Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the best scholars of the Children of Israel

It is narrated from Muhammad bin Umar that the kunyah of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) was "Abu Yusuf", and before accepting Islam his name was "al-Husayn". When he accepted Islam, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) named him Abdullah. He belonged to the Children of Israel and was among the descendants of Sayyiduna Yusuf bin Ya'qub (peace be upon them both). He was also an ally of the Qawaqilah, of Banu Awf, a branch of the Khazraj. According to the statements of all the historians, Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) died in Madinah in the year 43 AH, during the reign of Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Yahya bin Sa'id that the clientage (wala') of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) was to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he died in the year 43 AH. The two Shaykhs (Imam Bukhari and Muslim) agreed on the hadith of Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not say about anyone walking on the face of the earth, "He is among the people of Paradise", except Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from al-Dahhak concerning the saying of Allah Almighty: "And a witness from the Children of Israel testifies to the like of it" [Surah al-Ahqaf: 10], that he said: The witness meant in this verse is Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him), and he was one of the eminent scholars and rabbis of the Children of Israel.