صحيح البخاري
Bukhari
كتاب الطبThe Book of Medicine
بَابُ مَا يُذْكَرُ فِي الطَّاعُونِ:Chapter. What has been mentioned about the plague.
Hadith 5729
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ ، عَنْ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الحَارِثِ بْنِ نَوْفَلٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ : أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ خَرَجَ إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِسَرْغَ لَقِيَهُ أُمَرَاءُ الْأَجْنَادِ ، أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ، وَأَصْحَابُهُ ، فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ الْوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِأَرْضِ الشَّأْمِ ، قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ : فَقَالَ عُمَرُ : ادْعُ لِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ ، فَدَعَاهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ ، وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ الْوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّأْمِ ، فَاخْتَلَفُوا ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : قَدْ خَرَجْتَ لِأَمْرٍ وَلَا نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ عَنْهُ ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ : مَعَكَ بَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ وَأَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَلَا نَرَى أَنْ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ ، فَقَالَ : ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : ادْعُوا لِي الْأَنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ ، فَسَلَكُوا سَبِيلَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ ، فَقَالَ : ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : ادْعُ لِي مَنْ كَانَ هَا هُنَا مِنْ مَشْيَخَةِ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ مُهَاجِرَةِ الْفَتْحِ ، فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ مِنْهُمْ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلَانِ ، فَقَالُوا : نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ وَلَا تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ ، فَنَادَى عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ ، إِنِّي مُصَبِّحٌ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ فَأَصْبِحُوا عَلَيْهِ ، قَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ : أَفِرَارًا مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ ! فَقَالَ عُمَرُ : لَوْ غَيْرُكَ قَالَهَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ : نَعَمْ ، نَفِرُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللَّهِ ، أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ إِبِلٌ هَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا خَصِبَةٌ وَالْأُخْرَى جَدْبَةٌ ، أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْخَصْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْجَدْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ ، قَالَ : فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَكَانَ مُتَغَيِّبًا فِي بَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّ عِنْدِي فِي هَذَا عِلْمًا : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلَا تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ ، وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلَا تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ ، قَالَ : فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عُمَرُ ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ .
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas: `Umar bin Al-Khattab departed for Sham and when he reached Sargh, the commanders of the (Muslim) army, Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah and his companions met him and told him that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. `Umar said, "Call for me the early emigrants." So `Umar called them, consulted them and informed them that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. Those people differed in their opinions. Some of them said, "We have come out for a purpose and we do not think that it is proper to give it up," while others said (to `Umar), "You have along with you. other people and the companions of Allah's Apostle so do not advise that we take them to this epidemic." `Umar said to them, "Leave me now." Then he said, "Call the Ansar for me." I called them and he consulted them and they followed the way of the emigrants and differed as they did. He then said to them, Leave me now," and added, "Call for me the old people of Quraish who emigrated in the year of the Conquest of Mecca." I called them and they gave a unanimous opinion saying, "We advise that you should return with the people and do not take them to that (place) of epidemic." So `Umar made an announcement, "I will ride back to Medina in the morning, so you should do the same." Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah said (to `Umar), "Are you running away from what Allah had ordained?" `Umar said, "Would that someone else had said such a thing, O Abu 'Ubaida! Yes, we are running from what Allah had ordained to what Allah has ordained. Don't you agree that if you had camels that went down a valley having two places, one green and the other dry, you would graze them on the green one only if Allah had ordained that, and you would graze them on the dry one only if Allah had ordained that?" At that time `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, who had been absent because of some job, came and said, "I have some knowledge about this. I have heard Allah's Apostle saying, 'If you hear about it (an outbreak of plague) in a land, do not go to it; but if plague breaks out in a country where you are staying, do not run away from it.' " `Umar thanked Allah and returned to Medina.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu gave such a remarkable answer, meaning that fleeing is also by Allah’s decree (taqdeer), because no action in the world can occur unless it is decreed.
From this hadith, it is derived that if an epidemic occurs in a country or town, it is correct not to go there, and it is also permissible to return from there. This was also the instruction of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu was not aware of it. His opinion would always coincide with the divine command.
In this matter as well, it coincided.
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu, along with his companions, turned back towards Madinah.
Hazrat Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah radi Allahu anhu said, “Are you fleeing from Allah’s decree?” Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu replied, “If anyone else had said this statement, I would have punished him.”
This incident is related to the plague of ‘Amwas; it occurred in the year 18 AH.
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu had set out on an official tour of the land of Shaam (Greater Syria) when the mention of the plague of ‘Amwas was brought before him. At that time, the land of Shaam had been divided into several districts, and each place had a commander of the army.
Khalid ibn al-Walid radi Allahu anhu, Zayd ibn Abi Sufyan radi Allahu anhu, Shurahbil ibn Hasanah radi Allahu anhu, and Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhu were all governors.
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu gave such a remarkable answer, meaning that fleeing is also by Allah’s decree (taqdeer), because no action in the world can occur unless it is decreed.
From this hadith, it is derived that if an epidemic occurs in a country or town, it is correct not to go there, and it is also permissible to return from there. This was also the instruction of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, but Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu was not aware of it. His opinion would always coincide with the divine command.
In this matter as well, it coincided.
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu, along with his companions, turned back towards Madinah.
Hazrat Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah radi Allahu anhu said, “Are you fleeing from Allah’s decree?” Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu replied, “If anyone else had said this statement, I would have punished him.”
This incident is related to the plague of ‘Amwas; it occurred in the year 18 AH.
Hazrat Umar radi Allahu anhu had set out on an official tour of the land of Shaam (Greater Syria) when the mention of the plague of ‘Amwas was brought before him. At that time, the land of Shaam had been divided into several districts, and each place had a commander of the army.
Khalid ibn al-Walid radi Allahu anhu, Zayd ibn Abi Sufyan radi Allahu anhu, Shurahbil ibn Hasanah radi Allahu anhu, and Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhu were all governors.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 5729
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This incident took place in the eighteenth year of Hijrah.
A plague epidemic spread in the region of ‘Amwas in Syria.
‘Amwas is the name of a town situated between Ramla and Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).
Approximately thirty thousand people perished in this epidemic.
This was the first occurrence of plague in Islam.
Umar radi Allahu anhu wished to go to Syria to ascertain the situation there, but on the way he received news of the outbreak of the plague, so he decided to return.
Although he did not know of any hadith regarding this matter at that time, most often his opinion would coincide with the command of Allah. Later, when it became known that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had also given the same instruction, he thanked Allah Ta‘ala.
(2)
In any case, from this hadith it is understood that if a plague epidemic breaks out in any country or town, one should not go there, and the people of that place should not leave it. Doing so is not fleeing from the decree of Allah Ta‘ala, but rather it is itself a part of the decree.
(1)
This incident took place in the eighteenth year of Hijrah.
A plague epidemic spread in the region of ‘Amwas in Syria.
‘Amwas is the name of a town situated between Ramla and Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).
Approximately thirty thousand people perished in this epidemic.
This was the first occurrence of plague in Islam.
Umar radi Allahu anhu wished to go to Syria to ascertain the situation there, but on the way he received news of the outbreak of the plague, so he decided to return.
Although he did not know of any hadith regarding this matter at that time, most often his opinion would coincide with the command of Allah. Later, when it became known that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had also given the same instruction, he thanked Allah Ta‘ala.
(2)
In any case, from this hadith it is understood that if a plague epidemic breaks out in any country or town, one should not go there, and the people of that place should not leave it. Doing so is not fleeing from the decree of Allah Ta‘ala, but rather it is itself a part of the decree.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 5729
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Hadith Authentication:
[و اخرجه البخاري 5729، ومسلم 2219، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ There are several wisdoms in the instruction that people should neither flee from a region afflicted by plague and epidemic nor should outsiders enter it, for example:
First: If this disease afflicts someone from outside the region, his belief may become corrupted, thinking that this disease inherently possesses the ability to infect and transmit by itself. The same applies to an outsider who contracts the disease; thus, this erroneous belief has been prevented.
Second: So that panic and fear do not spread.
➋ An authentic hadith, even if it is a solitary report (khabar wahid), is a proof, because our master Umar radi Allahu anhu acted upon the hadith narrated by the companion Abdul Rahman bin Awf radi Allahu anhu. See: Hadith [موطا امام مالك: 9]
➌ Those in authority should act in matters of ijtihad (independent reasoning) after consulting the people of influence and decision (ahl al-hall wa’l-‘aqd).
➍ Ordinary Muslims should also consult their trustworthy brothers in important matters.
➎ In issues for which there is no explicit evidence in the Book, the Sunnah, or consensus (ijma‘), one may reason from general evidences (umum adillah) or perform ijtihad.
➏ True knowledge is the Qur’an and Hadith.
➐ It is entirely possible that a lesser scholar may know an evidence that a greater scholar does not know.
➑ In opposition to this authentic hadith, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani (the false claimant to prophethood) writes: “And I know that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that when an epidemic descends upon a city, the people of that city should, without delay, leave that city, otherwise they will be considered as fighting against Allah the Exalted.” [مجموعه اشتهارات ج2 ص 713] This statement of Mirza is a complete lie.
➒ After coming to know the knowledge of the Messenger’s hadith, one should immediately submit rather than engage in argumentation.
➓ In the blessed era of the Companions, there was no such thing as taqlid (blind following).
[و اخرجه البخاري 5729، ومسلم 2219، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ There are several wisdoms in the instruction that people should neither flee from a region afflicted by plague and epidemic nor should outsiders enter it, for example:
First: If this disease afflicts someone from outside the region, his belief may become corrupted, thinking that this disease inherently possesses the ability to infect and transmit by itself. The same applies to an outsider who contracts the disease; thus, this erroneous belief has been prevented.
Second: So that panic and fear do not spread.
➋ An authentic hadith, even if it is a solitary report (khabar wahid), is a proof, because our master Umar radi Allahu anhu acted upon the hadith narrated by the companion Abdul Rahman bin Awf radi Allahu anhu. See: Hadith [موطا امام مالك: 9]
➌ Those in authority should act in matters of ijtihad (independent reasoning) after consulting the people of influence and decision (ahl al-hall wa’l-‘aqd).
➍ Ordinary Muslims should also consult their trustworthy brothers in important matters.
➎ In issues for which there is no explicit evidence in the Book, the Sunnah, or consensus (ijma‘), one may reason from general evidences (umum adillah) or perform ijtihad.
➏ True knowledge is the Qur’an and Hadith.
➐ It is entirely possible that a lesser scholar may know an evidence that a greater scholar does not know.
➑ In opposition to this authentic hadith, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani (the false claimant to prophethood) writes: “And I know that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that when an epidemic descends upon a city, the people of that city should, without delay, leave that city, otherwise they will be considered as fighting against Allah the Exalted.” [مجموعه اشتهارات ج2 ص 713] This statement of Mirza is a complete lie.
➒ After coming to know the knowledge of the Messenger’s hadith, one should immediately submit rather than engage in argumentation.
➓ In the blessed era of the Companions, there was no such thing as taqlid (blind following).
Source: Muwatta Imam Malik (Narration of Ibn al-Qasim): Commentary by Zubair Ali Zai, Page: 63
