Hadith #153

Arabic Text

English Translation

Ishaq ibn 'Isa narrated to us, Malik informed me, from al-Zuhri, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amir ibn Rabi'ah, that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (رضي الله عنه) set out for Syria. When he reached Sargh, he was informed that a plague had broken out in Syria. 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf (رضي الله عنه) told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'If you hear of it in a land, do not advance toward it. And if it occurs in a land while you are in it, do not flee from it.' So 'Umar ibn al-Khattab returned from Sargh. [Second chain:] Ishaq ibn 'Isa narrated to us, Malik informed me, from al-Zuhri, from 'Abd al-Hamid ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn al-Khattab, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Nawfal, from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنهما), that 'Umar ibn al-Khattab set out for Syria. When he reached Sargh, the commanders of the armies met him, including Abu 'Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah and his companions. They informed him that the plague had broken out in Syria. He mentioned the hadith, then said: 'Abd al-Rahman ibn 'Awf came, having been absent for some need of his, and said: 'I have knowledge about this. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: If it is in a land while you are in it, do not flee from it. And if you hear of it in a land, do not advance toward it.' So 'Umar praised Allah and departed.