Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 39365 — The acceptance of Islam by Salman

Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: I was among the sons of the horsemen of Persia. I was in a school, and with me were two (other) boys. When these two boys came back from their teacher, they would come to a priest and go in to him, so I too went in to the priest with them. The priest said: Did I not forbid you two (boys) from bringing anyone to me? Sayyiduna Salman said: I began to come and go to this priest, until I became dearer to him than those two boys. Sayyiduna Salman said: The priest said to me: When your family asks you what kept you, say: My teacher. And when your teacher asks you what kept you, say: My family. 2. Then the priest decided to move (from there). I said to the priest: I will move with you (too). So I moved with him and we stayed in a village. A woman used to come to him (there). When the time of the priest's death drew near, he said to me: O Salman, dig a pit near my head. I dug near his head and a jar of dirhams came out. The priest said to me: Pour this jar out on my chest. So I poured it out on his chest. Then the priest began to say: Woe to my hoarding! Then the priest died. I intended to take the dirhams, but then I remembered his words and left the dirhams. Then I informed the priests and the devout worshippers about the dead man, and they came to him. I said to those present: This dead man has left some wealth. Sayyiduna Salman said: Some young men from the village stood up and said: This is the wealth of our father. And they took that wealth. 3. Sayyiduna Salman said: I said to the devout worshippers: Tell me of a learned man so that I may follow him. They replied: We know of no one on the face of the earth more learned than a man in Hims. So I set off to him, met him and told him this whole story. Sayyiduna Salman said: He said: Has only the search for knowledge brought you (here)? I replied: Only the search for knowledge has brought me (here). He said: Today I know of no one on the face of the earth more learned than one man who comes to Bayt al-Maqdis every year. If you set off now, you will find his donkey there. Sayyiduna Salman said: I set off, and there I found his donkey at the door of Bayt al-Maqdis. I sat beside it and the man went off. I did not see that man for a whole year. Then the man came and I said to him: O servant of Allah, what have you done to me? He asked: And have you (been) here (all this time)? I replied: Yes. He said: By Allah, I do not know of anyone more learned than a man who has appeared in the land of Tayma. If you set off now, you will find him, and in him there will be three signs. That person will eat a gift and will not eat charity, and near the soft bone of his right shoulder will be the seal of prophethood, resembling a pigeon's egg, and its colour will be that of his skin. 4. Sayyiduna Salman said: So I set off, with the lows and highs of the land wearing on me, until I passed by some Bedouin people, and they enslaved me and then sold me, until a woman in Madinah bought me. I heard people mentioning the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Life was very hard at that time. I said to that woman: Give me a day as a gift. She said: Very well. I went and gathered firewood, sold it and prepared food. Then I brought this food to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The food was only a little. I placed it before him (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: What is this? I said: It is charity. He said: He (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his companions: Eat. And he (peace and blessings be upon him) did not eat it himself. He said: I said: This is one of that person's signs. 5. Then I stayed for as long as Allah willed, and then I said to my mistress: Give me a day as a gift. She said: Very well. I set off, gathered firewood, sold it at a higher price than before, and prepared food with it. I brought it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was sitting among his companions, and I placed it before him. He said: What is this? I said: A gift. He put his hand (to it) and said to his companions: Take, in the name of Allah. I stood behind him, and he put aside his cloak, and there was the seal of prophethood. I said: I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah. He said: What is that about? So I told him about that man, and then I said: Will he enter Paradise, O Messenger of Allah? For he told me that you are a prophet. He said: None will enter Paradise except a Muslim soul.