39/32. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2218a — Plague Guidance: Do Not Enter or Flee
The Plague, Ill Omens, Soothsaying And The Like
Plague Hadith: Do Not Enter or Flee an Affected Land
Sahih Muslim : 2218a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2218a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، وَأَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَسْأَلُ، أُسَامَةَ بْنَ زَيْدٍ مَاذَا سَمِعْتَ مِنْ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الطَّاعُونِ فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الطَّاعُونُ رِجْزٌ أَوْ عَذَابٌ أُرْسِلَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ عَلَى مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ " . وَقَالَ أَبُو النَّضْرِ " لاَ يُخْرِجُكُمْ إِلاَّ فِرَارٌ مِنْهُ " .
Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas Narrated from:
Amir b. Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas reported on the authority of his father that he asked Usama b. Zaid: What have you heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about plague? Thereupon Usama said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Plague is a calamity which was sent to Bani Isra'il or upon those who were before you. So when you hear that it has broken out in a land, don't go to it, and when it has broken out in the land where you are, don't run out of it. In the narration transmitted on the authority of Abu Nadr there is a slight variation of wording.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2218aIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 124USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5493
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2218a
This plague Hadith gives clear guidance about movement during an outbreak. Usama b. Zaid reported that Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم described plague as a calamity sent to Bani Isra'il or to those before this community. The instruction is simple: when people hear that plague has broken out in a land, they should not go to it. If it breaks out in the land where they already are, they should not run out of it. Many people search for this as the plague hadith, quarantine hadith in Islam, or do not enter plague land hadith. The report does not add a long medical discussion. It focuses on two actions: do not enter the affected land, and do not flee from it once already there. This makes the core topic public safety during plague, as stated in the Hadith itself.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not enter a land after hearing that plague has broken out there.
- If plague breaks out where someone already is, the report says not to flee from it.
- The Hadith describes plague as a calamity or punishment linked to earlier people.
- The teaching encourages careful movement and steadiness during a serious outbreak.
