al-Jarrāḥ and his fellow officers. They told ʿUmar that the plague had broken out in Syria. Ibn ʿAbbās continues: ʿUmar then said to me, “Summon for me al-muhājirūn al-awwalūn (the first Emigrants).” I called them; he consulted them and informed them that the plague had appeared in Syria, whereupon they differed. Some said, “You set out for a purpose, and we do not think you should turn back.” Others said, “You have with you the rest of the people and the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; we do not think you should expose them to this plague.” ʿUmar said, “Withdraw from me.”

He then said, “Call for me al-anṣār (the Helpers).” I summoned them; he consulted them, and they followed the same course as the Emigrants, differing just as they had differed. He said, “Withdraw from me.”

Next he said, “Call for me those of Quraysh’s elders who are here among the muhājiratu’l-fatḥ (the Emigrants of the Conquest).” I summoned them, and not two of them disagreed. They said, “In our view you should return with the people and not press them on toward this plague.” ʿUmar therefore announced to the people, “Tomorrow morning I shall mount and turn back,” and they mounted with him.

Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrāḥ (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Is this flight from the decree of Allah?” ʿUmar replied, “Had anyone other than you said that, O Abū ʿUbaydah!”—and ʿUmar disliked differing with him—“Yes, we are fleeing from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. Tell me (1): if you had camels and they came down into a valley with two slopes, one fertile and the other barren, would it not be that if you pastured them on the fertile side you pastured them by the decree of Allah, and if you pastured them on the barren side you pastured them by the decree of Allah?”

Then ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived—he had been away on some errand—and said, “I possess knowledge of this matter. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘If you hear of it (the plague) in a land, do not go there; and if it appears in a land while you are in it, do not leave it fleeing from it.’” ʿUmar praised Allah the Exalted and departed. Agreed upon.

Al-ʿudwah: the side of a valley.

1801 – Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If you hear of the plague in a land, do not enter it; and if it falls in a land while you are there, do not leave it.” Agreed upon.