Quarantine: A Prophetic Discover


"If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in


a place while you are in it, do not leave that place." The Prophet (peace be upon him)


said: "If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague


breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place." (Reported by al-Bukhari


and Muslim.)


Also, he (peace be upon him) said: "He who runs away from the place of plague is like the


one running away from fighting in the cause of Allah; and he who is patient and stays where


he is, he will be rewarded with the reward of a martyr." (Reported by Ahmad.)


The Scientific Fact:


Modern science now understands the ways in which microorganisms multiply and the


diseases they cause. Scientists affirm that healthy people who have no symptoms in the


place of plague are already carrying the microbe and so they represent a real threat because


they may transfer the plague to another place if they move to it.


Thus, this system of quarantine, in which all the people of the city that suffers from plague


are prevented from leaving, and visitors are also prevented from entering, has now been


established worldwide. In the 15th century, plague hit Europe causing the death of a quarter


of its citizens. At that time, plagues and contagious diseases were much less in the Muslim


world.


Facets of Scientific Inimitability:


At the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as well as before and after his time until


Pasteur managed to discover the existence of microbes, people used to think that diseases


were caused by devils, demons, and stars. That is they were not related to cleanliness or


certain behaviors; thus, they resorted to sorcery and magic as a remedy.


In such an environment, the Prophet (peace be upon him) established the system of


quarantine which is considered the basis of modern preventative medicine after the


discovery of the microbes that cause diseases and plagues. The Prophet (peace be upon him)


ordered his Companions: "If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but


if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place." In order to


make sure that his order would be carried out properly, he (peace be upon him) established


a wall around the area of the plague and promised those who are patient and stay in the


area of the plague with the reward of the martyrs, and those who run away from it were


promised doom and perdition. Thus, he (peace be upon him) said: "He who runs away from


the place of the plague is like the one running away from fighting in the cause of Allah and


he who forbears it and stays where he is, he will be rewarded with the reward of a martyr."


If a healthy person was asked two hundred years ago to stay with the sick people in a plague


area, he would have considered this some kind of nonsense and in response to his desire to


live he would have run away to another place. Only Muslims did not run away and leave at


the time of plague in compliance with the order of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Non-


Muslims mocked them for this act until it was later discovered that those who appear to be


healthy with no symptoms, are the germ carriers who might transfer the plague to another


place if they moved to it. They would move freely and mingle with healthy people, so they


might cause them to catch the disease.


Who told the Prophet (peace be upon him) this fact? Could a human being know something


like this fourteen centuries ago, or is it revelation from the All-Knowing, the Almighty Allah.


Allah, the Almighty, says:


[And say, O Muhammad, to these polytheists and pagans, 'All the praises and thanks be to


Allah. He will show you His signs and you shall recognize them. And your Lord is not unaware


of what you do.'] (An-Naml: 93)