Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The real cause of this is not clearly understood.
The Greeks treat it with “jadwar khatai,” doctors place a piece of ice on the swelling, and Bedouins treat it by cauterization, but rarely does anyone escape death.
Therefore, fleeing from a place afflicted by plague is akin to fleeing from death, which will inevitably come at its appointed time.
The late Maulana Waheed uz-Zaman rahimahullah states that changing one’s house or neighborhood, or leaving the settlement to go to the mountains in order to obtain fresh air and water, does not fall under the category of fleeing (from the plague). And Allah knows best what is correct.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The decree (qadar) of Allah Ta'ala will certainly come to pass, so what is the meaning of taking precautionary measures against epidemic diseases, such as: "Do not leave the place where the epidemic has spread, and do not enter the place where the epidemic has spread"? The best answer to this was given by Umar radi Allahu anhu when Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah radi Allahu anhu asked him:
"O Commander of the Believers! Do you wish to flee from the decree of Allah?" He replied:
"We flee from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. If you were to camp in a valley that has both a green (fertile) and a dry (barren) area, and you let your camels graze in the green area, that is by the decree of Allah, and if you let them graze in the dry area, that too is by the decree of Allah."
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Tibb, Hadith: 5729)
2.
In any case, a person should not resort to trickery, such as fleeing from there to escape the plague but making the excuse that "I am going to meet my friends." And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
It is understood from this that it is permissible to leave plague-stricken areas for the purposes of trade, usury, jihad, or other reasons.
It is narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (radi Allahu anhu) that during the time of plague, he would send his sons to the villages.
‘Amr ibn al-‘As (radi Allahu anhu) said: When the plague comes, scatter yourselves in the ravines of the mountains, the forests, and the mountain peaks.
Perhaps these Companions had not received this hadith.
When ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) was going to Syria and learned that there was a plague there, he turned back.
People said: Are you fleeing from the decree of Allah?
‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) replied: We are fleeing to the decree of Allah itself.
In plague, first there is a severe fever, then a swelling appears in the armpit or neck, and the person dies.
Death by plague is martyrdom (shahadah).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Plague (ta‘un) is an epidemic disease that manifests with severe pain and burning sensations; swelling appears in the armpits, and then the surrounding areas turn blackish-green. The heart becomes distressed, vomiting begins, and ultimately, this leads to a person’s death. Among the Children of Israel, it appeared as a form of punishment, whereas for this Ummah, it is an expiation for sins.
➋
From the hadith, it is understood that one should not leave a place where the plague has spread, seeking escape to another place. However, it is permissible to leave for purposes such as trade, seeking knowledge, or jihad, etc. The meaning of the narration by the hadith’s transmitter, Abu Nazr, is that when your departure is solely to escape from the plague, then do not leave.
That is, the departure which is prohibited is specifically fleeing from there as a means of escape.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Rajz:
Punishment,
filth;
in this hadith, these are synonymous words.
(2)
Ta‘un (Plague):
On the pattern of “fa‘ul”:
It is a widespread epidemic and a destructive poisonous substance,
which appears in the soft parts of the human body,
especially in the armpit,
elbow,
joints of the fingers,
behind the ear,
the inner part of the knees,
in the form of boils.
It causes swelling and severe pain,
inflammation arises,
the surrounding area turns black,
which is extremely dangerous.
Less dangerous is when the surrounding area turns yellow, and the least dangerous is when it turns red.
It causes the heart to palpitate,
vomiting and fainting occur.

Benefits and Issues:
The epidemic of plague was imposed as a punishment upon previous nations.
The Banu Isra’il, due to their sins, faced it several times,
as is proven from the scriptures of the Old Testament of the “Holy Book” of the Jews and Christians, and the Pharaoh’s people also faced it.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade entering a land afflicted by an epidemic,
because in doing so, it would necessitate abandoning apparent means and resources,
whereas the meaning of tawakkul (trust in Allah) is not to abandon means and resources,
rather, tawakkul is to adopt permissible means and resources and then entrust the results to Allah.
And fleeing from there,
considering the means and resources to be everything,
is contrary to tawakkul.
Means and resources can only be effective
when there is Allah’s permission and will.
Therefore, Islam has adopted moderation and balance.
To flee from a land of epidemic thinking that in this way I will be saved from the plague
is a denial of predestination (qadar), and to go there
is a denial of means and resources.
The words of Abu Nadr,
“la yukhrijukum illa firaran minhu” mean that fleeing from the plague should not be the reason for leaving,
otherwise, the apparent meaning that you left as soon as you decided to stay
is contrary to the context of the hadith.
Its meaning would then be that no option except fleeing is permissible,
whereas Abu Nadr’s intent
is to explain and clarify “fa la takhruj firaran minhu” (do not flee from it).
The purpose is that leaving for any reason other than fleeing is permissible,
for example, for seeking knowledge,
for trade,
for treatment and medical care.
If you leave solely for the sake of fleeing, then in this way, the wealthy will leave by following each other,
and the needy and destitute will remain behind.
Who will take care of them?
Who will arrange for their shrouding and burial? And after their departure, if by Allah’s will and decree the epidemic spreads to another place, it will be thought that it spread here because of their arrival.
In this way, the belief in the contagiousness of disease will become entrenched,
which is contrary to the intent of Islam.

Explanation:
1:
By "this group" is meant those people whom Allah commanded to enter the gate of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) in a state of prostration, but they opposed (the command). Allah the Exalted said about them: "So We sent upon them a punishment from the sky." In the verse, "a punishment from the sky" refers to the plague (ta‘un). Thus, within one hour, 24,000 of their elders died.

2:
Because by fleeing from there, you cannot save yourselves; the way to protection from it is repentance (tawbah) and seeking forgiveness (istighfar), not leaving that place.

Takhrij al-Hadith:
[وأخرجه البخاري 3473، ومسلم 2218، من حديث مالك به]

Jurisprudential Explanation
➊ Plague is a punishment for the disbelievers and the disobedient, and a mercy for the believers. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
«أَنَّهُ عَذَابٌ يَبْعَثُهُ اللهُ عَلَى مَنْ يَّشَاءُ وَأَنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَهُ رَحْمَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ، لَيْسَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَقَعُ الطَّاعُوْنُ فَيَمْكُثُ فِيْ بَلَدِهِ صَابِرًا مُحْتَسِبًا يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَا يُصِيْبُهُ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللهُ لَهُ إِلَّا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ شَهِيْدٍ»
“This is a punishment which Allah sends upon whomever He wills, and Allah has made it a mercy for the believers. Whoever is afflicted by the plague, then remains in his land with patience, gratitude, and seeking reward, knowing that nothing will befall him except what Allah has written for him (in destiny), he will receive the reward of a martyr.” [صحيح بخاري : 3474]
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
«الطاعون شهادة لكل مسلم»
“The plague is martyrdom for every Muslim.” [صحيح بخاري : 2830 و صحيح مسلم : 1916]

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that the disease of plague (ta‘un) is a punishment which Allah Ta‘ala imposes upon a people. Fleeing from there is prohibited, and for outsiders, entering that place is forbidden. Plague or any other disease is not contagious; one should keep away from the people upon whom the plague has been imposed, because punishment can descend upon them at any time. And when a person is among a people afflicted by plague, he should not flee from there, because by doing so the punishment cannot be averted, and someone else may contract the disease. If the Jews consider themselves to be Allah’s beloved, then why did Allah Ta‘ala send punishment upon them? The hadith scholar, Mawlana Muhammad Abdur Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah, has written two independent treatises on the prohibition of fleeing from the plague. See: (Maqalat Muhaddith Mubarakpuri, p. 378, 494)