The Story of 'Umar's Saying: "We Flee from the Decree of Allah to the Decree of Allah"

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks: One of the Companions said, "We flee from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah."

Answer:
Yes, this was 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when he intended to proceed to Sham and was informed that the plague was there—the plague of 'Amwas. So he turned away from traveling to it. They said, "O Commander of the Faithful, are you fleeing from the decree of Allah?" He said, "Yes, we flee from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah." So the Muslim is always, and every servant, and all people, are under the decree of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes.