عَنْ أَبِي عَسِيبٍ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِالْحُمَّى وَالطَّاعُونِ فَأَمْسَكْتُ الْحُمَّى بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَأَرْسَلْتُ الطَّاعُونَ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَالطَّاعُونُ شَهَادَةٌ لِأُمَّتِي وَرَحْمَةٌ لَهُمْ وَرِجْسٌ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Usaib (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a freed slave of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to me with fever and plague. I kept the fever in Madinah and sent the plague to the region of Shaam. This plague is a mercy for the believers of my Ummah and a punishment for the disbelievers.