Salman al-Farsi

Salman al-Farsi

Salman al-Farsi's tomb in al-Mada'in, south of Baghdad, Iraq
Personal Information
Teknonym	Abu 'Abd Allah
Epithet	al-Farsi, al-Muhammadi
Place(s) of Residence	Isfahan, Sham, Iraq, Medina
Religious Information

Salmān al-Fārsī (Arabic: سلمان الفارسي) was a Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and of Ali b. Abi Talib (a). He was a well respected man among Shi'a and Sunni Muslims. He was originally from Iran and his original name was either Ruzbeh or Mahu.

Salman was monotheist who converted to Christianity in his childhood. When he had changed his religion, Salman was forced to leave his hometown. In order to find the truth about Christianity, he started his travels and met a number of priests and bishops in different churches. When he arrived in Syria, he settled in Sham (Levant), Mosul and Nasibayn. Then he was captured as a slave by Banu Kalb. After some time he was sold to a person from Banu Qurayza and was taken to Medina. When he saw Muhammad b. Abd-Allah (s), Salman figured out that he was the Prophet that his mentor had described to him. After meeting Prophet Muhammad (s) Salman converted to Islam. Prophet Muhammad (s) bought him and then freed him from slavery. After that Prophet (s) named him Salman. He was such a true Muslim that Prophet (s) once said: "Salman is a member of my Ahl al-Bayt."

The Prophet Muhammad (s): "Allah commanded me to love four men, for He loves them, too. They are Ali (a), Miqdad, Abu Dharr and Salman.".

Al-Ghadir, Vol. 9, P. 117

Salman helped Muslims in the battle of the Trench (Khandaq), when he recommended the idea of digging a trench around the city, which brought victory to Muslims. After Prophet Muhammad (s) had passed away he became a supporter of Imam Ali (a) and a believer in Imamah. He disagreed with the event of Saqifa, as he said:

"You did; not what you must have done." However, he cooperated with the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, and the second Caliph, 'Umar al-Khattab; he was also assigned as the governor of Al-Mada'in in the time of the second Caliph. Nevertheless, he knitted baskets in order to provide money to cover the costs of living.

After a long lifetime, Salman passed away in 34 A.H in Al-Mada'in, where he is buried.

Childhood to Slavery

Ruzbeh was the original name of Salman. His father, Khusfudhan, was a landlord in Isfahan and he believed in Zoroastrianism. He was born either in Jay district of Isfahan or Ramhormoz in Khuzestan. Salman was loved by his father more than his other siblings. As Salman said: "My father was a farmer, and I was living in a village, Jay in Isfahan. My father loved me so much, that he locked me inside the house like a servant. I was not allowed to leave the house. Then I became responsible for keeping the fire burning all the time in a Zoroastrian temple.

One day I was send by my father to look after the farm. On the way to the farm, I noticed a Christian church, and then I entered. Their prayer attracted my attention. I thought this religion is better than ours. I asked about the originality of this religion, and they answered: Sham. Therefore, I ran away and travelled to Sham where I served the bishops and learned about Christianity. Before the bishop passed away, he introduced another bishop to me in Mosul to learn from him. After serving him, the bishop of Mosul introduced another bishop in Nasibayn, and Amuriya to me. Eventually the bishop in Amuriya told me about the new prophet, as he said: it's the time that a new prophet will emerge who will continue the religion of Ibrahim (a). He shall never accept charity, but he accepts gifts; he also has the Seal between his shoulders. In order to find the Prophet, I travelled with a caravan called Banu Kalb to Hijaz, then I found out in Wadi al-Qura, that I was sold to a Jew as a slave. He sold me to his cousin, who brought me to Medina."

Converting to Islam

Salman converted to Islam in the first year after Hijra (migration of Prophet Muhammad (s) to Medina), in Jumada al-Awwal. As Ibn Marduya said: "In some narrations Salman and Ali b. Abi Talib (s) were mentioned as the first two people who had converted to Islam." Salman had heard of a Prophet who won't accept any charity food, but he accepts gifts and he has the Seal between his shoulders. Thus, when he met Muhammad (s) in Quba, he gave a date fruit as a charity to Prophet Muhammad (s), Prophet gave the date to his companions, and he did not eat any from it. Another time, Salman gave a date fruit to Prophet (s) as a gift, and then he noticed Prophet Muhammad (s) ate some from it. And at the third time, in Baqi' al-Farqad he saw Prophet Muhammad (s) in a funeral of his friend, where he finally saw the Seal between Prophet's shoulders. After that Salman went down on his knees in front of Prophet (s) and praised him, and then he converted to Islam.

Freedom

Prophet Muhammad (s) bought Salman for three hundred date trees and six hundred silver coins, and then he freed him from slavery. As Salman said, Prophet Muhammad (s) had bought him and then named him Salman. The document of freedom of Salman was dictated by Prophet Muhammad (s) and it was written by Ali b. Abi Talib (a):

هذا ما فادی محمد بن عبد الله رسول الله-صلّی الله علیه و سلم-فدی سلمان الفارسی من عثمان بن الأشهل الیهودی ثم القرظی بغرس ثلاثمائة نخلة و أربعین أوقیة ذهبا، فقد بریء محمد بن عبد الله رسول الله-صلّی الله علیه و سلم- لثمن سلمان الفارسی، و ولاؤه لمحمد بن عبد الله رسول الله-صلّی الله علیه و سلم-و أهل بیته، فلیس لأحد علی سلمان سبیل

Prophet Muhammad (s) has paid three hundred date trees and six hundred silver coins to Uthman b. al-Ashhal al-Yahudi; therefore, Salman's ransom is paid and he belongs to Prophet Muhammad (s) and his family, whereas no one else has authority over him.

The Bond of Brotherhood

According to some sources, the bond of brotherhood was made between Salman and Abu Darda'. While some other reports mentioned Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman, and some others mentioned Miqdad b. Amr. However Shi'a narrations mostly have accepted the bond was made between Salman and Abu Dharr. In addition, some sources stated the condition that Abu Dharr was supposed to follow Salman.

A Member of Ahl al-Bayt (a)

According to most of Shi'a sources, the first day that Salman entered the mosque, where people respected and praised him, while some other people disapprove of it; because he was an Ajam (non-Arab). After this event, Prophet Muhammad (s) gave a speech to people:

Men are not superior to another according due to their race (being Arab or non-Arab) or the color of their skin, but only piety differentiates them. Salman is a vast sea and an everlasting treasure. Salman is a member of my family (Ahl al-Bayt). He is gifted with knowledge and wisdom.

When Arabs were praising themselves and introducing their lineage (intentionally or unintentionally) then they asked about the ancestors of Salman, he would reply: "I am the son of Islam and I am freed from slavery by Prophet Muhammad (s) who had bought me before."

I am Salman b. Abd-Allah, an ignorant one who was guided by Muhammad (s); a poor who was gifted by Prophet Muhammad (s); and a servant of God who was freed by Muhammad b. 'Abd-Allah. O 'Umar, this is my lineage.

Important Activities

Disagreement with Saqifa

Salman disagreed with Saqifa. Miqdad, Salman, Aba Dharr, Ubada b. Samit, Abu Haytham al-Tayhan, Al-Hudhayfa and Ammar b. Yasir gathered around at the night after the incident of Saqifa to decide on Caliphate in the community of Muhajirun. Salman and Ubay b. Ka'b had numerous reasons to disagree with Saqifa. The famous sentence of Salman on those sahaba of Prophet (s) who took an oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr was: "You did; not what you must have done." Which means you chose a Caliph, but refused to accept the Prophet Muhammad's order. He said in Saqifa, you chose an elder man, but you left the family of Prophet Muhammad (s) alone; if you had chosen a member of Ahl al-Bayt, there would not be any conflict. And also you would have enjoyed its blessings.

Governor of Al-Mada'in

Salman al-Farsi became the governor of Al-Mada'in in the time of 'Umar al-Khattab. Salman had asked for permission of Ali b. Abi Talib (a) and then he accepted it. He was the governor of Al-Mada'in until he passed away. Salman dedicated the money he received as the governor to charity. Thus he covered his expenses by means of knitting baskets.

The Battle of the Trench=

Salman had participated in all the battles of Muslims and after the battle of the Trench he did not attend any other one. Salman proposed the idea of digging a trench around the city, Medina. Prophet Muhammad (s) ordered 10 men to start digging the trench. Because of the physical ability of Salman, Muhajirun and Ansar had argued about him; they both declared Salman was a member of their group. Muhajirun claimed because Salman had migrated from another place (Iran) to Medina, he should be a member of Muhajirun; while Ansar believed because Salman was in Medina at the time of migration of Prophet Muhammad (s) to this city, he should be a member of Ansar. 'Umar b. al-Khattab assigned Salman and Al-Hudhayfa as the leader of the Muslim army in the conquest of Iran.

Family

Salman had two unsuccessful attempts to get married. The first one was asking the daughter of 'Umar, the sister of Hafsa (Prophet Muhammad's wife). At first 'Umar disagreed but after Prophet Muhammad (s) mentioned the status and position of Salman among Muslims, he accepted his request. However, Salman retract his request afterwards. In the second attempt, Salman sent Abu Durda' to ask the hand of a girl for marriage, whose family did not accept the request of Salman; however they claimed they would accept Abu Durda' as their son-in-law. Accordingly Abu Durda' married her later.

Salman eventually married Buqayra from the tribe of Banu Kinda. Abd-Allah and Muhammad were the names of their sons. Abd-Allah had narrated the hadith of Heavenly Gift for the Lady Fatima (s). Salman also had a daughter in Isfahan and two other daughters in Egypt.

According to Al-Muhaddith al-Nuri, the descendants of Salman were living in Rey for about five hundred years. Badr al-Din Hasan b. Ali b. Salman was a prominent figure in narration of hadith and his lineage goes back to Salman al-Farsi through nine generations. Dia' al-Din al-Farsi (d. 622 A.H), a descendant of Salman, was a grand scholar and a poet in Khujand. He was a religious leader in Bukhara. He also penned a commentary on Al-Mahsul by Al-Razi. Al-Muhaddith al-Nuri also mentioned Shams al-Din Suzani (d. 562 or 569 A.H) as a descendant of Salman, he was titled as Taj al-Shu'ara (The Crown of Poets). The other mentioned descendants of Salman are: Abd al-Fattah, custodian of the mausoleum of Salman for some time; Abu Kathir b. Abd al-Rahman, grandchild of Salman who narrated the letter of Prophet Muhammad (s) to Abd al-Ashhal, a Jewish member of Banu Qurayza, on freedom of Salman; Ibrahim b. Shahriyar (d. 624), known as Abu Ishaq Kaziruni, who was a religious figure in the fifth century and Hasan b. Hasan whose lineage goes back to Muhammad b. Salman.

Demise

Salman had written this poem on his enshrouding cotton:

I am heading toward Allah, lacking a sound heart and an appropriate provision

While taking a provision (with you), to the Praiseworthy is the most dreadful deed

After Salman had passed away, 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a) travelled to Al-Mada'in to bathe and enshroud his body, and then he performed funeral prayer on his body, before burying him in a grave. Imam 'Ali (a) returned to Medina that night.