There are many
hadith which explain that sickness expiates evil deeds and
wipes out sins. Of these, some are given below:
Abu Hurairah
narrates that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When
Allah wants to be good to someone, He tries him with some
hardship."
Abu Hurairah
also reports that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, said:
"For every misfortune, illness, anxiety, grief, or hurt
that afflicts a Muslim -even the hurt caused by the pricking
of a thorn - Allah removes some of his sins." Ibn Mas'ud
said: "I visited the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, while he had a fever. I exclaimed: 'O Messenger of Allah!
You have a high fever! ' He said: 'My fever is as much as two
among you [might have]. ' I asked: 'Is it because you have a
double reward?' He replied: 'Yes, that is right. No Muslim is
afflicted with any hurt, even if it is no more than the
pricking of a thorn, but Allah wipes off his sins because of
it and his sins fall away from him as leaves fall from a
tree'."
Abu Hurairah
said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, remarked: 'The
example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant; from
whichever direction the wind blows, it bends the plant. But
when the wind dies down, it straightens up again. (Similarly a
believer is tested by afflictions to strengthen his faith and
heart, and he remains patient and firm). And an evil person is
like a pine tree which remains hard and stiff until Allah
breaks it whenever He wills."
Patience During Illness
Anyone
suffering from an illness should remain patient, for there is
no reward better or more enriching than that reserved for
those who endure in patience.
Suhaib ibn
Sinan narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"How remarkable is the case of the believer! There is
good for him in everything, but this is not the case for
anyone except for the believer. When the believer receives any
good, he is thankful to Allah, and gets a reward. And when
some misfortune befalls him, he endures it patiently, for
which he is (also) rewarded."
Anas narrates:
"I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying: 'Allah
says: "When I afflict a servant of mine with respect to
his two most beloved things (meaning his eyes), and he endures
it patiently, I grant him paradise in return'."
'Ata ibn Rabah
related that he heard Ibn 'Abbas say: "Shall I show you a
woman of Paradise?"I said: "Yes, indeed." He
said: "A black woman came to the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and said: 'I suffer from epileptic fits, and because of
these, (at times) my body becomes uncovered. Would you invoke
Allah, the Exalted One, to cure me of this disease? ' The
Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'If you wish, you can be
patient and you will attain Paradise (for this suffering). But
if you prefer, I will pray to Allah, the Exalted, to cure you
of it?' The woman said: 'I will be patient,' then added: 'I
become uncovered (when I have fits), so invoke Allah for me
that I do not become uncovered. ' So the Prophet, peace be
upon him, prayed for her."
To Complain of One's Illness
It is permitted
for a patient to complain of his pain and illness to a
physician or a friend, provided he does not do so to express
his or her anger or impatience. It was mentioned earlier that
the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "My fever is as
severe as that of any two of you." Once 'Aisha complained
to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, about her
headache, lamenting: "O my head." He retorted:
"Nay, rather (I should say) O my head!" Likewise it
is reported that 'Abdullah ibn Al-Zubair asked his ailing
mother, Asma bint Abi Bakr, "How are you feeling
now?" She replied: "I am in pain."
A patient
should thank and praise Allah, before talking about his
distress and complaint
Ibn Mas'ud
said: "If one thanks Allah before complaining about his
pain or disease, then it is not considered impatience. Indeed,
to refer one's complaint to Allah, is quite lawful."
Jacob (the prophet), said: "I complain of my distraction
and anguish only to Allah." The Prophet Muhammad, peace
be upon him, himself prayed: "O Allah! to You I complain
of my weakness."
A Sick Person is Rewarded for All the
Good Deeds that He Would (usually) Perform in a State of
Health
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari
reports that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "If a
servant (of Allah) falls sick or goes on a journey, he
(continues to be) rewarded for the good deeds that he used to
do when he was healthy or at home."
Visiting the Sick
It is Islamic
etiquette to visit a sick Muslim, to provide him moral
support, and to make sure that he or she is well taken care
of.
Ibn 'Abbas
said: "The first visit to a sick person is sunnah, while
any subsequent visit is a voluntary act (a good deed)."
Abu Musa reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and free the
captives."
The Prophet,
peace be upon him, said: "A Muslim has six obligations to
another Muslim." "What are these?" they asked.
He replied: "To greet another Muslim when you meet him;
to respond when he invites you; to give him your (sincerest)
advice when he seeks it; to say 'may Allah have mercy upon
you' when he sneezes and says ' may Allah be praised '; to
visit him when he falls ill; and when he dies, to attend his
funeral."
Reward for Visiting the Sick
Abu Hurairah
narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"A caller from heaven calls out to the person who visits
a sick person, 'You are good and your path is good. May you
enter your residence in Paradise'."
Abu Hurairah
reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, will say on the
Day of Judgement: 'O Son of Adam! I fell ill, but you did not
visit Me.' The human will ask, 'O my Sustainer! How could I
visit You when You are the Sustainer of the Worlds? And how
can You fall sick?' He, the Almighty, will say, 'Did you not
know that such and such a servant of Mine was sick. But you
did not visit him. Did you not know that, had you visited him,
you would have found Me by his side? O Son of Adam! I asked
you for food, but you fed Me not?' The man will say, 'O my
Sustainer! How could I feed You when You are the Sustainer of
the Worlds? And You are free from hunger?' He, the Almighty,
will say: 'Such and such a servant of Mine asked you for food,
but you refused to give him any. Did you not know that, had
you fed him, you would have found it recorded here with Me? O
Son of Adam! I asked you for a drink, but you did not give Me
any.' The man will say, 'O my Sustainer! How could I give You
a drink while You are the Sustainer of the Worlds and are free
from thirst?' He, the Almighty will say, ' Such and such a
servant of Mine asked you for a drink, but you did not give
him any. Had you given him a drink, you would have surely
found that recorded with Me."'
Thawban
reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Verily, when a Muslim visits his sick Muslim brother, he
is, as it were, in one of the gardens of Paradise (enjoying
its ripe fruits) until he returns to his home."
Ali said:
"I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
saying: 'When a Muslim visits a sick Muslim in the morning,
seventy thousand angels pray for him, and they continue
praying for him until that evening. When one visits the sick
in the evening, the angels pray for him and continue praying
for him until the next morning. Moreover, he will be rewarded
with the choicest fruits of Paradise."
Etiquette of Visiting the Sick
It is
recommended that the visitor pray for the recovery and health
of the patient and that he should urge him to endure his
trouble patiently. He should say nice words to cheer him up
and keep his spirits high. The Prophet, peace be upon him,
said: "When you visit a sick person, give him hope for a
long life. This will not avert anything, but will please the
patient and give him comfort." When the Prophet, peace be
upon him, visited a sick person he used to say to him:
"Do not worry! It is a means of cleansing (you) of sins,
Allah willing."
It is preferred
to shorten the visits and to make them less frequent as far as
possible, lest they should become burdensome for the patient,
except when the patient himself desires longer and more
frequent visits.
Women Visiting (Sick) Men
Bukhari
reports: "Umm ad-Darda went to visit one of the Ansar who
used to come to the mosque.'' It is narrated from 'Aishah that
she said: "When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, migrated to Madinah, both Abu Bakr and Bilal fell sick.
So I went to see them, and I said: 'O dear father! How are you
(now)?' And, 'O Bilal! How are you now?' She (further) said:
'When Abu Bakr had high fever he would recite:
Every man is
amongst his family, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe
laces.
And when Bilal
recovered from fever, he would recite: Would that I could stay
overnight in a valley wherein I should be surrounded by
izhkhir and jalil (kinds of fragrant grass). Would that one
day I could drink of the water of Majinna, and would that (the
two mountains) Shama and Tafil would appear to me.
'Aishah added:
"Then I went to Allah's Messenger and told him about it,
whereupon the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 'O Allah!
Bestow on us the love of Madinah as we love Makkah, or even
more than that. O Allah ! Make it healthy and bless its sa'
and mudd (measures of food) for us, and divert its fever to
(the place called) al-Juhfah."
Muslim Visiting a Non-Muslim Patient
It is
permissible for a Muslim to visit a sick non-Muslim person. In
the chapter, "Visiting a Sick Polytheist," Bukhari
says: It is narrated on the authority of Anas that "a
Jewish boy, who used to serve the Prophet, peace be upon him,
once fell ill. The Prophet, peace be upon him, visited him and
invited him to Islam, saying: 'Submit to Allah's will.' So he
accepted Islam." Similarly Bukhari narrates from Sa'id
ibn al-Musayyab that he reported from his father that
"when Abu Talib (the Prophet's uncle and an idolater) was
on his deathbed, the Prophet, peace be upon him, visited
him."
Visiting an Eye Patient
Abu Daw'ud
narrates that Zaid bin al-Arqam said: "I suffered from an
eye disease and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
came to visit me."
Asking the Sick for a Prayer
Ibn Majah
narrates on the authority of Umar that the Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, said: "When you visit a sick person,
ask him to pray for you. Indeed, the prayer of a sick person
is like the prayer of angels." According to the author of
Az-Zawa' id, the chain of narrators of this hadith is broken,
yet it is sound and trustworthy, because otherwise it is
authentic and narrators are trustworthy.
Seeking Medical Treatment
There are many
hadith which encourage the Muslims to seek medical treatment.
Usamah ibn
Shuraik narrated: "I came to the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and found him with his companions. They were calm and
serene as if there were birds over their heads. I greeted them
and sat down. Then some bedouins came from various places.
They askezhim: 'O Allah's Messenger! Should we seek medical
treatment for our illnesses?' He replied: 'Yes, you should
seek medical treatment, because Allah, the Exalted, has let no
disease exist without providing for its cure, except for one
ailment, namely, old age'." (Reported by Ahmad and the
six sunnan. Tirmizhi considers it a sound hadith.)
Anas ibn Mas'ud
reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Verily, Allah has not let any malady occur without
providing its remedy.
Therefore seek
medical treatment for your illnesses.'' ( Nasa'i, Ibn Majah,
and al-Hakim.)
Jabir narrated
that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
"There is a cure for every disease. Whenever an illness
is treated with its right remedy, it will, by Allah's
permission, be cured." (Muslim)
Using Prohibited Things As Medicine
The majority of
scholars hold that the use of wine and other prohibited things
as medicine, is unlawful. They base their arguments on the
following hadith:
Wa'il ibn Hujr
al-Hadrami reported that, "Tariq ibn Suwaid asked the
Prophet, peace be upon him, if he could use liquor as
medicine. The Prophet replied: 'It is not a cure, but a
disease'.'' (Muslim, Abu Daw'ud, and Tirmizhi.)
Umm Salamah,
the wife of the Prophet, peace be upon him, reports that he
once said: "Allah has not placed a cure for your diseases
in things that He has forbidden for you.'' (Reported by
Baihaqi; Ibn Hibban considers this hadith to be sound.Bukhari
has also related it on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud.)
Abu ad-Darda
reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
"Allah has sent down both the malady and its remedy. For
every disease He has created a cure. So seek medical
treatment, but never with something the use of which Allah has
prohibited.'' (Reported by Abu Daw'ud. Among the natrators of
this hadith we find Isma'il ibn 'Aiyash, who is considered
trustworthy by the Syrians, but regarded as a weak narrator by
the scholars of Hijaz.)
Abu Hurairah
narrated: "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
prohibited the use of a harmful medicine, namely,
poison."(Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmizhi, and Ibn Majah.)
Using a few,
unnoticeable drops that cannot induce intoxication, is not
prohibited, provided they are a part of a compound medicine.
For example, the use of a small amount of pure natural silk in
a woven fabric, as explained in al-Manar.
Treatment by a non-Muslim Physician
In his book,
Al-Adab ash-Shar'iah, Ibn Muflih writes that Shaikh
Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah said: "A credible Jew or
Christian who has medical expertise may treat a sick Muslim.
Such a person may, likewise, be entrusted with funds or other
financial transactions, for Allah, the Exalted, says: 'Among
the People of the Book are some who, if entrusted with a hoard
of gold, will (readily) pay it back; others, who, if entrusted
with a single silver coin, will not repay it unless you
constantly stand over them demanding it'.'' (Qur'an 3.75)
We find in a
sound hadith that the Prophet, peace be upon him, hired a
polytheist as a guide at the time of his migration to Madinah,
so he entrusted him with his life and money. The people of the
tribe of Khuza'ah, who were both Muslims and non-Muslims,
acted as scouts for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
ordered Muslims to seek treatment from Al-Harith ibn Kaldah,
who was a disbeliever. But when a Muslim physician with the
expertise is available, one should seek his or her treatment
and not turn to anyone else. The same applies when one has to
entrust a person with funds or deal with him in business. If a
Muslim has to confide in or turn to someone from the people of
the Book for medical treatment, he may do so. It is not
prohibited to befriend Jews and Christians. And when the
Muslim has an opportunity to talk to them, he should address
them in ways that are polite and sincere. Indeed, Allah, the
Exalted, says: "And do not argue with the people of the
Book, except in ways that are best." Qur'an 29.46
In a hadith on
the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, Abu Al-Khattab tells us that
"the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent a man of the
Khuza'ah tribe to gather intelligence, and the Prophet, peace
be upon him, accepted his report despite the fact that he was
a disbeliever." This proves, according to Abu Al-Khattab,
that it is quite permissible to take the advice of a
non-believing physician for diagnosis and treatment, provided
he is not suspect and his fidelity is not doubtful."
Permission for a Woman to Seek Medical
Treatment from Men
In cases of
necessity, it is permissible for a man to treat a woman, and
for a woman to treat a man. Bukhari reports from Rubayyie'
bint Mu'awwizh ibn 'Afra that she said: "We participated
in battles with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and
we (women) provided the people with water, looked after them,
and brought the wounded and the dead back to Madinah." (Bukhari,
Chapter on "Can a Man Treat a Woman, or a Woman a
Man?")
In his book,
Al-Fath, Al-Hafiz writes: "When necessary, it is
permissible to treat strangers with whom one is not related or
not consanguine. Therefore, looking at, probing, and touching,
etc., in such cases are also allowed."
In Al-Adab al-Shar'iah
Ibn Muflih writes: "If a woman is sick and no female
doctor is available, a male doctor may treat her. In such a
case the doctor is permitted to examine her, including her
genitals. The same applies to a male doctor treating a sick
man. Ibn Hamdan says: "If a man is sick and there is no
male doctor available to treat him, then he may be treated by
a female doctor. She is permitted to examine him, including
his genitals." AlQadi writes: "A physician is
permitted to look at a woman and her private parts in case of
necessity. Likewise, if need be, a woman or a man is permitted
to look at the private parts of a man."
Use of Incantation and Supplications in
the Treatment
The use of
incantation and supplications is allowed for treatment,
provided their content is the remembrance of Allah and they
are written in a comprehensible language. Otherwise their
content might well contain something polytheistic without one
being aware of it. 'Awf ibn Malik reported: "We practiced
incantation in the pre-lslamic days so we asked the Messenger
of Allah, 'What is your opinion about it?' He said: 'Let me
see your incantations.
There is
nothing wrong with the incantation that does not contain any
polytheistic statements'." (Muslim and Abu Daw-ud)
Ar-Rabi ' says:
"I asked Ash-Shafi ' i about incantation. He replied:
'There is nothing wrong in using the Qur'an for incantation or
any other words that contain Allah's remembrance.' Then I
asked him: 'Is it permissible for Muslims to approach the
Christians and the Jews for incantation? ' Ash-Shafi'i
replied: 'Yes, provided they use the revelation from Allah and
words that contain His remembrance'."
Some Supplications Found in Hadith
'Aishah reports
that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to seek refuge in
Allah for some of his family members. He used to touch them
with his right hand, saying: Allahahuma Rabbin nas azhhabal
ba'sa, ashfi wa antashafi, la shifa' illa shifa'uka shifa' la
yughadiru saqma "O Allah! The Sustainer of mankind!
Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who
cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant (us) a cure
that leaves no illness." (Bukhari and Muslim)
'Uthman ibn Abu
Al-'As relates that "once he complained of pain in his
body to Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him. The Messenger of
Allah, peace be upon him, said: 'Put your hand where you feel
pain in your body and say, "Bismillah (in the name of
Allah)," and say, "A 'uzhu bi 'izzatillah wa
qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhazhiru (I seek refuge in
the might of Allah and in His Power from the evil that I find
and that I fear)," seven times'." 'Uthman continued:
"I did that a few times and Allah removed my pain. I
always advised my family and others to do the same."
(Muslim)
Muhammad ibn
Salim reported: "Thabit Al-Banani said to me: 'O Muhammad
! When you have any pain, put your hand where you feel pain,
then say: Bismallaha'uzhu bi'izatillah min shari ma ajidu min
waj'i hazha
"In the
Name of Allah! I seek refuge in Allah's might from the evil of
this pain. " Then remove your hand, and repeat the same
for an odd number of times. Then he said to me that Anas ibn
Malik had told him that Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him,
had taught this to him." (Tirmizhi)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas
reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "When
someone visits a sick person whose time of death has not come,
and says seven times: As'alu Allah al 'azim Rabbil 'arshil
azim an yshfiaka 'I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the
mighty throne, to cure you,'Allah will cure him of that
illness." (Reported by Abu Daw'ud and Tirmizhi, who says
it is a hasan (good) hadith. Al-Hakim says that it is sound
according to Bukhari's criteria)
'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas
also narrates that "the Prophet, peace be upon him, used
to seek protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain (his grandsons)
with the words: A'uzhukuma bi kalamatillahi tamah min kulli
shaitanin wa hamatin wa min kulli 'ainin lamatin 'I seek
protection for you with Allah's perfect words from every satan
and crawling creature and every evil eye.' He also added:
'Your father (Ibrahim) sought protection for Ismai'l and Ishaq
with these same words'." (Bukhari)
Sa'd ibn Abi
Waqqas reports that "the Prophet, peace be upon him,
visited him while he was sick and said: 'O Allah, make Sa'd
well! O Allah, make Sa'd well! Make Sa'd well!"' (Muslim)
Prohibition of Using Amulets
The Messenger
of Allah, peace be upon him, prohibited the use of amulets. 'Uqbah
ibn 'Amir narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, said: "If anyone wears an amulet, may Allah not help
him in fulfilling his wish. If anyone wears a sea-shell around
his neck, may Allah give him no peace." (Narrated by
Ahmad and Al-Hakim who consider it a sound hadith)
An amulet (tamimah)
is a string of shells or beads that the Arabs used to put
around their children ' s necks, believing that it would
protect them from the evil eye. Islam abolished this
superstitious practice. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, prayed against those who wore an amulet out of
superstitious belief.
It is reported
from Ibn Mas'ud that "once, when he entered his home, he
noticed his wife wearing a knotted object round her neck. He
took it away and broke it. Then he remarked: 'The family of
'Abdullah has become so arrogant that they now associate with
Allah those for whom He has sent down no authority.' Then, he
added: 'I have heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, saying: 'Verily, incantations, amulets, and love charms
are acts of shirk (associating false gods with Allah).' The
people said: 'O Abu Abdullah! We are familiar with
incantations and amulets, but what is a love charm (altawlah)'?'He
replied: 'It is a sort of magical formula by which women
sought to gain their husbands' love'." (Related by Al-Hakim
and Ibn Hibban, and both consider it a sahih hadith) 'Imran
ibn Hasin reports that "the Messenger of Allah, peace be
upon him, saw a man wearing a bracelet of copper on his arm.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, exclaimed to him: 'Woe be to
you' What is this? ' The man replied: 'I am suffering from
weakness (al-wahinah).' (Al-wahinah is a disease that causes
pain in the shoulders and hands. The man was wearing a copper
bracelet believing it would relieve his pain and suffering.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited him from wearing it
because he regarded it as an amulet) The Prophet, peace be
upon him, said: 'It will give you nothing but pain. Throw it
away. Had you died while wearing it, you would never have
achieved salvation'." (Narrated by Ahmad) 'Isa ibn Hamza
said: "I went to see 'Abdullah ibn Hakim and his face was
red due to high fever. I said to him: 'Why don't you use an
amulet?' He said: 'We seek refuge with Allah from it. The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever
wears anything as an amulet will be entrusted to
it"."' (Abu Daw'ud)
Pendants with Words from the Qur'an or
Hadith
'Amr ibn
Shu'aib relates from his father and from his grandfather,
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn Al-'Aas, that the Prophet, peace be
upon him, said: "If one of you is frightened while
sleeping, one should say: A'uzhu billah min hamazatish
shayatin wa an yahdrun ' I seek refuge in Allah's perfect
words from His anger, His chastisement, from the evil of His
creatures, and from the suggestions and approach of devils.'
Then one will never be harmed." 'Amr ibn Shu'aib related
further that 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr "used to teach this
prayer to his older sons who could comprehend and memorize.
For those who were not able to do so, he wrote these words
down, wrapped them as pendants, and made them wear these
around their necks." (Narrated by Abu Daw'ud, Nasa'i, and
Tirmihi, who says it is an acceptable but unknown hadith. Al-Hakim
says it is sound)
'Aishah, Malik,
and most of the scholars of the schools of Ash-Shafi'i and
Ahmad ibn Hanbal also subscribe to this view. Nevertheless Ibn
'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, scholars of the Hanafi school, and some
scholars of the Ash-Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, according to
one study, are of the opinion that it is not permissible for a
person to wear anything as an amulet in the light of the above
mentioned general prohibition regarding amulets.
Prohibition of Someone with a
Contagious Disease Living Among the Healthy
Anyone with a
contagious disease may be prohibited from living among healthy
people. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "A sick
person must not be brought among the healthy." The
Prophet, peace be upon him, prohibited the owner of sick
camels from mixing them with the healthy ones of another
owner, even though he also stated: "No contagious disease
is transmitted without Allah's permission, nor is there any
bad omen." It is also reported that the Prophet, peace be
upon him, accepted the oath of allegiance from a leper from
outside Madinah and did not permit him to enter the city.
Prohibition of Entering Or Leaving a
Plague-Stricken Area
The Messenger
of Allah, peace be upon him, forbade people to leave or enter
a land where there is a plague, in order to check the spread
of the contagious disease and confine it to a limited area. In
medical terminology this is known as "quarantine."
Usamah ibn Zaid said: "The Prophet, peace be upon him,
remarked in reference to the plague, 'It is a remnant of the
chastisement inflicted upon the Israelites. If a plague breaks
out in a place where you are, do not leave that place, and
when you hear of its spread in another place, do not go
there." (Narrated by Tirmizhi, who considers it a sound
hadith)
Ibn 'Abbas
reports: "'Umar ibn al-Khattab went to Al-Sham (Syria).
When he reached Sargh, the army commanders, Abu Obaidah ibn
al-Jarrah, and others received him. They informed him that a
plague had broken out in Al-Sham."Ibn Abbas continued,
"'Umar assembled the leaders from among the Muhajirin and
sought their opinions. They offered conflicting opinions. Some
said: 'We have come for a certain objective, and so we should
not turn back from it.' Others said: 'With you are others,
including some companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be
upon him. We do not believe that you should expose them to
this plague.' 'Umar said: 'You may leave.'Then he gathered
together the Ansar and asked their opinion. They were
unanimous in their advice to him. They said: 'We believe that
you should return with the people and you should not expose
them to the plague.' Then 'Umar addressed the people,
announced that he was going back the next morning, and asked
them to be prepared to leave in the morning. ' At this Abu
Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah said: 'O 'Umar! Are you running away
from the decree of Allah!' 'Umar replied: 'O Abu Ubaidah! I
wish someone else had said this. Yes, we do run from the
decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. What if you had a herd
of camels and you took them to a valley that had two slopes,
one green pasturage and the other dry and barren. Would you
not be fulfilling the decree of Allah if you let your herd
graze on the green pasture rather than keeping them on the dry
barren land?' Just then came Abdurrahman ibn 'Awf. He had been
away on some errand. He said: 'I have some knowledge
concerning this issue. I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace
be upon him, say: "If you hear that an epidemic has
broken out in a land, do not approach it. If it attacks a land
where you live, then do not leave that land in a bid to escape
from it".' Hearing this 'Umar praised Allah and then he
departed. This is reported by Bukhari.
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