Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The kunyah of Salman al-Farisi radi Allahu anhu was Abu Abdullah.
He was freed by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself.
He was from the city of Ramhormoz in Persia. In search of the true religion, he left his homeland and first became a Christian.
He studied their scriptures, then the Arabs captured him and sold him to the Jews, until he reached Madinah and, in his very first meeting, was enriched with the wealth of faith. Afterward, he entered into a contract of manumission (mukatabah) with his Jewish master, the amount for which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam paid.
Until reaching Madinah, he had been sold as a slave ten times.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was very pleased with him.
He said, “Salman is from our Ahl al-Bayt; Paradise awaits his footsteps.”
He lived a long life of two hundred and fifty years.
He earned his livelihood with his own hands and also gave charity and alms.
He passed away in the city of Mada’in in 35 AH.
Radi Allahu anhu wa ardah (Ameen).

Further details about Salman al-Farisi radi Allahu anhu:
He was the only son of a peasant farmer from a village in the region of Isfahan.
Out of intense love, his father kept him confined at home like a girl.
He was entrusted with the care of the fire temple.
He was a staunch Magian priest, but suddenly became a devout Christian.
This happened when, one day, he went to the fields and, on the way, saw Christians praying. He became passionately enamored with this form of worship.
His father confined him, but he managed to escape and reached the service of a bishop in Syria, who was very ill-mannered and would keep all the charity money for himself.
During his life, Salman could not say anything, but when the bishop died and the Christians prepared to bury him with great honor, Salman exposed all his secrets and, as proof, showed them seven jars filled with gold and silver. As punishment, his body was hung on the cross.
The second bishop was very pious and devout, and he also loved Salman, but soon received the call of death.
When Salman inquired, he said, “Now, to my knowledge, there is no Christian left. Those who were, have died, and much alteration has occurred in the religion. However, there is a man in Mosul; go to him.”
Salman reached him, but after a short stay, that man also passed away and directed him to a priest in Nisibis, who was the most devout and ascetic.
After giving him the address of a man in Amuriyyah, this one too departed to the eternal abode. But when the bishop of Amuriyyah also soon lay on his deathbed, Salman became disheartened.
The bishop said, “Son, now I see no one in the world to whom I can advise you to go. Soon, the Prophet of the Last Age will arise from the Arabian desert, between whose shoulders will be the Seal of Prophethood, and who will consider charity forbidden for himself. My final advice is that, if possible, you must meet him.”
For a period, Salman remained in Amuriyyah, herding and tending goats, and subsisted on this.
One day, seeing a caravan of Arab traders passing by, he said to them, “If you take me to Arabia, I will give you all my goats as a reward.”
As soon as they reached Wadi al-Qura, they sold him as a slave. But for a slavery that becomes the means of reaching the threshold of someone so noble, thousands of freedoms can be sacrificed.
In short, he presented himself in the blessed service of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and was honored with Islam.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The connection of these hadiths to the central topic is as follows: Salman al-Farisi (radi Allahu anhu) became Muslim after having been a slave to various masters and migrating from his beloved homeland.
He was from the city of Ramhormoz in Persia.
In search of the true religion, he left his homeland.
He first became a Christian and studied their scriptures, then the Arabs captured him and sold him to the Jews, until he finally reached Madinah al-Tayyibah.
In his very first meeting with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he was enriched with the wealth of faith.
He entered into a contract of manumission (mukataba) with his Jewish master, the payment for which was made by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was very pleased with him.
Ali (radi Allahu anhu) said about him:
"Salman al-Farisi is from among our Ahl al-Bayt."
(al-Musannaf li Ibn Abi Shaybah: 148/12, wa Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da‘ifah: 179/8, no. 3704)
He lived a very long life.
He passed away in Mada’in in the year 36 Hijri.

➋
The meaning of "fatrat" is interruption.
In technical terms, it refers to that period in which no Messenger was sent by Allah, the Exalted.
According to authentic hadiths, the period between the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and ‘Isa (alayhis salam) is called the era of fatrah, which, according to Salman al-Farisi (radi Allahu anhu), is six hundred years.
Among the Arabs, it is customary to omit fractions and mention the whole number, as has occurred in this instance, because the era of fatrah is more than five hundred years and less than six hundred years.
The practice of rounding up or omitting fractions is prevalent and ongoing among the Arabs.

➌
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) summarized these hadiths in these words: Salman al-Farisi (radi Allahu anhu) spent a long life in slavery and, after migrating from his homeland, remained in search of the truth for a long period.
In the end, he attained this rare pearl and was honored with the wealth of Islam.
Radi Allahu anhu wa ardah.