Lu'lu' wal-Marjan

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was going to Syria. When he reached the place of Sargh, he met the commanders of the army, Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his companions. They informed the Commander of the Faithful that the plague had broken out in Syria. Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that upon this, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Call the earliest Muhajireen to me." They were called, and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted them and informed them that the plague had broken out in Syria. The opinions of the earliest Muhajireen differed. Some people said that the remaining group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is with you, and it is not appropriate that you put them into this epidemic. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Alright, you may go now." Then he said, "Call the Ansar." I called the Ansar, and he consulted them as well, and they also differed like the Muhajireen; some said, "Go," and some said, "Return." The Commander of the Faithful said, "Now you may go as well." Then he said, "Call here the elders of the Quraysh who accepted Islam at the time of the conquest of Makkah and came to Madinah." I called them, and there was no difference of opinion among them. All of them said, "We think that you should return with the people and not take them into the land of the epidemic." As soon as he heard this, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) announced among the people that, "In the morning, I will ride my camel and return to Madinah Munawwarah; you all should also return." In the morning, it happened as such. Then Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Will you flee from the decree of Allah?" Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I wish someone else had said this. Yes, we are fleeing from the decree of Allah, but towards the decree of Allah itself. Suppose you have camels and you take them to a valley that has two sides, one lush and green and the other dry. Is it not the case that if you graze them on the green side, that too will be by the decree of Allah, and if you graze them on the dry side, that too will be by the decree of Allah?" It is narrated that then Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (may Allah be pleased with him) came; he was not present at that time due to some need. He said, "I have some knowledge regarding this matter. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'When you hear about (an epidemic) in a land, do not go there, and when it breaks out in a place where you are present, do not leave from there.'" The narrator stated that upon this, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) praised Allah Almighty and then returned.