Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who says: Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) related his story to me in his own words. He said: I was a Persian from Isfahan, belonging to a village called Jayy. My father was a great landowner of our village, and I was the most beloved of all Allah’s creation to him. His love for me remained so strong that he confined me to the house as one would confine a girl, making me stay by the fire at all times. I strove hard in Magianism, so much so that I became a devoted servant and companion of the fire, always keeping it burning and never letting it go out even for a moment.

My father had a large estate. One day, being occupied with the construction of a building, he said to me: “Son! Today I am busy with this building and will not be able to reach my estate, so you go and check on it.” He also gave me some further instructions regarding it. So I set out for the estate, and on the way I passed by a Christian church. I heard their voices as they were praying. I did not know what was happening among the people, for my father had kept me confined at home. Anyway, when I passed by them and heard their voices, I went to them and began to observe their movements. When I saw them, I liked their prayer and was attracted to their religion. I said: “By Allah! This religion is better than the one we follow (Magianism).” I asked them: “Where is the origin of this religion?” They said: “In Syria.” Then I returned to my father. (Since I was delayed,) he had sent some people after me to call me back. Because of this preoccupation, I did not pay any attention to the work he had assigned me. When I came to him, he asked: “Son! Where were you? Did I not entrust you with a responsibility?” I said: “Father! I passed by some people who were praying in a church. I liked what they were doing. By Allah! I stayed with them until the sun set.” My father said: “Son! There is no good in this religion. Your religion and the religion of your forefathers is better than this.” I said: “By Allah! Never! Their religion is better than ours.” (Because of these feelings,) my father feared for me and put shackles on my feet and confined me at home.

I sent a message to the Christians, asking them to inform me when a Christian caravan of traders came from Syria. (After some days,) when a Christian trading caravan arrived from Syria, they informed me of its arrival. I said to them: “When the people of this caravan have finished their business and intend to return to their country, let me know.” So when they were about to return, they informed me. I removed the shackles from my feet and set out with them, reaching Syria.

When I arrived in Syria, I asked: “Who is the most virtuous person among the people of this religion?” They said: “A priest in such-and-such church.” I went to him and said: “I am attracted to this religion (Christianity), and I wish to stay with you, serve you in the church, learn from you, and pray with you.” He said: “(Alright) come.” So I entered with him. But he was a very bad man. He used to command people to give charity and encourage them, but when they brought many things, he would collect them for himself and give nothing to the poor, until he had gathered seven pots of gold and silver. I hated him for his deeds. Eventually, he died, and the Christians gathered to bury him. I said to them: “He was a bad man. He used to command you to give charity and encourage you, but when you brought charity to him, he would hoard it for himself and give nothing to the poor.” They asked me: “How do you know this?” I said: “I can show you his treasure.” They said: “Then show us.” So I showed them the place (of the treasure), and they took out seven pots filled with gold and silver. When they saw what had become of the charity, they said: “By Allah! We will never bury him.” So they crucified him and stoned him with stones.

Afterwards, they appointed another man in his place. Salman says: Among those who performed the five prayers, I found him to be the best. I found him to be the most disinterested in the world, the most desirous for the Hereafter, and the most diligent in worship, whether by day or night. I loved him with a love I had never felt for anyone before. I stayed with him for some time. Eventually, his time of death approached. I said to him: “O so-and-so! I have stayed with you and loved you with a love I have never felt for anyone before. Now the command of Allah (death) has come to you, and you are aware of it. To whom do you advise me to go, and what do you command me?” He said: “My son! By Allah! I do not know of anyone who is a follower of this religion as I am. People have perished and changed, and most of what they used to follow of the law has been abandoned. But there is a man in Mosul who is also on this religion, so go to him.” When he died and was buried, I went to the man in Mosul. I said to him: “O so-and-so! So-and-so advised me at the time of his death to come to you. He told me that you are also on his religion.” He said to me: “(Alright) you may stay with me.” So I stayed with him and found him to be the best man, steadfast on his companion’s religion. (After some time,) signs of death appeared on him as well. When his time of death approached, I said: “O so-and-so! So-and-so advised me about you and commanded me to stay with you. Now you see what is about to descend upon you from Allah. So to whom do you advise me to go, and what do you command me?” He said: “Son! By Allah! To my knowledge, there is only one man who remains on our religion, and he is in Nisibis. (After my death,) go to him.” When he died and was buried, I went to the man in Nisibis. I came to him and informed him about myself and the advice of my (previous guide). He said: “Stay with me.” So I stayed with him and found him to be on the religion of his two predecessors. He was the best man with whom I had stayed. But by Allah! He soon became ready to die. When his time of death came, I said to him: “O so-and-so! So-and-so (servant of Allah) advised me to stay with so-and-so, then he advised me to come to you. Now to whom do you advise me to go, or what do you command me?” He said: “My son! We do not know of any man who remains on our religion to whom you could go. However, there is a man in Amuriyyah. He is like us in religious matters. If you wish, go to him, for he remains on our religion.” When he too died and was buried, I went to the man in Amuriyyah and told him my whole story. He said: “Stay with me.” I stayed with him and found him to be on the character and religion of his companions.

Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I stayed with him and earned a living until I became the owner of some cows and sheep. But signs of Allah’s command (death) began to appear on him as well. When his time of death approached, I said to him: “O so-and-so! I was with so-and-so (servant of Allah), so-and-so advised me about so-and-so, so-and-so advised me about so-and-so, and he advised me to come to you. Now to whom do you advise me to go, and what do you command me?” He said: “My son! I do not know of anyone who remains steadfast on our religion whom I could command you to go to. But now the time of the coming of a Prophet is near. He will be sent with the religion of Abraham, and he will appear in the land of the Arabs and will migrate to a city that is between two black stony tracts, and between them are date palms. He will have other signs that will not be hidden. He will eat gifts but not charity, and between his shoulders will be the seal of Prophethood. If you are able, then go to those lands (of the Arabs).” Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Then he died and was buried. I remained in Amuriyyah as long as Allah willed.

Then a trading caravan from the tribe of Banu Kalb passed by me. I said to them: “If you take me to the land of the Arabs, I will give you my cows and sheep.” They said: “Alright.” So I gave them my cows and sheep, and they took me with them. When they brought me to Wadi al-Qura, they wronged me and sold me as a slave to a Jew. So I stayed with him. When I saw the date palms, I began to hope that this was the city my companion had described, but I was not certain. One day, a cousin of this Jew, who belonged to Banu Qurayzah, came from Madinah and bought me and took me to Madinah. By Allah! When I saw Madinah, I recognized it by the signs my companion had described (that this would be the abode of the Seal of the Prophets). I settled there.

Meanwhile, Allah sent His Messenger in Makkah, and he stayed there as long as he was destined to stay. But I did not hear any mention of him, and besides, I was busy with the work of slavery. Eventually, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated to Madinah. By Allah! (One day) I was working at the top of a date palm tree belonging to my master, and my master was sitting below. Suddenly, his cousin came and said: “May Allah destroy the people of Qaylah! They are gathered in Quba around a man who has come from Makkah, and they think he is a Prophet.” When I heard this, I was so shaken that I thought I would fall on my master. I climbed down from the tree and said to his cousin: “What are you saying? What are you saying?” My master became angry at this and struck me hard with his fist, saying: “What concern is this of yours? Go back to your work.” I said: “No concern, I just wanted to verify the matter.”

Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I had some wealth that I had collected. When evening came, I took that wealth and went to Quba to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). I entered upon him and said: “I have heard that you are a righteous man and that your companions are poor and needy. Here is some charity I have with me, and I consider you more deserving of it.” Then I placed the wealth near him. But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to his companions: “Eat.” He himself withheld his hand and did not eat. I said to myself: (One sign of this servant of Allah’s Prophethood) has been fulfilled.

Then I left and collected some more wealth. Now the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had moved to Madinah. Then (taking that wealth) I came to him and said: “I think you do not eat charity, so this is a gift, and I wish to honor you with it.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ate from it himself and ordered his companions to eat, so they ate. (Seeing this,) I said to myself: Two signs have been fulfilled.

(Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says:) The third time I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he was in Baqi‘ al-Gharqad. He had come there for the funeral of a companion, and he was wearing two garments. He was sitting among his companions. I greeted him and then moved around to look at his back, to see if the seal of Prophethood was there, as my companion had foretold. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw me moving around, he recognized that I was searching for one of his attributes, so he removed his garment from his back. I saw the seal of Prophethood and recognized it. Then I rushed to him, kissing him and weeping. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “Step back.” So I stepped back.

O Ibn Abbas! Then I related my whole story to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) just as I have related it to you, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) liked that his companions should also hear this story. Then Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) remained occupied due to slavery and could not participate with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the battles of Badr and Uhud.

(Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says:) One day the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “Salman! Make a contract of manumission with your master.” So I made a contract with my master that I would plant three hundred date saplings and give him forty ounces of gold. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Help your brother (Salman).” People helped me by giving me date saplings. Some gave thirty, some twenty, some fifteen, and some according to their ability, until I had collected three hundred date saplings. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: “Salman! Go and dig the holes. When you are finished, come to me, and I will plant them myself.” (Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) says:) I dug the holes, and my companions assisted me. When I finished, I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out with me, and we brought the saplings near him, and he planted them with his own hand. By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Salman! Not a single sapling among them died.

Now I had planted the date saplings, but the (forty ounces of gold) remained. From one of the battles, a piece of gold the size of a hen’s egg was brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He asked: “What is the Persian (Salman) who made a contract of manumission doing?” I was called, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Salman! Take this and pay off your debt with it.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah! What will this do against the debt I owe?” (i.e., the debt is much greater). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Take it, for soon Allah will pay off your debt.” By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Salman! I took it and weighed out forty ounces for my masters, paid them their full due, and was freed. Then I was present with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at the Battle of the Trench, and after that, I missed no battle.