Salman al-Farsi: Difference between revisions

Salman's original name was Ruzbih and his father's name has been mentioned as Khushfudan and, based on a report, as Budhakhshan.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 171.</ref> According to traditions, after his conversion to Islam, he was given the name Salman by the Holy Prophet (s). His [[kunya]] was Abu 'Abd Allah. He was born either in Jay district of [[Isfahan]]<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 4, p. 56; Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 485.</ref> or, based on some reports, in Ramhurmuz<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 171; Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 4, p. 56.</ref>.  

According to some sources, the [[bond of brotherhood]] was made between Salman and [[Abu l-Darda']]. While some other reports mentioned [[Hudhayfa b. al-Yaman]], and some others mentioned [[Miqdad b. Amr]].<ref>To view the references see ʿĀmilī, ''Salmān Fārsī'', p. 86-87.</ref> However, Shi'a narrations mostly have accepted the bond was made between Salman and [[Abu Dharr]].<ref>See: Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 2, p. 84.</ref> In addition, some sources stated the condition that Abu Dharr was supposed to follow Salman.<ref>See: Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 345.</ref>

  |quote = '''[[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."

According to most of Shi'i 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 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.

Salman had participated in all the battles of Muslims after the [[Battle of Khandaq]].<ref>ʿĀmilī, ''Salmān Fārsī'', p. 32.</ref>

Before the Battle of Khandaq, Salman proposed the idea of digging a trench around the city, Medina; which lead to the victory of Muslims.<ref>Balāthurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 1, p. 343.</ref>

According to some sources in the [[Battle of Tai'f]] he proposed using catapult, and the Prophet (s) ordered it to be used.<ref>Ḥalabī, ''al-Sīra al-ḥalabīyya'', vol. 3, p. 167.</ref>

Umar b. al-Khattab assigned Salman and [[Hudhayfa]] as the leaders of the Muslim army in the [[Conquest of Iran]].<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 4, p. 41.</ref> In the conquest of al-Madain, he was the negotiator of the Muslims with the commanders of the Iranian forces.

Salman disagreed with the [[Event of Saqifa]]. [[Miqdad]], Salman, [[Aba Dharr]], [[Ubada b. Samit]], [[Abu l-Haytham b. al-Tayhan]], [[Hudhayfa]], and [[Ammar b. Yasir]] gathered around at the night after the Event of Saqifa to decide on [[Caliphate]] in the community of [[Muhajirun]].<ref>See: Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 1, p. 219-220.</ref> Salman and [[Ubayy b. Ka'b]] had numerous reasons to disagree with the Event of Saqifa.<ref>ʿĀmilī, ''Salmān Fārsī'', p. 35.</ref> The famous sentence of Salman on those [[sahaba]] of Prophet (s) who took an oath of [[allegiance]] to [[Abu Bakr]] was: "You did and you did not"<ref>See: Nūrī, ''Nafas al-raḥmān fī faḍāʾil Salmān'', p. 148.</ref> Which means you chose a Caliph, but refused to accept the Prophet Muhammad's order. He said in the day, 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.<ref>ʿAskarī, ''ʿAbd Allāh b. Sabaʾ'', vol. 1, p. 145.</ref>

Salman al-Farsi became the governor of [[al-Madain]] in the time of [[Umar b. al-Khattab]]. Salman had asked for permission of [[Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] and then he accepted it. He was the governor of al-Madain until he passed away.<ref>Madanī, ''al-Darajāt al-rafīʿa fī ṭabaqāt al-Shīʿa'', p. 215.</ref> Salman dedicated the money he received as the governor to charity.<ref>Ibn Abī l-Ḥadīd, ''Sharḥ Nahj al-balāgha'', vol. 1, p. 219-220.</ref> Thus he covered his expenses by means of knitting baskets.

According to [[Muhaddith Nuri]], the descendants of Salman were living in [[Rey]] for about five hundred years. Badr al-Din al-Hasan b. Ali b. Salman was a prominent figure in the narration of hadith and his lineage goes back to Salman al-Farsi through nine generations. Dia' al-Din al-Farsi (d. 622/1225), 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. Muhaddith Nuri also mentioned Shams al-Din Suzani (d. 562/1166-1167 or 569/1173-1174) 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. 624.1227), known as Abu Ishaq Kaziruni, who was a religious figure in the fifth/eleventh century and al-Hasan b. al-Hasan whose lineage goes back to Muhammad b. Salman.<ref>About his wife and children see: Ṣādiqī Ardistānī, ''Salmān Farsī ustāndār-i Madāʾin'', p. 377-390.</ref>

After Salman had passed away, [[Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] travelled to [[al-Madain]] 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.<ref>See: Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 22, p. 380.</ref>