Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ شَهْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ غَنْمٍ قَالَ لَمَّا وَقَعَ الطَّاعُونُ بِالشَّامِ خَطَبَ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ النَّاسَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا الطَّاعُونَ رِجْسٌ فَتَفَرَّقُوا عَنْهُ فِي هَذِهِ الشِّعَابِ وَفِي هَذِهِ الْأَوْدِيَةِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ شُرَحْبِيلَ ابْنَ حَسَنَةَ قَالَ فَغَضِبَ فَجَاءَ وَهُوَ يَجُرُّ ثَوْبَهُ مُعَلِّقٌ نَعْلَهُ بِيَدِهِ وَقَالَ صَحِبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَعَمْرٌو أَضَلُّ مِنْ حِمَارِ أَهْلِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُ رَحْمَةُ رَبِّكُمْ وَدَعْوَةُ نَبِيِّكُمْ وَوَفَاةُ الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ.
English Translation
Abdul Samad told us, Hammam told us, he said Qatadah told us, from Shahr, from Abdul Rahman ibn Ghanam who said: When the plague struck in Syria, Amr ibn al-'As addressed the people and said: This plague is a scourge, so scatter from it into these mountain passes and these valleys. That reached Shurahbil ibn Hasanah, so he became angry and came dragging his garment, his sandal hanging from his hand, and said: I accompanied the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, while Amr is more astray than his own family's donkey. Rather it is a mercy from your Lord, a supplication of your Prophet, and the death of the righteous before you.