tafsir, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Abu al-Shaykh, and Ibn `Asakir as mentioned in al-Suyuti's al-Durr al-Manthur and Ibn `Abd al-Salam in Targhib Ahl al-Islam (p. 13-14). 11Narrated from Qatada, al-Dahhak, and Ibn Zayd by Ibn al-Mundhir as stated by al-Suyuti in Mufhimat al-Aqran fi Mubhamat al-Qur'an (p. 115) and Ibn `Abd al-Salam in Targhib Ahl al-Islam (p. 14). See the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (4:174), al-Jalalayn (p. 281), al-Durr al-Manthur (4:389), al-Tabari (11:166-167), `Abd al-Razzaq (2:297), Ibn al-Jawzi (4:62), al-Shawkani (2:485), al-Nahhas (3:316), etc. 12See the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (6:77), Ibn Kathir (3:186), al-Jalalayn (p. 427), al-Durr al-Manthur (5:642-643), al-Tabari (11:166, 17:45-47), al-Qurtubi (11:305), al-Wahidi (2:720), Ibn al-Jawzi (5:368), al-Shawkani (3:416), etc. 13See the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (6:80), al-Jalalayn (p. 428), al-Tabari (17:55), al-Qurtubi (11:322), Ibn al-Jawzi (5:370-374), al-Shawkani (3:419) etc. 14Ibn `Abd al-Salam, Targhib (p. 13). 15See the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (7:128), Ibn Kathir (3:534), al-Tha`alibi (3:244), al-Jalalayn (p. 566), al-Durr al-Manthur (6:692), al-Tabari (22:83-84), al-Qurtubi (14:289), al-Wahidi (2:882), Mujahid (2:525), Ibn al-Jawzi (6:448), al-Shawkani (4:321), al-Nahhas (5:410) etc. 16See the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (9:174), Ibn Kathir (4:527), al-Jalalayn (p. 813), al-Durr al-Manthur (8:554-555), al-Tabari (30:239), `Abd al-Razzaq (3:382), al-Qurtubi (20:111), al-Wahidi (2:1214), Ibn al-Jawzi (9:168-170), al-Shawkani (5:464-465), etc. and al-Bakri's Mu`jam ma Ustu`jam (3:898). 17See the Tafsirs of al-Jassas (5:316), Abu al-Su`ud (8:225), al-Tha`alibi (4:281-282), al-Jalalayn (p. 730), al-Durr al-Manthur (1:730), al-Tabari (28:28-29), `Abd al-Razzaq (3:282), al-Qurtubi (18:2), al-Wahidi (2:1080), Ibn al-Jawzi (8:204), al-Shawkani (5:195, 5:199), etc. and al-Hakim (1990 ed. 2:525). See also the report cited below (#28). 18Cf. Ibn Abi Shayba (6:409) with a sound chain to Sa`id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Suyuti in Mufhamat al-Aqran (p. 148), al-Haythami (7:72), Ibn `Abd al-Salam in Targhib Ahl al-Islam (p. 27), and the Tafsirs of Abu al-Su`ud (6:137), Ibn Kathir (3:247), al-Thawri (p. 216), al-Durr al-Manthur (6:101-102), al-Tabari (18:26), `Abd al-Razzaq (3:45), al-Qurtubi (12:126), al-Wahidi (2:748), Ibn al-Jawzi (5:476), al-Shawkani (3:486-487), al-Nahhas (4:461-462), etc. as well as Yaqut's Mu`jam al-Buldan (2:464) and al-Bakri's Mu`jam ma Ustu`jam (2:637). One narration of this commentary has a chain from Ibn al-Musayyib up to `Abd Allah ibn Salam but its authenticity was questioned by Ibn Abi `Asim (d. 287) in his `Ilal al-Hadith (2:65-66) on the grounds that none of the authorities went further up than Ibn al-Musayyib. However, the hadith master Abu Muhammad al-Ramahurmuzi's (d. 362) narration in al-Muhaddith al-Fasil Bayn al-Rawi wa al-Wa`i ("The Hadith Scholar That Differentiates Between Narrators and Containers") (p. 475) does narrate it up to `Abd Allah ibn Salam with his chain, and both Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir (3:247) and al-Qurtubi in his (12:126) mention Ibn Salam's narration. Note that al-Dhahabi lauded al-Ramahurmuzi's book in his Siyar (1996 ed. 12:233) and related that al-Silafi carried it wherever he went. Dr. Nur al-Din `Itr pointed out in a class communication that it was the first comprehensive book on hadith science ever written, second to which came the works of al-Hakim, al-Khatib, and Ibn al-Salah. Another narration raises this commentary to the
Prophet 19Narrated from al-Maqbiri by al-Tabari in his Tafsir (30:111) and others. II. In the Noble Hadith The Prophet 11. The Prophet Ibn `Abd al-Salam said: "This is an allusion to the fact that Allah has put certain angels in charge of guarding Shâm and protecting it. This is in agreement with the hadith of `Abd Allah ibn Hawala [#18] that states that they [the people of Shâm] are under His guarantee (kafâla) and His care."2 12. The Prophet Ibn `Abd al-Salam said: "In this hadith the
Prophet 13. Strengthened by the above report is that of
the Prophet's 14. The Prophet 15. The Prophet 16. The Prophet Som people claim that Najd means Iraq in the terminology of the hadith but this is incorrect.12 Al-Nawawi said: "Najd is the area that lies between Jurâsh (in Yemen) all the way to the rural outskirts of Kûfâ (in Iraq), and its Western border is the Hijaz. The author of al-Matali` said: Najd is all a province of al-Yamama."13 Al-Fayruzabadi said: "Its geographical summit is Tihama and Yemen, its bottom is Iraq and Shâm, and it begins at Dhatu `Irqin14 from the side of the Hijaz."15 Al-Khattabi said: "Najd lies Eastward, and to those who are in Madina, their Najd is the desert of Iraq and its vicinities, which all lie East of the people of Madina. The original meaning of najd is `elevated land' as opposed to ghawr which means declivity. Thus, Tihama is all part of al-Ghawr, and Mecca is part of Tihama."16 This is confirmed by Ibn al-Athir's definition: "Najd is any elevated terrain, and it is a specific name for what lies outside the Hijaz and adjacent to Iraq."17 Similarly al-Dawudi said: "Najd lies in the vicinity of Iraq."18 Iraq itself lexicaly means river-shore or sea-shore, in reference to the Euphrates and the Tigris.19 In other words, Najd is the mountainous area East of the Hijaz, bordering it and Iraq at the same time and actually separating them. This is confirmed by the verse of the poet `Awamm ibn al-Asbagh: Next to Batni Nakhlin there is a mountain called the Black One: One half of it is Hijazi, another half Najdi.20 A further confirmation is in the account of the
qunût of the Prophet Another proof is that no-one from Iraq entered
Islam in the time of the
Prophet (a) It is narrated from Talha ibn `Ubayd Allah in
al-Bukhari and Muslim
that "a man came to the Messenger of Allah (b) The hadith of Abu Hurayra in the two Sahihs
and the Sunan: "The
Messenger of Allah (c) The hadith of Abu Hurayra in Abu Dawud with a
good chain, "We went out
to Najd with the Messenger of Allah Before Islam the Jews of Khaybar vanquished them
by making tawassul
through the Prophet After Islam, the Ghatafan were among the tribes that turned apostate and said the claims of the pseudo-prophet Tulayha al-Asadi were true. (d) The famous hadith of the spoils from Abu Sa`id
al-Khudri in the two
Sahihs and the Sunan in which the Quraysh became angry and said: "He is
giving to the nobility of Najd and leaving us out!" to which the
Prophet It is also established in the authentic Sunna that
after Abu Talib's death
by about three years, in the 10th year of the Hijra, on the actual
night
that the Prophet At any rate, the above explanations prove that
those who say that Najd in
the hadith denotes present-day Iraq exclusively of present-day Najd26
are
mistaken, as Najd at that time included not only Iraq but also - as in
our
present time - everything East of Madina, especially the regions far
South
of Iraq. The proof for this is the hadith whereby the Prophet Another proof is that the Prophet a) "The Prophet b) "When these two cities were conquered -
al-Basra and al-Kufa - they
came to `Umar ibn al-Khattab and said: `O Commander of the Believers,
the
Messenger of Allah On the foregoing evidence one might make a case that Najd is synonymous with Iraq in the hadith in the general sense of the immediate East in relation to Madina. This view is supported by other narrations of the hadith "bless us in our Shâm and our Yemen" in which the terms "East" and "Iraq" are used interchangeably in the place of Najd: a) The Prophet b) The Prophet 17. The Prophet 18. The Prophet 19. In another version Ibn Hawala states: "When he noticed my dislike for Shâm he said: `Do you know what Allah says about Shâm? Verily, Allah said: O Shâm, you are the quintessence (safwa) of My lands and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants."39 Ibn al-Athir defines safw and safwa in his dictionary al-Nihaya as "the best of any matter, its quintessence, and purest part."40 20. Related to the events mentioned by the Prophet NOTES 1Narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit al-Ansari by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan (hasan gharîb) with a fair chain because of Yahya ibn Ayyub al-Ghafiqi who is merely "truthful" (sadûq) as in al-Arna'ut and Ma`ruf's al-Tahrir (4:78 #7511); Ahmad with two chains, one of which is sound according to Ibn al-Qayyim in his commentary on Abu Dawud's Sunan (7:115), the other is a fair chain because of `Abd Allah ibn Lahi`a; al-Hakim (2:229; 1990 ed. 2:249) who said it is sahîh and al-Dhahabi concurred; al-Bayhaqi in the Shu`ab (2:432); Ibn Abi Shayba (4:218, 6:409); Ibn Hibban (16:293) with a sound chain meeting Muslim's criterion according to Shaykh Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut; and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (5:158 #4935) with a sound chain according to al-Haythami (10:60) and al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:30). 2Ibn `Abd al-Salam, Targhib Ahl al-Islam (p. 21). 3Narrated from Salama ibn Nufayl by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (7:53 #6358) with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami (10:60). 4Narrated from Salama ibn Nufayl by Ahmad with a
fair chain, al-Nasa'i
with a sound (sahîh) chain, Ibn Sa`d (7:427-428), and al-Bukhari
in his
Tarikh al-Kabir (4:70), the latter with the addition: "and I find the
breath of the Merciful coming from over there [i.e. Yemen]." Also
narrated
from al-`Irbad ibn Sariya and al-Nuwwas ibn Sam`an by Ibn `Asakir in
his
Tarikh (1:70, 1:105-106). A forged mursal report narrated from the
Tâbi`î
Kathir ibn Murra al-Hadrami by Nu`aym ibn Hammad (d. 228) in Kitab
al-Fitan (1:254) states that the Prophet 5Ibn `Abd al-Salam, Targhib Ahl al-Islam (p. 20). 6Narrated from Abu al-Darda' through Abu Muti` Mu`awiya ibn Yahya from Artah ibn al-Mundhir from someone unnamed from Abu al-Darda' by al-Tabarani, the rest being trustworthy, as stated by al-Haythami (10:60), Artah himself being highly trustworthy, and Muti` fair as stated by al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:32 = 1994 ed. 4:106 #4514). The hadith is further strengthened by Ibn `Asakir's chain in Ta`ziya al-Muslim (p. 75) from Sa`id al-Bajali from Shahr ibn Hawshab (cf. n. 1636) from Abu al-Darda' and by hadiths #23-26 and 32 below. 7Narrated from Abu Hurayra by Abu Ya`la in his Musnad and by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat, al-Haythami (10:60-61) indicating that the former chain is sound but the latter weak because of al-Walid ibn `Abbad, who is unknown. However, he is also in Abu Ya`la's chain and Ibn `Adi in al-Kamil (7:84) stated that this hadith is narrated only through him. The hadith is therefore weak with this chain and wording - although confirmed by the hadith #32 below - and mass-transmitted with the wording "A party of my Community shall not cease to remain victorious, standing for truth, until the Hour rises." See al-Kattani, Nazm al-Mutanathir (p. 141). 8In Sharh Sahih Muslim (1972 ed. 13:66). 9Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn `Amr by Muslim and Ahmad as part of a longer hadith. 10Narrated from `Uqba ibn `Amir by Muslim. 11Narrated from Ibn `Umar by al-Bukhari, al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh gharîb), and Ahmad with three chains, one of which with the addition: "And in it [Najd] are nine tenths of all evil." 12Cf. masud.co.uk 13Al-Nawawi in Tahrir al-Tanbih (p. 157, s.v. "najd"). 14Ibn Hajar gave the opinion that Dhatu `Irqin is Kufa in Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 3:390). 15In al-Qamus al-Muhit, article al-Najd. See also Mu`jam al-Buldan. 16In Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 13:48). 17Ibn al-Athir, al-Nihaya, s.v. n-j-d. 18In Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 13:48). 19Ibn al-Athir, al-Nihaya, s.v. `-r-q. 20In Yaqut al-Hamawi (d. 626), Mu`jam al-Buldan (1:192, 2:219). 21Narrated by al-Tabari in his Tarikh (2:81) and - in parts - from Anas by al-Bukhari; al-Bayhaqi, al-Sunan al-Kubra (9:225 #18587), Abu Ya`la (5:448), Ahmad, al-Tahawi in Sharh Ma`ani al-Athar (1:244 waj`al qulûbahum `alâ qulubi nisâ'a kawâfir). The story is told in al-Buti, Fiqh al-Sira (p. 254-255). 22In al-Rihla fi Talab al-Hadith (p. 191). 23Tarikh (2:384). 24Zad al-Ma`ad (3:190). 25Ibn Hisham, al-Sira al-Nabawiyya (3:6-8); al-Tabari, Tafsir (9:227-228) and Tarikh (1:566-567); Ibn Kathir, Tafsir ("sahîh" 2:303 on verse 8:30) and al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya; al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur (verse 8:30). 26Cf. al-Albani in his notes on al-Raba`i, Fada'il al-Sham wa Dimashq (p. 6, 27). 27Narrated from Abu Mas`ud by al-Bukhari in three places and Muslim. 28Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari (1959 ed. 6:531). The first words of al-Busiri's Qasida Mudariyya are: "O our Lord! Send Your blessings on the Elect One of Mudar" (Ya rabbî salli `alâ al-mukhtâri min mudarin). 29Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar (3:309), Bab al-Bughat [Chapter on Rebels]. 30Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 31Al-Nawawi, Tahrir al-Tanbih (p. 157, s.v. "qarn"). Al-Shawkani in Nayl al-Awtar (4:295) said the same. 32Narrated from Ibn `Umar by al-Bukhari. 33In al-Nihaya s.v. h-dh-y. 34Narrated from Ibn `Umar by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat (2:529 #1910) with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami (3:305). 35Narrated from Ibn `Abbas by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (12:84 #12553) with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami (3:305). Abu Nu`aym narrates something similar in the Hilya (1985 ed. 6:133). 36Narrated from Ibn `Umar by al-Tirmidhi (hasan gharîb sahîh) who added that it is also narrated from Hudhayfa ibn Asid, Anas, Abu Hurayra, and Abu Dharr. Also narrated from Ibn `Umar by Ahmad with five chains, Ibn Hibban (16:294) with a sound chain meeting al-Bukhari's criterion according to Shaykh Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut, Ibn Abi Shayba (7:471), Ibn Tahman in his Mashyakha (#201), and Abu Ya`la in his Musnad (9:405) with a sound chain as stated by al-Haythami (10:61). 37Narrated from `Abd Allah ibn Hawala by Abu Dawud
and Ahmad with sound
chains, Ibn Hibban (16:295), al-Hakim (4:510; 1990 ed. 4:555) who said
it
is sahîh and al-Dhahabi concurred, al-Tahawi in Mushkil al-Athar
(2:35),
al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (9:179), and Ibn `Abd al-Salam in
Targhib
Ahl al-Islam (p. 15). Also narrated from Abu al-Darda' by al-Bazzar and
al-Tabarani with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami (10:58)
after
al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:30). Something similar is
narrated
from `Abd Allah ibn Yazid by al-Tabarani with a very weak chain as
indicated by al-Haythami (10:58) and from Wathila ibn al-Asqa` by
al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (22:55-58), specifying that those who were
asking
the Prophet 38Narrated from Abu al-Darda' by al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani with a sound chain as indicated by al-Haythami (10:58). 39Narrated by al-Tabarani with two chains of which one is fair according to al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:30). Something similar is narrated from al-`Irbad ibn Sariya by al-Tabarani in al-Kabir (18:251) with a sound chain according to al-Mundhiri in al-Targhib (1997 ed. 4:30) and al-Haythami (10:58), chapter entitled Fada'il al-Sham, and from Ibn `Umar by al-Tabarani and al-Bazzar with a weak chain according to al-Suyuti in al-Durr al-Manthur. Al-Suyuti also said that Ibn `Asakir narrated it from Thabit ibn Ma`bad. 40The Prophet 41Narrated from Umm Salama by Abu Dawud through three different good chains in his Sunan, Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shayba, Abu Ya`la in his Musnad (12:369 #6940) with a fair chain according to Shaykh Husayn Asad, al-Tabarani in al-Awsat (2:89 #1175) and al-Kabir (23:389-390 #930-931), al-Hakim, Ibn Hibban (15:158-159 #6757) with a weak chain because of Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Rufa`a - but he has been corroborated - and al-Bayhaqi. Continued [after part 20] GF Haddad © 20-07-13 |
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