39/32. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2219d — Do Not Enter or Flee Plague Lands
The Plague, Ill Omens, Soothsaying And The Like
Plague Hadith in Islam: Do Not Enter and Do Not Flee
Sahih Muslim : 2219d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2219d
وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى مَالِكٍ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ، عَامِرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ أَنَّ عُمَرَ، خَرَجَ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَلَمَّا جَاءَ سَرْغَ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ الْوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّامِ . فَأَخْبَرَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ . وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ " . فَرَجَعَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ مِنْ سَرْغَ . وَعَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ عُمَرَ إِنَّمَا انْصَرَفَ بِالنَّاسِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ .
'Amir bin Rabi`a Narrated from:
'Umar went to Syria and as he came to Sargh, information was given to him that an epidemic had broken out in Syria. 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf narrated to him that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had said: When you hear of its presence in a land, don't move towards it, and when it breaks out in a land and you are therein, then don't run away from it. So 'Umar b. Khattab came back from Sargh. Salim b. 'Abdullah reported that 'Umar went back, along with people on hearing the hadith reported on the authority of 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2219dIn-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 139USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 26, Hadith 5506
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2219d
This hadith about plague gives the teaching in a short and direct way. Umar went toward Syria and reached Sargh. There he was told that an epidemic had broken out in Syria. Abd al-Rahman b. Auf then narrated the words of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم: when you hear of plague in a land, do not move toward it; and when it breaks out in a land while you are there, do not run away from it. Umar returned from Sargh after hearing this report. The narration also states that Umar turned back with the people because of the hadith of Abd al-Rahman b. Auf. This makes the core message clear: decisions about danger should be guided by prophetic teaching, not fear alone.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not move toward a land where plague has broken out.
- Do not flee from a land after plague breaks out while you are there.
- Prophetic guidance should shape public decisions.
- Leaders may change plans when sound knowledge reaches them.
