وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ لَبَيْتٌ بِرُكْبَةَ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ عَشَرَةِ أَبْيَاتٍ بِالشَّامِ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ يُرِيدُ لِطُولِ الأَعْمَارِ وَالْبَقَاءِ وَلِشِدَّةِ الْوَبَإِ بِالشَّامِ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me that Malik said, "I heard that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, 'A night in Rukba (a valley near Taif,) is morepreferable to me than ten nights in ash-Sham.' " Malik said,"He meant to lengthen and preserve their lives because of the severityof the plague in ash-Sham ." Translation Not Available

Book Ref: Muwatta Imam Malik Book 45 Hadith 1625
Web Ref:  Muwatta Imam Malik Book 45 Hadith 26

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