Ayub narrates from Abu Qalabah that a plague broke out in the region of Syria. Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This is a punishment that has arisen, so flee from it, go into the hills and valleys. But when this statement reached Sayyiduna Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him), he did not affirm it. He said: This is not a punishment, rather it is martyrdom and mercy, and it is the supplication of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). O Allah! Grant Mu’adh and his household a share of Your mercy. Abu Qalabah says: I understood martyrdom and mercy, but I did not know about Sayyiduna Mu’adh’s statement that this is the supplication of your Prophet. Later, I was informed that one night the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying, and in his supplication he repeated these words: Then fever or plague, then fever or plague. He repeated these words three times. When morning came, one of the members of the Prophet’s household asked: O Messenger of Allah! I heard a supplication from you last night that you were making. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Did you hear it? They said: Yes. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I asked my Lord not to destroy my Ummah by famine, and He accepted this request. I made a second request that He not impose upon them an enemy from others who would uproot them, and He accepted this request as well. And I also made a request that my Ummah not be divided into factions so that they begin to punish one another, but Allah Almighty did not accept this supplication. Then I also said that if (this supplication is not to be accepted), then afflict them with fever or plague, fever or plague, fever or plague. He said this three times.

Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about the plague. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the plague is a punishment from Allah Almighty, which He inflicts upon whomsoever He wills, but Allah Almighty has made it a mercy for the believers. Any believing servant who is afflicted by the plague and remains in his area with patience and the intention of reward, and is certain that only that which Allah has decreed will befall him, then for him the reward of a martyr is written.

‘Aamir bin Sa’eed (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that a man came and asked Sayyiduna Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) about the plague. Sayyiduna Usamah (may Allah be pleased with him) was also present. He said: I will tell you about it. I heard from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Allah Almighty sent the plague upon the people before you or upon a group from Bani Isra’il. Sometimes it comes and sometimes it goes. When the plague occurs in any area, do not enter it, and do not flee from it either.

Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Usaib (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a freed slave of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to me with fever and plague. I kept the fever in Madinah and sent the plague to the region of Shaam. This plague is a mercy for the believers of my Ummah and a punishment for the disbelievers.

Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The destruction of my Ummah will be through stabbing and plague. Someone asked: O Messenger of Allah! We know what stabbing is, but what is plague? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: It is the stabbing of your enemies from among the jinn. And (whether it is plague or stabbing) there are martyrs in each.

Imam Shu’bah says: We were standing at the door of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), waiting for permission to enter. I heard Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrate that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The destruction of my Ummah will be through stabbing and plague. We said: O Messenger of Allah! We know what stabbing is, but what is plague? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: It is the stabbing of your enemies from among the jinn, and in each there is martyrdom. Ziyad says: Their statement did not settle in my heart, so I asked the chief of the tribe who was with them at that time, and he confirmed it and said that this hadith was indeed narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him).

Usamah bin Sharik says: Fourteen or fifteen of us from Banu Tha'labah set out, and suddenly we met Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him). He narrated that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Allah! Cause the destruction of my people through plague. Then he narrated similar to the above-mentioned hadith.

Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: O Allah! Cause my Ummah to perish on Your path through stabbing and plague.

Abdur Rahman bin Ghanm says: When the plague came to the region of Syria, Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon and said: This plague is a punishment, so scatter into the mountain passes and go into the valleys to escape from it. When this statement reached Sayyiduna Shurahbil bin Hasana (may Allah be pleased with him), he became angry, picked up his shoe in his hand, pulled his cloak, and came forward and said: I attained the honor of companionship with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at a time when Amr was more astray than his family's donkey. This plague is the mercy of your Lord, the supplication of your Prophet, and it has been the cause of death for the righteous people before you.

(Second chain) Sharjeel bin Shaf’ah narrates that when the plague came, Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This is a punishment, so move away from it. When this statement reached Sayyiduna Sharjeel bin Hasnah (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: I was a companion of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at a time when this Amr was more astray than his household camel. This plague is the supplication of your Prophet and a mercy for you, and it has been the cause of death for the righteous people before you. So, remain together and do not disperse. When this statement reached Sayyiduna Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: Sharjeel has spoken the truth.