Salman Farsi reported,

Salman's account in his own words.He said, "I was a Persian man from the people of Isfahan, from a village of theirs called Jayy. My father was the chief of his village, and I was the dearest of Allah's creation to him. His love for me kept growing until he confined me to the house, just as a young girl is confined, because of my devotion to tending the sacred fire. I exerted myself in Magianism until I became the keeper of the fire, kindling it and never letting it die down for a moment.My father owned a vast estate. One day he was occupied with some construction work and said to me, 'My son, this construction has kept me from my estate today. Go and inspect it for me.' He gave me certain instructions about what he wanted done there.I set out for his estate, but I passed by a church belonging to the Christians and heard their voices as they prayed. I had no idea what people did because my father had kept me confined at home. When I passed by them and heard their voices, I went in to see what they were doing. When I saw them, their prayer impressed me, and I became drawn to their religion. I said to myself, 'By Allah, this is better than the religion we follow.' By Allah, I did not leave them until the sun had set, and I abandoned my father's estate without going to it.I asked them, 'Where is the source of this religion?' They said, 'In Sham.'Then I returned to my father, who had sent people to look for me, and I had distracted him from all his work. When I came to him, he said, 'My son, where have you been? Did I not give you a charge?'I said, 'Father, I passed by some people praying in their church, and what I saw of their religion impressed me. By Allah, I stayed with them until the sun set.'He said, 'My son, there is no good in that religion. Your religion and the religion of your forefathers is better.'I said, 'No, by Allah, it is better than our religion.'He grew afraid for me and put a chain on my leg, then confined me to the house.I sent word to the Christians, asking them to inform me whenever a caravan of Christian merchants arrived from Sham. A caravan of Christian merchants did arrive from Sham, and they informed me. I said to them, 'When they finish their business and want to return to their land, let me know.' When they were ready to return, they informed me. I cast off the iron from my leg and went out with them until I reached Sham.When I arrived, I asked, 'Who is the most learned person in this religion?' They said, 'The bishop in the church.' I came to him and said, 'I have grown drawn to this religion and would like to be with you, serving you in your church, learning from you, and praying with you.' He said, 'Come in,' so I joined him.But he was an evil man. He would order them to give charity and encourage them to do so, but when they brought him things, he would hoard them for himself and give nothing to the poor, until he had amassed seven jars of gold and silver. I came to hate him intensely for what I saw him doing.Then he died, and the Christians gathered to bury him. I said to them, 'This man was evil. He ordered you to give charity and encouraged you to do so, but when you brought it to him, he hoarded it for himself and gave nothing to the poor.'They said, 'How do you know this?'I said, 'I will show you his treasure.' They said, 'Then show us.' I showed them the place, and they extracted from it seven jars filled with gold and silver. When they saw them, they said, 'By Allah, we will never bury him.' They crucified him and stoned him, then brought another man and put him in his place.Salman said, "I never saw a man, even one who did not pray the five daily prayers, whom I considered better than him. He was more abstemious in worldly matters, more eager for the Hereafter, and more diligent night and day. I came to love him with a love I had never felt for anyone before. I stayed with him for some time.When death approached him, I said, 'So-and-so, I have been with you and have loved you with a love I had never felt for anyone before. Now what you see of Allah's decree has come upon you. To whom do you commend me? What do you instruct me to do?'He said, 'My son, by Allah, I do not know anyone today on what I am upon. People have perished, changed, and abandoned most of what they were upon, except for a man in Mosul, so-and-so. He is on what I am upon. Join him.'When he died and was buried, I went to the man in Mosul. I said to him, 'So-and-so, So-and-so commended me at his death to join you and told me you are upon his way.' He said to me, 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with him and found him to be an excellent man, upon the way of his companion. It was not long before he died.When death approached him, I said, 'So-and-so, So-and-so commended me to you and ordered me to join you. Now what you see of Allah 's decree has come upon you. To whom do you commend me? What do you instruct me to do?'He said, 'My son, by Allah, I do not know any man upon the like of what we were upon, except a man in Nasibin, so-and-so. Join him.'When he died and was buried, I went to the man in Nasibin. I came to him and told him my story and what my companion had instructed me. He said, 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with him and found him upon the way of his two companions. I stayed with an excellent man. By Allah, it was not long before death came to him.When death approached, I said, 'So-and-so, So-and-so commended me to So-and-so, then So-and-so commended me to you. To whom do you commend me? What do you instruct me to do?'He said, 'My son, by Allah, we know of no one remaining upon our way whom I could direct you to, except a man in Ammuriyah. He is upon the like of what we are upon. If you wish, go to him, for he is upon our way.'When he died and was buried, I went to the man in Ammuriyah and told him my story. He said, 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with a man upon the guidance of his companions and their way. I earned a living until I had cattle and a small flock of sheep.Then Allah's decree came upon him. When death approached, I said, 'So-and-so, I was with So-and-so, then So-and-so commended me to So-and-so, and So-and-so commended me to So-and-so, then So-and-so commended me to you. To whom do you commend me? What do you instruct me to do?'He said, 'My son, by Allah, I do not know of anyone who has remained upon what we were upon, to whom I could direct you. But the time of a prophet has drawn near. He will be sent with the religion of Ibrahim, emerging from the land of the Arabs, migrating to a land between two lava plains with palm trees between them. He has signs that cannot be hidden. He eats from gifts but does not eat from charity. Between his shoulders is the seal of prophethood. If you can reach that land, do so.'Then he died and was buried. I stayed in Ammuriyah as long as Allah willed. Then a group of merchants from Kalb passed by me, and I said to them, 'Take me to the land of the Arabs, and I will give you these cattle of mine and this small flock.' They said, 'Yes.' So I gave them the animals, and they took me along, but when they brought me to Wadi al-Qura, they wronged me and sold me as a slave to a Jewish man.I was with him, and I saw the palm trees and hoped this was the land my companion had described to me, but I was not certain. While I was with him, a cousin of his from Banu Qurayza in Medina came and bought me from him and took me to Medina. By Allah, as soon as I saw it, I recognized it from my companion's description.I settled there, and Allah sent His Messenger. He stayed in Mecca as long as he stayed, but I heard nothing about him because of the burdens of slavery I was under. Then he migrated to Medina.By Allah, I was at the top of a palm tree belonging to my master, doing some work, while my master sat below, when a cousin of his came up and stood over him and said, 'So-and-so, may Allah destroy Banu Qaila. By Allah, they are now gathering at Quba around a man who has come to them from Mecca today, claiming to be a prophet.'When I heard this, I was seized with such trembling that I thought I would fall on my master. I came down from the palm tree and began saying to his cousin, 'What are you saying? What are you saying?'My master became angry and struck me a heavy blow, then said, 'What is this to you? Get back to your work.'I said, 'Nothing. I just wanted to verify what he said.'I had something I had saved up. When evening came, I took it and went to the Messenger of Allah , who was at Quba. I came in to him and said, 'I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have companions with you who are strangers in need. Here is something I had set aside as charity. I see you as more deserving of it than others.' I placed it before him.The Messenger of Allah said to his companions, 'Eat,' but he held back his hand and did not eat. I said to myself, 'That is one.'Then I left him and gathered some more. The Messenger of Allah moved to Medina, and I came to him with it and said, 'I saw that you do not eat charity, so this is a gift with which I honor you.' The Messenger of Allah ate from it and ordered his companions, and they ate with him. I said to myself, 'That is two.'Then I came to the Messenger of Allah when he was at Baqi al-Gharqad. He had followed the funeral of one of his companions and was wearing two cloaks, sitting among his companions. I greeted him, then circled around to look at his back to see if I could find the seal that my companion had described to me. When the Messenger of Allah saw me circling behind him, he realized I was trying to verify something that had been described to me. He cast off his cloak from his back, and I looked at the seal and recognized it. I threw myself upon it, kissing it and weeping.The Messenger of Allah said to me, 'Come around.' I came around and recounted my story to him as I have told it to you, Ibn Abbas."The Messenger of Allah was eager for his companions to hear it. Then slavery kept Salman occupied so that he missed Badr and Uhud with the Messenger of Allah .Then the Messenger of Allah said to me, 'Make a contract for your freedom, Salman.' So I made a contract with my master for three hundred palm trees that I would plant for him, and forty ounces of silver. The Messenger of Allah said to his companions, 'Help your brother.' They helped me with palm shoots, one man giving thirty, another twenty, another fifteen, another ten, each according to what he had, until three hundred shoots were collected for me.The Messenger of Allah said to me, 'Go, Salman, and dig holes for them. When you are done, come to me, and I will plant them with my own hand.' So I dug the holes, with my companions helping me. When I had finished, I came to him and told him. The Messenger of Allah went out with me to them, and we would bring him the shoots, and the Messenger of Allah would plant them with his own hand. By the One in whose hand is Salman's soul, not a single shoot of them died.I had paid off the palm trees, but the money still remained upon me. The Messenger of Allah was brought a piece of gold the size of a chicken's egg from one of his expeditions. He said, 'What has the Persian who made the freedom contract done?' I was called to him, and he said, 'Take this and pay off what is upon you, Salman.'I said, 'Where will this go toward what I owe, Messenger of Allah?'He said, 'Take it. Allah will pay it off for you through it.' So I took it and weighed out for them from it, by the One in whose hand is Salman's soul, forty ounces. I paid them their due in full and was set free.I witnessed the Battle of the Trench with the Messenger of Allah , and after that I did not miss any battle with him."

حدثنا يعقوب حدثنا أبي عن ابن إسحاق حدثني عاصم بن عمر بن قتادة الأنصاري عن محمود بن لبيد عن عبد الله بن عباس قال حدثني

سلمان الفارسي

حديثه من فيه قال كنت رجلا فارسيا من أهل أصبهان من أهل قرية منها يقال لها جي وكان أبي دهقان قريته وكنت أحب خلق الله إليه فلم يزل به حبه إياي حتى حبسني في بيته أي ملازم النار كما تحبس الجارية وأجهدت في المجوسية حتى كنت قطن النار الذي يوقدها لا يتركها تخبو ساعة قال وكانت لأبي ضيعة عظيمة قال فشغل في بنيان له يوما فقال لي يا بني إني قد شغلت في بنيان هذا اليوم عن ضيعتي فاذهب فاطلعها وأمرني فيها ببعض ما يريد فخرجت أريد ضيعته فمررت بكنيسة من كنائس النصارى فسمعت أصواتهم فيها وهم يصلون وكنت لا أدري ما أمر الناس لحبس أبي إياي في بيته فلما مررت بهم وسمعت أصواتهم دخلت عليهم أنظر ما يصنعون قال فلما رأيتهم أعجبني صلاتهم ورغبت في أمرهم وقلت هذا والله خير من الدين الذي نحن عليه فوالله ما تركتهم حتى غربت الشمس وتركت ضيعة أبي ولم آتها فقلت لهم أين أصل هذا الدين قالوا بالشام قال ثم رجعت إلى أبي وقد بعث في طلبي وشغلته عن عمله كله قال فلما جئته قال أي بني أين كنت ألم أكن عهدت إليك ما عهدت قال قلت يا أبت مررت بناس يصلون في كنيسة لهم فأعجبني ما رأيت من دينهم فوالله مازلت عندهم حتى غربت الشمس قال أي بني ليس في ذلك الدين خير دينك ودين آبائك خير منه قال قلت كلا والله إنه خير من ديننا قال فخافني فجعل في رجلي قيدا ثم حبسني في بيته قال وبعثت إلي النصارى فقلت لهم إذا قدم عليكم ركب من الشام تجار من النصارى فأخبروني بهم قال فقدم عليهم ركب من الشام تجار من النصارى قال فأخبروني بهم قال فقلت لهم إذا قضوا حوائجهم وأرادوا الرجعة إلى بلادهم فآذنوني بهم قال فلما أرادوا الرجعة إلى بلادهم أخبروني بهم فألقيت الحديد من رجلي ثم خرجت معهم حتى قدمت الشام فلما قدمتها قلت من أفضل أهل هذا الدين قالوا الأسقف في الكنيسة قال فجئته فقلت إني قد رغبت في هذا الدين وأحببت أن أكون معك أخدمك في كنيستك وأتعلم منك وأصلي معك قال فادخل فدخلت معه قال فكان رجل سوء يأمرهم بالصدقة ويرغبهم فيها فإذا جمعوا إليه منها أشياء اكتنزه لنفسه ولم يعطه المساكين حتى جمع سبع قلال من ذهب وورق قال وأبغضته بغضا شديدا لما رأيته يصنع ثم مات فاجتمعت إليه النصارى ليدفنوه فقلت لهم إن هذا كان رجل سوء يأمركم بالصدقة ويرغبكم فيها فإذا جئتموه بها اكتنزها لنفسه ولم يعط المساكين منها شيئا قالوا وما علمك بذلك قال قلت أنا أدلكم على كنزه قالوا فدلنا عليه قال فأريتهم موضعه قال فاستخرجوا منه سبع قلال مملوءة ذهبا وورقا قال فلما رأوها قالوا والله لا ندفنه أبدا فصلبوه ثم رجموه بالحجارة ثم جاءوا برجل آخر فجعلوه بمكانه قال يقول سلمان فما رأيت رجلا لا يصلي الخمس أرى أنه أفضل منه أزهد في الدنيا ولا أرغب في الآخرة ولا أدأب ليلا ونهارا منه قال فأحببته حبا لم أحبه من قبله وأقمت معه زمانا ثم حضرته الوفاة فقلت له يا فلان إني كنت معك وأحببتك حبا لم أحبه من قبلك وقد حضرك ما ترى من أمر الله فإلى من توصي بي وما تأمرني قال أي بني والله ما أعلم أحدا اليوم على ما كنت عليه لقد هلك الناس وبدلوا وتركوا أكثر ما كانوا عليه إلا رجلا بالموصل وهو فلان فهو على ما كنت عليه فالحق به قال فلما مات وغيب لحقت بصاحب الموصل فقلت له يا فلان إن فلانا أوصاني عند موته أن ألحق بك وأخبرني أنك على أمره قال فقال لي أقم عندي فأقمت عنده فوجدته خير رجل على أمر صاحبه فلم يلبث أن مات فلما حضرته الوفاة قلت له يا فلان إن فلانا أوصى بي إليك وأمرني باللحوق بك وقد حضرك من الله عز وجل ما ترى فإلى من توصي بي وما تأمرني قال أي بني والله ما أعلم رجلا على مثل ما كنا عليه إلا بنصيبين وهو فلان فالحق به وقال فلما مات وغيب لحقت بصاحب نصيبين فجئته فأخبرته بخبري وما أمرني به صاحبي قال فأقم عندي فأقمت عنده فوجدته على أمر صاحبيه فأقمت مع خير رجل فوالله ما لبث أن نزل به الموت فلما حضر قلت له يا فلان إن فلانا كان أوصى بي إلى فلان ثم أوصى بي فلان إليك فإلى من توصي بي وما تأمرني قال أي بني والله ما نعلم أحدا بقي على أمرنا آمرك أن تأتيه إلا رجلا بعمورية فإنه بمثل ما نحن عليه فإن أحببت فأته قال فإنه على أمرنا قال فلما مات وغيب لحقت بصاحب عمورية وأخبرته خبري فقال أقم عندي فأقمت مع رجل على هدي أصحابه وأمرهم قال واكتسبت حتى كان لي بقرات وغنيمة قال ثم نزل به أمر الله فلما حضر قلت له يا فلان إني كنت مع فلان فأوصى بي فلان إلى فلان وأوصى بي فلان إلى فلان ثم أوصى بي فلان إليك فإلى من توصي بي وما تأمرني قال أي بني والله ما أعلمه أصبح على ما كنا عليه أحد من الناس آمرك أن تأتيه ولكنه قد أظلك زمان نبي هو مبعوث بدين إبراهيم يخرج بأرض العرب مهاجرا إلى أرض بين حرتين بينهما نخل به علامات لا تخفى يأكل الهدية ولا يأكل الصدقة بين كتفيه خاتم النبوة فإن استطعت أن تلحق بتلك البلاد فافعل قال ثم مات وغيب فمكثت بعمورية ما شاء الله أن أمكث ثم مر بي نفر من كلب تجارا فقلت لهم تحملوني إلى أرض العرب وأعطيكم بقراتي هذه وغنيمتي هذه قالوا نعم فأعطيتهموها وحملوني حتى إذا قدموا بي وادي القرى ظلموني فباعوني من رجل من يهود عبدا فكنت عنده ورأيت النخل ورجوت أن تكون البلد الذي وصف لي صاحبي ولم يحق لي في نفسي فبينما أنا عنده قدم عليه ابن عم له من المدينة من بني قريظة فابتاعني منه فاحتملني إلى المدينة فوالله ما هو إلا أن رأيتها فعرفتها بصفة صاحبي فأقمت بها وبعث الله رسوله فأقام بمكة ما أقام لا أسمع له بذكر مع ما أنا فيه من شغل الرق ثم هاجر إلى المدينة فوالله إني لفي رأس عذق لسيدي أعمل فيه بعض العمل وسيدي جالس إذ أقبل ابن عم له حتى وقف عليه فقال فلان قاتل الله بني قيلة والله إنهم الآن لمجتمعون بقباء على رجل قدم عليهم من مكة اليوم يزعمون أنه نبي قال فلما سمعتها أخذتني العرواء حتى ظننت سأسقط على سيدي قال ونزلت عن النخلة فجعلت أقول لابن عمه ذلك ماذا تقول ماذا تقول قال فغضب سيدي فلكمني لكمة شديدة ثم قال ما لك ولهذا أقبل على عملك قال قلت لا شيء إنما أردت أن أستثبت عما قال وقد كان عندي شيء قد جمعته فلما أمسيت أخذته ثم ذهبت إلى رسول الله ﷺ وهو بقباء فدخلت عليه فقلت له إنه قد بلغني أنك رجل صالح ومعك أصحاب لك غرباء ذوو حاجة وهذا شيء كان عندي للصدقة فرأيتكم أحق به من غيركم قال فقربته إليه فقال رسول الله ﷺ لأصحابه كلوا وأمسك يده فلم يأكل قال فقلت في نفسي هذه واحدة ثم انصرفت عنه فجمعت شيئا وتحول رسول الله ﷺ إلى المدينة ثم جئت به فقلت إني رأيتك لا تأكل الصدقة وهذه هدية أكرمتك بها قال فأكل رسول الله ﷺ منها وأمر أصحابه فأكلوا معه قال فقلت في نفسي هاتان اثنتان ثم جئت رسول الله ﷺ وهو ببقيع الغرقد قال وقد تبع جنازة من أصحابه عليه شملتان له وهو جالس في أصحابه فسلمت عليه ثم استدرت أنظر إلى ظهره هل أرى الخاتم الذي وصف لي صاحبي فلما رآني رسول الله ﷺ استدرته عرف أني أستثبت في شيء وصف لي قال فألقى رداءه عن ظهره فنظرت إلى الخاتم فعرفته فانكببت عليه أقبله وأبكي فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ تحول فتحولت فقصصت عليه حديثي كما حدثتك يا ابن عباس قال فأعجب رسول الله ﷺ أن يسمع ذلك أصحابه ثم شغل سلمان الرق حتى فاته مع رسول الله ﷺ بدر وأحد قال ثم قال لي رسول الله ﷺ كاتب يا سلمان فكاتبت صاحبي على ثلاث مائة نخلة أحييها له بالفقير وبأربعين أوقية فقال رسول الله ﷺ لأصحابه أعينوا أخاكم فأعانوني بالنخل الرجل بثلاثين ودية والرجل بعشرين والرجل بخمس عشرة والرجل بعشر يعني الرجل بقدر ما عنده حتى اجتمعت لي ثلاث مائة ودية فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ اذهب يا سلمان ففقر لها فإذا فرغت فأتني أكون أنا أضعها بيدي ففقرت لها وأعانني أصحابي حتى إذا فرغت منها جئته فأخبرته فخرج رسول الله ﷺ معي إليها فجعلنا نقرب له الودي ويضعه رسول الله ﷺ بيده فوالذي نفس سلمان بيده ما ماتت منها ودية واحدة فأديت النخل وبقي علي المال فأتي رسول الله ﷺ بمثل بيضة الدجاجة من ذهب من بعض المغازي فقال ما فعل الفارسي المكاتب قال فدعيت له فقال خذ هذه فأد بها ما عليك يا سلمان فقلت وأين تقع هذه يا رسول الله مما علي قال خذها فإن الله عز وجل سيؤدي بها عنك قال فأخذتها فوزنت لهم منها والذي نفس سلمان بيده أربعين أوقية فأوفيتهم حقهم وعتقت فشهدت مع رسول الله ﷺ الخندق ثم لم يفتني معه مشهد