The plague and what attains martyrdom

Sayyiduna Abu Asib (may Allah be pleased with him), the freed slave of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Jibril came to me with fever and plague. I kept the fever for Madinah and sent the plague to Syria. The plague will be martyrdom for my Ummah and a mercy for them, and a punishment for the disbelievers."
Ahmad and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir recorded it. The narrators of Ahmad are thiqat (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the cave. He supplicated: "O Allah, ta'n and plague." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I know that you have prayed concerning your Ummah. As for ta'n (being wounded by weapons), we know it; what is the plague?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is like a boil full of pus; if your life is long, you will soon see it."
Abu Ya'la recorded it. Its chain contains a narrator, Ja'far bin al-Zubayr al-Hanafi, and he is da'if (weak).

Abu Qilabah narrates: The plague broke out in Syria, and Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This is a disease that has befallen, so leave it and scatter into the various ravines and valleys." News of this reached Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), and he did not affirm the statement of Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "No; rather, it is martyrdom, and mercy, and the supplication of your Prophet. O Allah, grant Mu'adh and his family their share of Your mercy." Abu Qilabah says: I knew about the martyrdom, and I knew about it being a mercy, but I did not know what was meant by "the supplication of your Prophet," until I was told that one night the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying, and during his supplication he said: "Then let it be fever or plague." He said this three times. When morning came, someone from his household said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, I heard you making a supplication last night." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Did you hear it?" He replied: "Yes." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I asked my Lord not to destroy my Ummah through famine, and the Lord granted me that. I asked Allah Almighty not to set over them an enemy from other than themselves, and I asked Him not to split them into factions so that they would go about harming one another, but the Lord did not accept it" (the narrator is unsure; perhaps the words are:) "I was refused. So I said: 'Then let it be fever or plague; then let it be fever or plague,'" that is, he said it three times.
Ahmad recorded it. The narrator Abu Qilabah did not meet Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him).

Abu Munib al-Ahdab narrates: Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon in Syria and mentioned the plague, and said: "It is the mercy of your Lord, and the supplication of your Prophet, and the manner in which the righteous before you passed away. O Allah, grant the family of Mu'adh their share of this mercy." Then Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) came down from his place and went to Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This is the truth from your Lord, so never be among those who doubt." Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said (that is, he recited this verse): "You will find me, if Allah wills, among the patient."
Ahmad recorded it, and al-Tabarani recorded part of it in al-Kabir. The narrators of Ahmad are thiqat (trustworthy), and his chain is connected (muttasil).

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Soon you will migrate to the land of Syria, and it will be conquered for you. There will be a disease there like a boil or like a huzzah (a pain felt in the heart or liver), which will seize the lower part of a man's belly (or the blood vessels). Through it Allah Almighty will grant the people martyrdom, and through it He will purify their deeds." (After that Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) supplicated:) "O Allah, if You know that Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this from the Messenger of Allah, then grant him (that is, Sayyiduna Mu'adh) and his household the most abundant share of it." The narrator says: The plague then overtook them, and not one of them was left. Its boil appeared on his index finger, and he used to say: "It would not please me to have red camels in exchange for it."
Ahmad recorded it. The narrator Isma'il bin Ubaydullah did not meet Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My Ummah will perish through ta'n (being wounded) and plague." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, we know ta'n; what is the plague?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is the stab of your enemies among the jinn, and in each (of these two cases) there is martyrdom."
Ahmad recorded it with various chains. Some of its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih.
Abu Ya'la, al-Bazzar and al-Tabarani in the three books recorded it.

Sayyiduna Abu Burdah bin Qays (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him), narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said (that is, he supplicated): "O Allah, make the end of my Ummah be through being killed in Your path, by ta'n and plague."
Ahmad and al-Tabarani in al-Kabir recorded it. The narrators of Ahmad are thiqat (trustworthy).

Abd al-Rahman bin Ghanm narrates: When the plague broke out in Syria, Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon and said: "This plague is a filth (that is, a disease), so leave it and scatter into the various areas and the various valleys." News of this reached Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Hasanah, and he became angry. He came dragging his garment, with his shoes hanging from his hand, and said: "I kept the company of the Messenger of Allah, while Amr is more astray than his family's donkey. Rather, this (plague) is a mercy from your Lord, and the supplication of your Prophet, and (the cause of) the death of the righteous before you."
Ahmad recorded it.

Ahmad recorded a narration from Abu Munib: Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him), during another plague, addressed the people and said: "This is a scourge (a disease) like a torrent (sabil): whoever turns aside from it, it misses him; and like fire: whoever turns aside from it, it misses him, and whoever stays, it burns him and harms him."

In another narration it is reported: Yazid bin Humayr narrated something similar from Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Hasanah (may Allah be pleased with him), except that it contains these words: News of this reached Sayyiduna Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "He has spoken the truth." Ahmad recorded all these narrations. Al-Tabarani recorded some of them in al-Kabir. The chains of Ahmad are hasan (good) and sahih (authentic).

Abd al-Rahman bin Ghanm recorded this narration from al-Harith bin Amirah. He came with Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) from Yemen and stayed with him in his quarter and in his house. The plague struck them; Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Hasanah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Abu Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) were all struck by the plague on a single day. When Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) sensed the plague, he fled and became extremely afraid, and he said: "Scatter into the various ravines, for a command of Allah Almighty has begun to descend upon you; I think this is a punishment (or filth) and plague." Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Hasanah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "You are wrong. We kept the company of the Messenger of Allah, while you are more astray than your family's donkey." Sayyiduna Amr said: "You are right." Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Sayyiduna Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): "You are wrong. This is neither plague nor punishment; rather, it is the mercy of your Lord, the supplication of your Prophet, and the manner of the death of the righteous. O Allah, grant the family of Mu'adh the greater share of this mercy." The narrator says: Before evening came, Sayyiduna Mu'adh's (may Allah be pleased with him) son Abd al-Rahman was also struck by the plague. That son was the most beloved of all creation to Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), and Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) took his kunyah from him. Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from the mosque and found him in distress. Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Abd al-Rahman, how are you?" The son answered him and said: "O father, this is the truth coming from your Lord, so never be among those who doubt." Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If Allah wills, we will be among the patient." That son passed away that same night, and the next day Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) buried him. Then Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) sent al-Harith bin Amirah to Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him how he was. Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) showed al-Harith that there was a plague wound in his palm. Al-Harith bin Amirah began to weep over Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he was frightened by it when he saw it. Sayyiduna Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) swore by Allah that he would not like to have red camels in place of that wound. The narrator says: Al-Harith bin Amirah returned to Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) and found that he had fallen unconscious. Al-Harith began to weep. When Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) regained consciousness, he said: "O son of the Himyari woman, why are you weeping over me? I seek refuge in Allah from you." Al-Harith said: "By Allah, I am not weeping over you." Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Then what are you weeping over?" Al-Harith said: "I am weeping because my morning and evening connection with you will be cut off." Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Sit me up." Al-Harith sat him up in his lap, and Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Listen to me, for I am about to give you a piece of advice. You are weeping because the morning and evening companionship will be cut off; the place of knowledge is between the two covers of the Mushaf (that is, the Qur'an). If its interpretation becomes too hard for you, then after me seek knowledge with three men: Uwaymir Abu al-Darda', or Salman al-Farisi, or Ibn Umm Abd. And I urge you to beware of the slip of the scholar and of arguing with the hypocrite." Then the throes of death grew severe upon Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), and he suffered throes such as no one else had suffered. Whenever he recovered from a bout of unconsciousness, he would open his eyes and say: "Choke me with Your choking, for by Your might, You know that I love You." When Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, al-Harith set out from there and came to Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) in Hims, and stayed with him for as long as Allah willed. Then al-Harith said: "My brother, Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him), gave me advice concerning you, Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sayyiduna Ibn Umm Abd (that is, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him)); now I think I should go to Iraq." Then he came to Kufah and began attending the gathering of Sayyiduna Ibn Umm Abd (may Allah be pleased with him) morning and evening. Once, while he was in that gathering, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: "Who are you?" He said: "A man from Syria." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people of Syria are a good group, were it not for one fault." Al-Harith asked: "What is that one thing?" Sayyiduna Abdullah said: "Were it not that they testify about themselves that they are among the people of Paradise." Al-Harith said "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (We belong to Allah and to Him we return)" two or perhaps three times, and then said: "Sayyiduna Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth in what he said to me." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O my nephew, what did he say to you?" Al-Harith said: "He urged me to beware of the slip of the scholar. And by Allah, O Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud, you are one of two kinds of people: either a man who wakes in the morning with such certainty that he testifies that there is no god but Allah, in which case you are among the people of Paradise; or else a man in doubt, in which case you will not know what your abode will be." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "My brother spoke the truth. It was a slip; do not hold me to account for it." Then Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) took al-Harith by the hand and took him along to his home, and al-Harith stayed there for as long as Allah willed. Then al-Harith said: "I must go and meet Abu Abdullah Salman al-Farisi in al-Mada'in." So al-Harith set out until he came to Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Mada'in. When he greeted Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) with salam, Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Stay where you are until I come out to you." Al-Harith said: "By Allah, O Abu Abdullah, I did not think that you would recognise me." Sayyiduna Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes; but my soul recognised your soul before I recognised you. The souls were (in the world of souls) in the form of assembled troops; those that knew one another there are familiar with one another (in this world), and those that were strangers to one another there, for other than Allah's sake, remain apart in this world." Then al-Harith stayed with him for as long as Allah willed, and then he returned to Syria. These, then, were the people who knew one another for the sake of Allah Almighty and visited one another for the sake of Allah Almighty.
Al-Bazzar recorded it. Ahmad recorded part of it. The chain of al-Bazzar contains a narrator, Shahr bin Hawshab, about whom there is criticism; more than one scholar declared him thiqah (trustworthy). Al-Tabarani recorded a part of this narration in al-Kabir.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You will halt at a place called al-Jabiyah (the narrator is unsure; perhaps the words are:) al-Juwaybiyah. There a disease will afflict you like the gland-swelling of a camel. Through it Allah Almighty will grant you and your offspring martyrdom, and through it He will purify your deeds."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Kabir. Its chain contains a narrator, al-Hasan bin Yahya al-Khushani, whom Duhaym and others declared thiqah (trustworthy), and al-Nasa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) and others called him da'if (weak).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "My Ummah will perish through ta'n (that is, being wounded in battle) and plague." We said: "We know ta'n; what is the plague?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is the stab of your enemies, the jinn, and in each (of the two, ta'n and plague) there is martyrdom."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Saghir and al-Awsat. Its chain contains a narrator, Abdullah bin Ismah al-Nasibi. Ibn Adi says: "He has munkar (denounced) narrations." Ibn Hibban declared him thiqah (trustworthy).

Sayyiduna Utbah bin Abd al-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "(On the Day of Resurrection) the martyrs and those who died of the plague will come, and the plague victims will say: 'We are martyrs too.' It will be said: 'Examine them; if their wounds are like the wounds of the martyrs, flowing with blood like the scent of musk, then they will be counted as martyrs.' And they (the angels) will find them so."
Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Kabir. Its chain contains a narrator, Isma'il bin Ayyash, about whom there is criticism; his narration from the people of Syria is accepted, and this is one of them.