One of our earliest chronologies of the plague (al-ṭāʿūn|الطاعون) in early Islam comes from the Kitāb al-Taʿāzī (Book of Condolences) of Abū l-Ḥasan al-Madāʾinī (d. 225/840). He notes, “The famous great plagues in Islam were five …” Here’s his list:
[1] The plague of Šīrūyah [Kavād II, a Sasanid shah who succumbed to the plague] in Ctesiphon (al-Madāʾin) in 6 AH (May 627 – May 628 CE)
[2] The plague of Emmaus (ʿAmwās) in the era of ʿUmar ibn al-Ḫaṭṭāb (r. 634-44 CE); it occurred in the Levant and 25,000 died thereof.
[2] The plague of Emmaus (ʿAmwās) in the era of ʿUmar ibn al-Ḫaṭṭāb (r. 634-44 CE); it occurred in the Levant and 25,000 died thereof.
[3] The plague of the Torrent (al-Jārif), in the era of Ibn al-Zubayr in Šawwāl 69 AH (April 689 CE). 70,000 individuals perished every day over three days. 83 – or 70, it is said – sons of Anas ibn Malik [the Prophet’s Companion] died therein...
ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Abī Bakrah [al-Ṯaqafī, Baṣran traditionist and Umayyad official, d. 50/670] lost 40 sons therein. ʿUbaydallah ibn ʿUmayr fled and lost 30 sons, though he only fled to save them from the plague.
[4] The plague of the Courtesans (al-qaynāt) in Shawwāl 87 AH [Sept-Oct 706], in which enslaved maidens (al-jawārī) died.
[5] Then there was the plague of Rajab 131 AH [Mar-Apr 749]. It worsened during Ramaḍān [Apr-May], and every day on the Mirbad Road [which ran through Baṣrah] there were 10,000 funeral processions for several days. It diminished in Shawwāl [May-June]. Fin
This list of al-Madāʾinī only survives in quotations from other scholars (such as al-Mubarrad and al-Nawawī), but it was widely influential on later plague treatises. Al-Madāʾinī also transmits some interesting anecdotes about the plague. Here's a handful:
Abū l-Ḥasan said, “I heard that a certain man disturbed a grave during the plague and removed the deceased from his grave and took his garment. He was stricken with the plague that very hour and died. He was later found and the garment was still with him.” 
Al-Madāʾinī said:
A plague was in al-Kūfah in the year 50 [Jan 670 - Jan 671 CE], and [the governor] al-Muġīrah ibn Šuʿbah said to Abū Mūsā [al-Ašʿarī, a prominent Companion], “Depart with us. We’re going to Dābiq [in Syria] away from the plague.”
A plague was in al-Kūfah in the year 50 [Jan 670 - Jan 671 CE], and [the governor] al-Muġīrah ibn Šuʿbah said to Abū Mūsā [al-Ašʿarī, a prominent Companion], “Depart with us. We’re going to Dābiq [in Syria] away from the plague.”
“I shall depart to God, not Dābiq,” Abū Mūsā replied. [It's hard to translate this clever phrase!]
So al-Muġīrah left, and when had left, the plague relented. Someone said to him, “If only you were to return to your family!”
So al-Muġīrah left, and when had left, the plague relented. Someone said to him, “If only you were to return to your family!”
“What do you all want from me?” They kept pestering him until he headed back to al-Kūfah.
He said, “It’s as though you all would like for the plague to get the best of me in reed huts of the ʿAwf clan!”
He said, “It’s as though you all would like for the plague to get the best of me in reed huts of the ʿAwf clan!”
Then he was stricken with the plague and died, and Jarīr ibn ʿAbdallāh al-Bajalī was appointed over al-Kūfah in his stead.
Al-Madāʾinī said:
When the plague was mentioned in the presence of al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 728, an early pietist) he said, “What a fine thing that God sends as a trial – a sinner is daunted and a miser forced to spend all without being reproached by anyone!”
When the plague was mentioned in the presence of al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (d. 728, an early pietist) he said, “What a fine thing that God sends as a trial – a sinner is daunted and a miser forced to spend all without being reproached by anyone!”
