Salman al-Farsi: Difference between revisions

|Epithet = al-Farsi {{•}}al-Muhammadi

|Home town = [[Isfahan]]{{•}} [[Sham]] {{•}}[[Iraq]]{{•}}[[Medina]]

|Death/Martyrdom  = [[36]]/ 656

|Burial place = [[al-Mada'in]], [[Iraq]]

|Converting to Islam = [[Jumadi al-Awwal]] [[1]]/ November 622

|Presence at [[ghazwas]] =

|Other activities = the governor of al-Mada'in in the time of the [[Second Caliph]] {{•}} Defensive plan of digging a trench around [[Medina]] in order to keep the city safe in the [[battle of Khandaq]]

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 [[churche]]s. When he arrived in [[Syria]], he settled in [[Sham]] (Levant), [[Mosul]], and [[Nasibayn]]. Then he was captured as a slave by [[Banu Kalb]] tribe. After some time he was sold to a person from [[Banu Qurayza]] tribe 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 the Prophet Muhammad (s) Salman converted to [[Islam]]. The 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]]."

  |quote  = <small>'''[[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.".</small>

Salman helped Muslims in the [[battle of Khandaq]] (battle of the Trench), 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 [[Imamat]]. 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|Abu Bakr b. Abu Quhafa]], and the second Caliph, [['Umar b. 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.

Ruzbeh was the original name of Salman. His father, Khushfudan, was a landlord in [[Isfahan]] and he believed in [[Zoroastrianism]]. He was born either in Jay district of Isfahan or Ramhormoz. 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 sent by my father to look after the farm. On the way to the farm, I noticed a [[Christianity|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 [[Prophethood|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 [[Sadaqa]], 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]]/622, in [[Jumada al-Awwal]].  Salman had heard of a Prophet who won't accept any charity([[sadaqa]]) 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 (sadaqa) to the Prophet Muhammad (s), the Prophet gave the date to his companions, and he did not eat any from it. Another time, Salman gave a date fruit to the Prophet (s) as a gift, and then he noticed the Prophet Muhammad (s) ate some from it. And at the third time, he saw the Prophet Muhammad (s) in a funeral of his friend, where he finally saw the Seal between the Prophet's shoulders. After that Salman went down on his knees in front of the Prophet (s) and praised him, and then he converted to Islam.

==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.

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:

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.

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]].

Salman had two unsuccessful attempts to get married. The first one was asking the daughter of 'Umar, the sister of [[Hafsa bt. 'Umar b. Khattab|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.

: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

[[Category:Sahabas]]