Salman al-Farsi: Difference between revisions

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]]."

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.

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."

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.