Chapter V: Oneness of God and Trust in God
It is improper to say that to give up medicine is good in all circumstances. It is said that to take medicine is the condition of those who have got weak faith and to give up medicine is the condition of those who have got firm faith and God-reliance.
They say that God reliant men will give up cupping and other medicines. If it is true. It is also true that if a serpent enters a wearing apparel, he should not remove it. It can also be said that he should not take water to remove thirst or food to remove hunger.
To go to places of epidemics is improper. Reports about epidemics have come from Hazrat Omar and other companions.
When they reached the outskirts of Syria, news reached them that plague and cholera in virulent type broke out there. There were two groups among them. One group said : We shall not enter this city to face destruction. Another group said : We shall enter this city depending upon God, we shall not flee away from the decree of God and avoid death or else we shall be like those peoples about whom God said : Have you not seen those people
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who went out of their houses for fear of death in thousands ?
They therefore went to Hazrat Omar and sought his opinion. He said : We shall return and shall not enter this city infected with epidemics. Those who opposed this idea said to him : Shall we flee away from the decree of God ? Hazrat Omar said : Yes, we shall flee away from the decree of God and return to the decree of God. He then cited an illustration for them and said : Don't you consider where one, having sheep and two fields for grazing them, one full of green grass and another full of sands free from grass and leaves, "shall graze them ? They said : Yes, we have understood it. They then went to Abdur Rahman who was not present there. In the morning he came and Hazrat Omar asked his opinion about it. He said : O Commander of the faithful, I heard a Hadis about it from the Messenger Of God. Hazrat Omar exclaimed : God is greatest Hazrat Abdur Rahman said :: I heard the Prophet say : When you hear about epidemics anywhere, don't come to it. If you are in the place infected with epidemics, don'f go out of it. At this, Hazrat Omar became pleased and offered thanks to God and said : My opinion is supported by Hadis. Then he returned from that place with his companions.
All the companions agreed on this Hadis and went away. From this it appears that God-reliance does not go by this act, rather it is a high stage of God-reliance.
Question. Why did the Prophet prohibit to go out of the infected place ? In the medical rules, air is the cause of epidemics.
Why did he not give permission to go out of it?