wikishia:Featured Article/2019/07

Salman al-Farsi (Arabic: سلمان الفارسي) (d. 36/656) was a companion of prophet Muhammad (s) and of Imam Ali (a). Based on some reports, Salman was a Zoroastrian Iranian whose original name was Ruzbih. He converted to Christianity in his youth. After hearing the Christians foretelling the emergence of a prophet in the land of Arabs, he set off toward Hijaz. He was enslaved in the middle of the way and sold to a man from Banu Qurayza in Medina. He entered Medina when prophet Muhammad (s) had recently emigrated to the city. Salman met the Prophet (s) and after confirming the signs of prophethood converted to Islam. The Prophet (s) bought and freed him and named him "Salman". The Prophet (s) liked him and said about him, "Salman is one of us, the Ahl al-Bayt". His idea of digging a trench in the Battle of Khandaq brought victory to Muslims.

Salman supported the successorship of Imam 'Ali (a) after the demise of the Prophet (s) and opposed the incident of Saqifa. Salman, Miqdad, Abu Dhar, Ubada b. Samit, Abu l-Haytham b. al-Tayyihan, Hudhayfa, and Ammar b. Yasir gathered around at the night after the Event of Saqifa to decide on Caliphate in the community of Muhajirun. Salman and Ubayy b. Ka'b had numerous reasons to disagree with the Event of Saqifa. 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" 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."Read more...