His Love for Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra)
Upon returning to Medina, Hazrat Umar (ra) was concerned for the Muslims in Syria and thought of ways how they could be safeguarded from the devastating impact of the plague. Hazrat Umar (ra) was particularly concerned about Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra).
One day, Hazrat Umar (ra) wrote a letter to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) stating that he required some important work from him; therefore upon receiving the letter, he should return to Medina immediately. Furthermore, Hazrat Umar (ra) stated that if he received this letter at night, he should not wait for the morning, and if he received the letter in the morning, he should not wait for the night to fall. This was the level of love he had for Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra).
When Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) read the letter, he said, “I know the reason why the Leader of the Faithful needs me. May Allah bestow His mercy upon Hazrat Umar (ra) for he wishes to extend the life of that which is no longer going to remain.”
In other words, Allah knew best as to what was going to happen with him. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) then replied to the letter stating, “O Leader of the Faithful! I have understood what you desire, but please do not call me back and allow me to remain here. I am one of the soldiers from among the Muslim army. Whatever has been decreed will come to pass, but how can I abandon them?”
When Hazrat Umar (ra) read the letter, he began to cry. Those who were present in his company at the time enquired, “O Leader of the Faithful! Has Abu Ubaidah (ra) passed away?” Hazrat Umar (ra) replied, “No, but there is a possibility that he may.”
(Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala li Imam al-Dhahabi, Vol. 1, pp. 18-19, Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah, al-Risalah al-Alamiyyah, Damascus, 2014)
After seeking consultation from some of his learned and wise companions, Hazrat Umar (ra) wrote a letter to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) and stated that he had taken the Muslims to a lower terrain; however, he ought to take them to a more elevated region whereby the air is pure. In other words, he ought to take them to a mountainous area where the air was purer. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) was still reflecting over how to implement this instruction when he was overcome by the plague and passed away.
Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) had appointed Hazrat Muaz (ra) bin Jabal as his deputy; however, he too passed away owing to the plague. Hazrat Muaz (ra) bin Jabal had appointed Hazrat Amr (ra) bin al-Aas as his deputy; he delivered a speech saying, “When there is an outbreak of a disease it spreads like fire, thus you should safeguard yourselves by hiding in the mountains.”
Hazrat Amr (ra) bin al-Aas took the people from there and went into the mountains until the outbreak of the disease subsided and eventually finished completely. When Hazrat Umar (ra) learnt of this address delivered by Hazrat Amr (ra) bin al-Aas he not only was pleased by it, but he also considered it to be an implementation of the instruction he had given to Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra).
(Muhammad Husain Haikal, Hazrat Umar Farooq A‘zam (translated) [Lahore, Pakistan: Islami Kutub Khana], p. 413)
Apart from Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) bin al-Jarrah, Hazrat Muaz (ra) bin Jabalra, Hazrat Yazid bin Abi Sufyan (ra), Hazrat Harithra bin Hisham, Hazrat Suhail (ra) bin Amr, Hazrat Utbah bin Suhail and various other prominent individuals passed away as a result of the plague.
(Muhammad Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Tabari, Vol. 2, Sanah 517 [Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-Alamiyyah, 2012], p. 487)