“We have pledged allegiance to you, so return.” This will come under no. 1968.
The one with diseased camels is the owner of sick camels, while the one with healthy camels is the owner of sound camels.
Know that there is no contradiction between these two hadiths and the previously cited hadiths, under nos. 781–789, stating, “There is no contagion ...” For the former affirm contagion: it passes, by Allah’s permission, from the sick to the healthy. What those other hadiths negate is the contagion believed in by the people of the pre-Islamic era: namely, that it operates independently, without regard to Allah’s will. This is indicated by the Prophet’s—peace and blessings be upon him—question to the Bedouin: “Then who infected the first one?”
By these noble words, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—drew the Bedouin’s attention to the ultimate Cause, namely Allah, Exalted is He. He did not reject the Bedouin’s statement: “How is it that camels in the desert are like gazelles, then a mangy camel mingles with them and gives them mange?” Rather, he affirmed what the Bedouin had observed; he only reproved him for stopping at this outward appearance alone, saying to him: “Then who infected the first one?”
In short, the two hadiths affirm contagion, which is established by experience and observation. The other hadiths do not negate it; rather, they negate a belief in contagion coupled with heedlessness of Allah, Exalted is He, its Creator. How much today resembles yesterday! For European doctors are utterly heedless of Him, Exalted is He, because of their associationism, misguidance, and belief in contagion in the pre-Islamic manner. It is to such people that it should be said: “Then who infected the first one?”
As for the believer who neglects to take the means, he should be reminded of them and told, as in the hadith under discussion: “The owner of diseased camels must not bring them among healthy camels”—thus taking the means that Allah, Exalted is He, has created. Likewise, as stated in some of the preceding hadiths: “Flee from the leper as you flee from a lion.” This is what appears to me to be the proper reconciliation of these reports. Other views have been expressed, as mentioned in Fath al-Bari and elsewhere. And Allah knows best.