ʿUmar bin Al-Khattab departed for Sham and when he reached Sargh, the commanders of the (Muslim) army, Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah and his companions met him and told him that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. ʿUmar said, "Call for me the early emigrants." So ʿUmar called them, consulted them and informed them that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. Those people differed in their opinions. Some of them said, "We have come out for a purpose and we do not think that it is proper to give it up," while others said (to ʿUmar), "You have along with you. other people and the companions of Messenger of Allah ﷺ so do not advise that we take them to this epidemic." ʿUmar said to them, "Leave me now." Then he said, "Call the Ansar for me." I called them and he consulted them and they followed the way of the emigrants and differed as they did. He then said to them, Leave me now," and added, "Call for me the old people of Quraish who emigrated in the year of the Conquest of Mecca." I called them and they gave a unanimous opinion saying, "We advise that you should return with the people and do not take them to that (place) of epidemic." So ʿUmar made an announcement, "I will ride back to Medina in the morning, so you should do the same." Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah said (to ʿUmar), "Are you running away from what Allah had ordained?" ʿUmar said, "Would that someone else had said such a thing, O Abu 'Ubaida! Yes, we are running from what Allah had ordained to what Allah has ordained. Don't you agree that if you had camels that went down a valley having two places, one green and the other dry, you would graze them on the green one only if Allah had ordained that, and you would graze them on the dry one only if Allah had ordained that?" At that time ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿAuf, who had been absent because of some job, came and said, "I have some knowledge about this. I have heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'If you hear about it (an outbreak of plague) in a land, do not go to it; but if plague breaks out in a country where you are staying, do not run away from it.' " ʿUmar thanked Allah and returned to Medina.  

عُمَرُ ادْعُ لِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الأَوَّلِينَ فَدَعَاهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ الْوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّأْمِ فَاخْتَلَفُوا فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجْتَ لأَمْرٍ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ عَنْهُ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ مَعَكَ بَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ وَأَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ فَقَالَ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُوا لِي الأَنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَسَلَكُوا سَبِيلَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ فَقَالَ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي مَنْ كَانَ هَا هُنَا مِنْ مَشْيَخَةِ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ مُهَاجِرَةِ الْفَتْحِ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ مِنْهُمْ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلاَنِ فَقَالُوا نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ وَلاَ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ فَنَادَى عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ إِنِّي مُصَبِّحٌ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ فَأَصْبِحُوا عَلَيْهِ قَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ أَفِرَارًا مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَوْ غَيْرُكَ قَالَهَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ نَعَمْ نَفِرُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ إِبِلٌ هَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا خَصِبَةٌ وَالأُخْرَى جَدْبَةٌ أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْخَصْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْجَدْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَكَانَ مُتَغَيِّبًا فِي بَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عِنْدِي فِي هَذَا عِلْمًا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ قَالَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abd al-Hamid ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn al-Khattab from Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn al-Harith ibn Nawfal from Abdullah ibn Abbas that Umar ibn al- Khattab set out for ash Sham and when he was at Sargh, near Tabuk, the commanders of the army, Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah and his companions, met him and told him that the plague had broken out in ash-Sham. Ibn Abbas said, "Umar ibn al-Khattab said, 'all the first Muhajir unto me.' He assembled them and asked them for advice, informing them that the plague had broken out in ash Sham. They disagreed. Some said, 'You have set out for something, and we do not think that you should leave it.' Others said, 'You have the companions of the Prophet ﷺ and the rest of the people with you, and we do not think that you should send them towards this plague.' Umar said, 'Leave me.' Then he said, 'Summon the Ansar to me.' They were summoned and he asked them for advice. They acted as the Muhajirun had and disagreed as they had disagreed. He said, 'Leave me.' "Then he said, 'Summon to me whoever is here of the aged men of Quraysh from the Muhajirun of the conquest.' He summoned them and not one of them differed. They said, 'We think that you should withdraw the people and not send them towards the plague.' Umar called out to the people, 'I am leaving by camel in the morning,' so they set out. Abu Ubayda said, 'Is it flight from the decree of Allah?' Umar said, 'Better that someone other than you had said it, Abu Ubayda. Yes. We flee from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. What would you think if these camels had gone down into a valley which had two slopes, one of them fertile, and the other barren. If you pastured in the fertile part, wouldn't you pasture them by the decree of Allah? If you pastured them in the barren part, wouldn't you pasture them by the decree of Allah?' ''Abd ar-Rahman ibn Awf arrived and he had been off doing something and he said, 'I have some knowledge of this. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "If you hear about it in a land, do not go forward to it. If it comes upon a land and you are in it, then do not depart in flight from it." ' Umar praised Allah and then set off."  

أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ خَرَجَ إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِسَرْغَ لَقِيَهُ أُمَرَاءُ الأَجْنَادِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ وَأَصْحَابُهُ فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ الْوَبَأَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِأَرْضِ الشَّامِ قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ ادْعُ لِي الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الأَوَّلِينَ فَدَعَاهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ الْوَبَأَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّامِ فَاخْتَلَفُوا فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجْتَ لأَمْرٍ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ عَنْهُ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ مَعَكَ بَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ وَأَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَإِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي الأَنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَسَلَكُوا سَبِيلَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلاَفِهِمْ فَقَالَ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي مَنْ كَانَ هَا هُنَا مِنْ مَشْيَخَةِ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ مُهَاجِرَةِ الْفَتْحِ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهُمُ اثْنَانِ فَقَالُوا نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ وَلاَ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَإِ فَنَادَى عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ إِنِّي مُصْبِحٌ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ فَأَصْبِحُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ أَفِرَارًا مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَوْ غَيْرُكَ قَالَهَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ نَعَمْ نَفِرُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ إِبِلٌ فَهَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا مُخْصِبَةٌ وَالأُخْرَى جَدْبَةٌ أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْخَصِبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْجَدْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ وَكَانَ غَائِبًا فِي بَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عِنْدِي مِنْ هَذَا عِلْمًا سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ قَالَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ عُمَرُ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ  

Umar b. Khattab set out for Syria. As he came at Sargh (a town by the side of Hijaz on the way to Syria), there met him the commander of the forces, Abu Ubaida b. Jandb, and his companions. They informed him that a scourge had broken out in Syria. Ibn 'Abbas further reported that 'Umar said: Call to me tile earliest emigrants. So I called them. He (Hadrat 'Umar) sought their advice, and they told him that the scourge had broker, out in Syria. There was a difference of opinion (whether they should proceed further or go back to their homes in such a situation). Some of them said: You ('Umar) have set forth for a task, and, therefore, we would not advise you to go back, whereas some of them said: You have along with you the remnants (of the sacred galaxy) of men and (the blessed) Companions of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so we would not advise you to go forth towards this calamity (with such eminent persons and thus expose them deliberately to a danger). He (Hadrat 'Umar) said: You can now go away. He said: Call to me the Ansar. So I called them to him, and he consulted them, and they trod the same path as was trodden by the Muhajirin, and they differed in their opinions as they had differed. He said: Now, you can go. He again said: Call to me the old persons of the Quraish who had migrated before the Victory (that is the Victory of Mecca), so I called them (and Hadrat 'Umar consulted them) and not even two persons differed (from the opinion held by the earlier delegates). They said: Our opinion is that you better go back along with the people and do not make them go to this scourge, So 'Umar made announcement to the people: In the morning I would be on the back of my side. So they (set forth in the morning), whereupon Abu 'Ubaida b. Jarrah said: Are you going to run away from the Divine Decree? Thereupon 'Umar said: Had it been someone else to say this besides you! 'Umar (in fact) did not approve of his opposing (this decision) and he said: Yes, we are running from the Divine Decree (to the) Divine Decree. You should think if there had been camels for you and you happened to get down in a valley having two sides, one of them covered with verdure and the other being barren, would you not (be doing) according to the Divine Decree if you graze them in verdure? And in case you graze them in the barren land (even then you would be grazing them) according to the Divine Decree. There happened to come 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf and he had been absent in connection with some of his needs. He said: I have with me a knowledge of it, that I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: If you hear of its presence (the presence of plague) in a land, don't enter it, but if it spreads in the land where you are, don't fly from it. Thereupon 'Umar b. Khattab praised Allah and then went back? (Using translation from Muslim 2219a)   

عُمَرُ ادْعُ لِيَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوْلِينَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ أَنَّ الْوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّامِ فَاخْتَلَفُوا فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ خَرَجْتَ لِأَمْرٍ فَلَا نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ عَنْهُ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ مَعَكَ بَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ وَأَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَلَا نَرَى أَنْ تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ فَقَالَ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِيَ الْأَنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَسَلَكُوا سَبِيلَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ فَقَالَ ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّي ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي مَنْ كَانَ هَاهُنَا مِنْ مَشْيَخَةِ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ مُهَاجِرَةِ الْفَتْحِ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلَانِ وَقَالُوا نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ وَلَا تُقْدِمَهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ فَنَادَى عُمَرُ فِي النَّاسِ إِنِّي مُصْبِحٌ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ فَأَصْبِحُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ أَفِرَارًا مِنْ قَدْرِ اللَّهِ؟ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَوْ غَيْرُكَ قَالَهَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ وَكَانَ عُمَرُ يَكْرَهُ خِلَافَهُ نَفِرُ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كَانَ لَكَ إِبِلٌ فَهَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا خِصِبَةٌ وَالْأُخْرَى جَدْبَةٌ أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْخِصْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ رَعَيْتَ الْجَدْبَةَ رَعَيْتَهَا بِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ  

[Machine] Omar gathered the early immigrants and consulted them. They disagreed with him, with some advising him to turn back and not expose the people to this pandemic, while others said it was the will of God and he had set out for a purpose, so he should not turn back. Omar ordered them to disperse, and then he called upon the Ansar for their consultation. They also had different opinions, but eventually agreed that Omar should turn back with the people. Omar gave the order, and then he mounted his camel and said to the people, "I am going back. I will see what I decide. Follow me." He proceeded, and in the morning he said, "If someone besides you had said that, Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, I would have dismissed him as fleeing from the decree of Allah." Abu Ubaidah replied, "Indeed, this is what I mean, fleeing from one degree of Allah to another. Have you not seen that if a man descends into a valley, one side of it is barren and the other side is fertile? Isn't it true that if he tends to the barren side, he tends to it by the decree of Allah, and if he tends to the fertile side, he tends to it by the decree of Allah?" Then Omar left Abu Ubaidah and they both reconsidered for a while. Then Abdul Rahman bin Auf came, who had been absent for some of his own affairs. He came while the people were arguing, and he said, "I have knowledge about this." Omar asked, "What is it?" He replied, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a land while you are in it, do not leave that land.'" Omar praised Allah and returned to the people, ordering them to turn back. Ibn Shihab said, "Salim bin Abdullah informed me that Abdullah bin Omar and Abdullah bin Amr bin Rabia said: 'Omar only changed his mind based on the advice of Abdul Rahman bin Auf.'"  

عُمَرُ اجْمَعْ لِيَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ فَجَمَعْتُهُمْ لَهُ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَاخْتَلَفُوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ ارْجِعْ بِالنَّاسِ وَلَا تُقْدِمْهُمْ عَلَى هَذَا الْوَبَاءِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِنَّمَا هُوَ قَدَرُ اللهِ وَقَدْ خَرَجْتَ لِأَمْرٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعْ عَنْهُ فَأَمَرَهُمْ فَخَرَجُوا عَنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِيَ الْأَنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَسَلَكُوا سَبِيلَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ فَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلَافِهِمْ فَأَمَرَهُمْ فَخَرَجُوا عَنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْعُ لِي مَنْ كَانَ هَاهُنَا مِنْ مَشْيَخَةِ مُهَاجِرَةِ الْفَتْحِ فَدَعَوْتُهُمْ فَاسْتَشَارَهُمْ فَاجْتَمَعَ رَأْيُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ فَأَذَّنَ عُمَرُ ؓ فِي النَّاسِ إِنِّي مُصَبِّحٌ عَلَى ظَهْرٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنِّي مَاضٍ لِمَا أَرَى فَانْظُرُوا مَا آمُرُكُمْ بِهِ فَامْضُوا لَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ قَالَ فَرَكِبَ عُمَرُ ؓ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلنَّاسِ إِنِّي أَرْجِعُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الْجَرَّاحِ ؓ وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُخَالِفَهُ أَفِرَارًا مِنْ قَدَرِ اللهِ؟ فَغَضِبَ عُمَرُ ؓ وَقَالَ لَوْ غَيْرُكَ قَالَ هَذَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ نَعَمْ أَفِرُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا هَبَطَ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ وَاحِدَةٌ جَدْبَةٌ وَالْأُخْرَى خَصِبَةٌ أَلَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَى الْجَدْبَةَ رَعَاهَا بِقَدَرِ اللهِ وَإِنْ رَعَى الْخَصْبَةَ رَعَاهَا بِقَدَرِ اللهِ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ خَلَا بِأَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ فَتَرَاجَعَا سَاعَةً فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ؓ وَكَانَ مُتَغَيِّبًا فِي بَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ فَجَاءَ وَالْقَوْمُ يَخْتَلِفُونَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ عِنْدِي فِي هَذَا عِلْمًا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ مَا هُوَ؟ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِهِ فِي أَرْضٍ فَلَا تَقْدَمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلَا يُخْرِجَنَّكُمُ الْفِرَارُ مِنْهُ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ عُمَرُ ؓ فَرَجَعَ وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ وَعَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَامِرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ قَالَا إِنَّ عُمَرَ ؓ إِنَّمَا رَجَعَ مِنْ سَرْغَ مِنْ حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ  

"عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: أَن عُمَرَ بْنَ الخَطَّابِ خَرجَ إِلَى الشَّامِ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِسَرْغَ لَقِيَهُ أُمَرَاءُ الأَجْنَادِ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الجَرَّاحِ وَأَصْحَابُه فَأَخْبَرُوهُ أَنَّ الوَبَاءَ قَدْ وَقَعَ بِالشَّامِ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: ادْعُوا إِلَىَّ المُهَاجِرِينَ الأوَلِينَ فَدَعَاهُم فَاسْتَشَارَهُم فَاخْتَلفُوا عَلَيهِ، فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُم: قَدْ خَرَجْتَ لأِمْرٍ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تَرْجعَ عَنْهُ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: مَعَكَ بَقِيَّةُ النَّاسِ وَأَصْحَابُ رسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَلاَ نَرَى أَنْ تُقْدِمَهُم عَلَى هَذَا الوَبَاءِ، فَقَال: ارْتَفِعُوا عَنِّى، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ادْعُوا إِلَىّ الأنْصَارَ فَدَعَوْهُم فَاسْتَشَارهُم فَسَلكُوا سَبِيلَ المُهَاجِرِينَ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا كَاخْتِلاَفِهِم، فَقَالَ: ارْتَفِعُوا عنِّى، ثُمَّ قَالَ: ادْعُوا إِلَىَّ مَنْ كَانَ هَاهُنَا مِن مَشيَخَةِ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ مُهَاجَرَةِ الفَتْحِ، فَدَعَاهُم فَلَمْ يَخْتَلِفْ عَلَيْهِ منْهُم رَجُلاَنِ، فَقَالُوا: نَرَى أَنْ نَرْجِعَ بِالنَّاسِ وَلاَ تُقْدِمَهُم عَلَى هَذَا الوَبَاءِ، فَنَادَى عُمَرُ فِى النَّاسِ: إِنِّى مُصبِّحٌ عَلَى ظَهرٍ فَأَصبِحُوا عَلَيْهِ، فَقَالَ أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ بْنُ الجَراحِ: أفِرَارًا مِن قَدَرِ اللهِ؟ فَقَالَ: لَوْ غَيْرُك قَالَهَا يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَة،

نَعَمْ فِرَارًا مِنْ قَدَرِ اللهِ إِلَى قَدَرِ الله، أَرَأَيْتَ لَوْ كان لَكَ إِبِلٌ فَهَبَطَتْ وَادِيًا لَهُ عُدْوَتَانِ إَحْدَاهُمَا خَصْبَةٌ وَالأخرى جَدْبَةٌ، ألَيْسَ إِنْ رَعَيْتَ الخَصبَةَ رَعيْتَها بقَدَرِ اللهِ، وَإِنْ رَعَيْتَ الجَدْبَةَ رَعَيْتَها بِقَدَرِ اللهِ، قَالَ: فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْف وَكانَ مُتَغيّبا فِى بَعْضِ حَاجَتِه، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ عِنْدي مِنْ هَذَا عِلمًا، سَمِعْتُ رُسُولَ الله ﷺ ، يَقُولُ: إِذَا سَمعْتُم بِه بأرْضٍ فَلاَ تُقْدِمُوا عَلَيْهِ، وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأرضٍ وَأنْتُم بِهَا فَلًا تَخْرُجُوا فِرَارًا مِنْهُ، قَالَ: فَحَمِدًا لله عُمَرُ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ".