Musnad al-Humaydi

‘Aamir bin Sa’d narrates: A man came to ask Sayyiduna Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) about the plague, and at that time Sayyiduna Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present. Sayyiduna Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say: “It is a punishment (the narrator is unsure, perhaps these are the words), it is a penalty, which was sent to some people before you. (The narrator is unsure, perhaps these are the words) It was sent to a group of Bani Israel, so sometimes it comes and sometimes it goes. So when it occurs in a land where you are present, do not leave that place fleeing from it, and when you hear about it in a place, do not enter that place.” The narrator named ‘Amr says: It may be a punishment and sin for some people and martyrdom for another people. Sufyan says: I liked this statement of ‘Amr very much.