Is It Permissible to Leave a Plague-Stricken Area?
Source: Fatāwā Amun Pūrī by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amun Pūrī
The Question
Is it permissible to leave an area that has been struck by a plague?
The Answer
If a plague has spread in an area, then:
- It is not permissible for the people of that area to leave it.
- Likewise, it is not permissible for outsiders to enter the plague-stricken area.
- However, entry or exit is allowed in the case of medical necessity.
Prophetic Evidence
Sayyidunā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“If you hear of a plague in a land, do not enter it; and if it occurs in a land where you are, do not leave it fleeing from it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 5729; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2219)
Conclusion
- The Sunnah prohibits leaving a plague-stricken area or entering it unnecessarily.
- This is both a religious obligation and a protection for public health.
- Exceptions are made only for genuine medical needs.
