Hazrat Salman-e-Farsi’s original name was Roozbah. He was
born in a village of Isfahan in Iran.
Salman accepts
Islam:
The Infallible Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) said that
one day some of the companions were visiting the grave of the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.), when the Commander of the
Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) asked Salman: “O Salman! How did you accept the faith of Islam?” Salman
replied: “O Amir-ul-Mominin! Since it is obligatory for me to reply to your
queries, I am narrating to you the circumstances under which I accepted the Faith.
I am a native of the city of Shiraz and my profession was farming. My parents
loved me very much.
One day I was visiting a hermitage along with them. I
heard a voice saying “There is no God but Allah, Isa is the spirit of Allah and
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” These words had profound effect on me and
the love of the Prophet got embedded in my entire existence. I instantly abandoned
my ancestral belief of worshiping sun. My father was very angry and threw me in
a well. I was rescued and sent from hermit to other and at last I was sold to a
lady named Salimia. I was assigned to water her orchard of trees.
One day a group of persons entered the garden. I saw that
a cloud was hovering over their heads; they were the Prophet, Amir-al-Mominin
Ali (a.s.) and his companions. The Prophet (s) called me and showed me his seal
of Prophet-hood on his back. I instantly fell on his feet but he raised me with
great affection. Now the Prophet told to Salimia that he wished to buy me from
her. The price she asked for was four hundred date pals; half yellow and half
red. The Prophet accepted the deal and asked Amir-al-Mominin Ali (a.s.) to
arrange for it. When he arranged for it, then the Prophet started sowing and
Imam Ali watering the seeds. Now the four hundred trees were ready.
When Salimia saw that her wish had been fulfilled, she
came up with another condition that all the palms to have yellow fruits.
Therefore, with Allah’s wish Gibrai’l
came and with the touch of his wings, he turned all the palms to bear yellow
dates. Now Salimia had to release me
and the Prophet also released me and said: “O Roozbah! From this day we give
you the name Salman.”
Battle of Trench
(Khandaq):
It was the Ramazan of 5 A.H. when the Muslims received the
news that about 10,000 were planning to invade Madinah with the financial help
of the Jews. The Muslim army was about 1,000 fighters. While the Muslims were
discussing the means to defend the city, when Salman stood up and said: “O
Allah’s Apostle! In Persia we dug a trench when an enemy attacked us.” The
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) liked the idea and ordered every ten Muslims to dig
40 meters. The digging of the trench was going on. One day, they found a hard
white rock which will not crack. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s) himself went in
the trench, asked for some water, threw it on the rock and hit the rock and
split one –third and said: “Allah is Great! I have been given the keys of Shaam;
I can see its palaces.” He hit the rock second time and said: “Allah is Great!
Allah has given me the keys of Persia, I can see the palaces of Mada’in” And he
hit the rock third time and said: “Allah
is Great! I have been given the keys of Yemen; By Allah I can see the gates of Sana!”
After the great victory, when the “King of Men”- Shah-e-Mardan, Imam Ali (a.s.) killed their
strongman, Ama I bne Abdavad,
Muslims gathered in the Prophet’s Mosque and looking at Salman with love and
appreciation, the Ansars from Madinah were saying, “Salman is one of us!” and
the Muhajireen were shouting, “Salman is one of us!”. The Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) said: “Salman is member of my family. Do not say Salman al-Farsi
but say Salman al-Muhammadi!”
Salman took part in all battles against the enemies of Islam
e.g. battle of Khyber, battle of Tabook, battle of Hunain, and the Conquest of
Makkah. Salman was a truthful believer, first to pay homage to the Apostle of
God under the tree, called “Homage of ar-Ridhwan”. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “The Paradise is longing for three
persons. They are Commander of Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.), Ammar and Salman.
A man asked the
Infallible Imam Jaffer al-Sadiq (a.s.) as to why he (Imam) talks so much about
Salman, the Imam replied: “Because Salman possessed three traits. The first one
is that he preferred the wishes and desires of the Commander of the Faithful,
Ali ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) over his own wishes. The second reason is because he
loved poor people and preferred them over those who had wealth and riches. The
third reason is due to his love of knowledge and those who possessed knowledge.
Unquestionably, Salman was a servant of Allah, righteous, upright, and
submissive to Allah and was not from among the polytheists.”
Abu Hurairah reported: “We were sitting in the company of
Allah’s Apostle (s.a.w.a.s.) that Surah al-Jumah was revealed to him, and when
he recited these words, “Others from
amongst them who have not yet joined them” (62:3), a person sitting there
said: Allah’s Messenger! But he did not reply. When he asked three times, Allah’s Messenger placed his hand on Salman and said: “Even if faith were near the Pleiades
(Star), a man from among these would surely find it.”
Lady of Paradise,
Fatimah Zahra (s.a.) taught the following supplication to Salman and said to
him:
“If it pleases you not to be
inflicted with fever as long as you live in this world, then read these words,
which my father Muhammad
(s.a.w.a.s.) taught me, and I say every morning and evening:
In the name of Allah, the Most
Beneficent, Most Merciful.
In the name of Allah the light.
In the name of Allah the light of light. In the name of Allah light upon light.
In the name of Allah, the
planner of affairs. In the name of Allah, who created light from light.
And Revealed light upon the Turr.
By a decree inscribed. In a scroll unfolded.
According to a decree
fore-ordained. Unto a Learned Prophet. Praise be to Allah, Who is known with
Might.
Whose Glory is established. Who
is praised during prosperity and infliction.
And May Allah’s Grace be upon
our Master, Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) and His Purified Progeny.”
Salman later said: “By Allah! I have taught this
supplication to more than a thousand souls in Makkah and Madinah who were
inflicted with fever, and they were all relieved by the Will of Allah!”
When the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) became
the Caliph, he appointed Salman al-Muhammadi as the Governor of Mada’en. When
he reached Mada’en, people were surprised to see the Governor having only his
praying mat as the sole possession! He was a true follower of Imam Ali (a.s.).
Sources used:
Salman al-Muhammadi by Kamal al-Sayyid
Ain al-Hayat by Allamah Majlisi
Last Luminary and ways to Delve into light by
Sayyid Ridha Husayn Mutlaq
Fatima-The Gracious by Abu Muhammad Ordani
Shiiite Encyclopedia
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