The Prophet Commanded Muslims not to enter aplague infested area and to remain in the infected area.

 

In the Sahihan it is narrated that Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas asked Usamah bin Zayd about what he heard the Prophet say concerning the plague. Usamah said that the Messenger of Allah said:

"The plague is a punishment that was sent down on some of the Children of Israel and on those who were before your time. So if you hear that it has struck a land do not enter that land, and if it breaks out in a land that you are residing in, do not go out of that area escaping from it."

Furthermore, in the Sahihan it is narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

"The plague is a martyrdom for every Muslim."

Linguistically, Taoon, the plague, is a type of disease. In medical terms, the plague is a fatal, vicious tumor that causes a very strong and painful infection, quickly turning the infected area into black, green or brown color. Soon afterwards, ulcers start to appear around the infected area. The plague usually strikes three areas, under the arms, behind the ear and the tip of the nose, and or , the soft (flaccid) tissues of the body. A'esha narrated that she asked the Prophet about the plague, and he said:

" A gland that is similar to the camel's gland and which appears in the tender parts of the abdomen and under the arms."

Doctors say that when a septic infection occurs in the soft flesh, such as under the arms or behind the ears, it is called the plague. The plague is caused by spoiled, septic blood [infected by a bug that carried the disease from infected rodents]. The infected blood spoils the part of the body that it strikes,sometimes causing blood hemorrhaging and pus. In this case, the inflicted organ sends the infected blood to the heart, thus causing vomit, unconsciousness and rapid heartbeat. Although the plague describes every infection that sends septic blood to the heart, becoming fatal sometimes, it particularly describes the infection that attacks the soft tissues of the body. Since the infected blood is septic, the various organs reject the blood, except those that have become weak. The worst types of the plague are those that strikes behind ears and under the arms, because they are closer to the essential organs of the body. There is little chances to be cured from the black plague, while the red plague then the yellow plagues are the least dangerous. Since the plague breaks out in polluted areas, it is called a plague, although this word describes every epidemic, as we have stated, and as Al Khalil has concurred.

The word epidemic is more general than the plague. Every plague is an epidemic while not every epidemic is a plague.

The plagues cause infections, ulcers and malignant growths in the areas of the body we described. It is my judgement that these are only the symptoms of the plague, since this is what doctors visibly observe, thus prompting the doctors to call them symptoms of the plague.

There are three meanings for the word plague. First: the symptoms of the disease that the doctors observe and record.

Second, the death that occurs to those inflicted by the plague, as the Prophet said:

"The plague is a martyrdom for every muslim."

Third, the reason behind the outbreak of the plague, which is mentioned in the Hadith,

"The plague is the remnant of a punishment that was sent on the Children of Israel."

In addition, the plague was described in another hadith that:

"It is a result of the jinn's touch."