As the plague of the novel coronavirus is spreading rapidly around the world, it is interesting to see how previous cultures contended with plagues. The Islamic tradition preserves numerous Hadith reports on this matter. For example:
'Abd al-Razzaq [al-San'ani] reported to us
saying: Ma'mar [b. Rashid] reported to us
on the authority of [Ibn Shihab] al-Zuhri,
on the authority of 'Amir b. Sa'd,
on the authority of Usama b. Zayd, saying: The Messenger of God [...] said: This plague is an act of wrath, by which God has destroyed some nations before you. Remnants of this act remain on earth, which sometimes manifest and sometimes do not. If [a plague] occurs, while you are in a land [which has been struck by plague], do not leave [it], and if you hear of [a plague] in a land, do not enter it.
From the Jami' of Ma'mar b. Rashid (through the recension of 'Abd al-Razzaq)
This report seemingly betrays a very fatalistic worldview. If God has decreed that you should be in plague struck country, then you must remain there. If God then decides that you should live, you will live; and if he decides otherwise, then you will not. You are not allowed to take your destiny into your own hands. Aside from that, the report offers generally sound advice for dealing with plagues, namely, if you are sick or might be sick, you need to quarantine yourself. It was likely observed that people escaping plagued areas tended to bring the plague with them, and this report was likely circulated to prevent people from further spreading diseases. A similar point regarding other related reports is made by David Cook.
It seems that there was some controversy regarding the fatalistic implications of the previous report. This controversy is likely the background for the following report:
'Abd al-Razzaq [al-San'ani] reported to us
saying: Ma'mar [b. Rashid] reported to us
on the authority of [Ibn Shihab] al-Zuhri,
on the authority of 'Abd al-Hamid b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Zayd. b. al-Khattab,
on the authority of 'Abdallah b. 'Abdallah b. al-Harith b. Nawfal,
on the authority of 'Aballah b. 'Abbas, saying: 'Umar b. al-Khattab set out [with some troops] heading to Syria, until he encountered Abu 'Ubayda b. al-Jarrah and his companions, and they notified him about a plague that had struck Syria. He consulted with the people, and both the Muhajirun and the Ansar advised him to keep going. They explained: "We set out for a reason, and we do not think it is appropriate to back away from it." But those who converted on the day of Mecca's conquest [i.e. people who converted to Islam after the Muhajirun and the Ansar] said: "May God protect us from holding such a view, that we would choose a place of torment over one of health!" 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf who was absent [during this discussion, and who is one of the earliest converts], came and said: "I learned something about this. I heard the Messenger of God [...] say: 'When you hear about [a plague] in a land, do not enter it; and if [a plague] occurs in a land, while you are there, do not leave it, in an attempt to escape it.'" [Ibn 'Abbas, the narrator] said: 'Umar then made an announcement to the people, saying: "I'm retreating." [The people] began following him. Abu 'Ubayda asked him: "[Are you retreating,] in an attempt to escape from God's decree?" 'Umar responded: "I wish someone other than you had asked this. Yes, we are indeed escaping from God's decree... to God's decree. Imagine if you had some camels that descended into a valley with two sides, one fertile, the other barren. Is it not so, that if you graze [them] on the fertile side, you graze there by God's decree; and if you graze [them] on the barren side, you graze them by God's decree?" [Abu 'Ubayda] replied: "Indeed!" and ['Umar] said to him: "And what would you think, if [someone] were grazing [his camels] on the barren side, while neglecting the fertile side-- would you not consider it a failing on his part?" [Abu 'Ubayda] said: "I would," and added: "In that case, you should begin your journey." [Ibn 'Abbas, the narrator] said: 'Umar made his journey until he reached Medina, and then he said: "This is the place where we shall stop, and the place where we shall reside, if God wills it."
From the Jami' of Ma'mar b. Rashid (through the recension of 'Abd al-Razzaq; cf. the Sahih of Muslim)
'Umar decides to flee from a plagued area that he was about to enter with his troops. Just as a herdsman may steer his animal to a fertile field, instead of a barren one, so too does 'Umar prefer to lead his men to safety. Even though his decision appears to go against the Prophet's prohibition on determining one's fate, 'Umar manages to justify it by essentially saying that he has a responsibility toward his men, who did not choose to enter the plagued area. He thus chooses to flee with his men to potential safety and to see what happens. His fate is to choose his men's fate. From an historical perspective, 'Umar's decision seems to have been vindicated by God. After all, he did not die in a plague. His lot may be contrasted with another person mentioned in the report, Abu 'Ubayda b. al-Jarrah who remained behind, and who is famously said to have died in the plague of 'Imwas. 'Umar's decision can perhaps be justified by claiming that he had not yet entered the plagued area, so he was not required to carry on. In any case, the report about 'Umar is a commentary on the Prophetic report. It allows the believers more leeway in how they may deal with plagues. Could it promote irresponsible behavior? Perhaps, but it can also promote life saving behavior like in 'Umar's successful escape from the plague-stricken zone.
These two relatively early reports are likely just a drop in a vast ocean of reports, treatises, and legal debates, all of which address how one should behave during a plague. It is quite possible that other sources may be found from different times and places, which recommend other courses of action.
Fin
NB: I have learned that the various versions of the report about 'Umar's flight from the plague are discussed in depth by Lawrence Conrad, “ʿUmar at Sargh: The Evolution of an Umayyad Tradition on Flight from the Plague.” In Story-Telling in the Framework of Non-fictional Arabic Literature, ed. Stefan Leder (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1998), 488– 528 [Google Books].
First published March 2020
Updated April 2020