[الطامعة في رضا ربها]

Slavery to Allah alone

Salman continued to tell his story to ibn 'Abbaas:

He still belonged to his master. He missed two battles fought against the pagans of Arabia. The Prophet said to him, "Make a contract [ with your master] for your freedom, O Salman." Salman obeyed and made a contract [with his master] for his freedom. He reached an agreement with his master in which he would pay him forty ounces of gold and would plant and successfully raise three hundred new plam trees. The Prophet said to his companions, "Help your brother."

They helped him with the trees and gathered for him the specified quantity. The Prophet ordered Salman to dig the proper holes to plant the saplings, and then he planted each one with his won hands. Salman said, "By Him in Whose hands is my soul [i.e., Allah], not a single tree died." Salman gave the trees to his master. The Prophet gave Salman a piece of gold that was the size of a chicken egg and said, "Take this, O Salman, and pay [i.e., your master] what you owe." Salman said," How much is this in regards to how much I owe!" The Prophet said, " Take it! Allah will [make it] equal to what you owe."19 I took it and I weighed a part of it and it was forty ounces. Salman gave the gold to his master. He fulfilled the agreement and he was released.

From then on, Salman became a close companion of the Prophet.

One of the great companions of the Prophet by the name of Abu Hurairah reported, "We were sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger when Surah al-Jumu'ah [Surah 62 ] was revealed. He recited these words,

(وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ )

"And [He (Allah has sent him (Muhammad) also to ] other (Muslims) who have not joined them (but they will come)."

[Surah al-Jumu'ah (62):3]

A person amongst them said, 'O Allah's Messenger! Who are those who have not joined us?' But Allah's Messenger mad no reply. Salman al-Farisee was amongst us. The Messenger of Allah placed his hand on Salman and then said, 'By the One in Whose Hands I my soul, even I faith were near Ath-Thurayyaa' (Plaeiades, the seven stars), men from amongst these [i.e. Salman's folk] would surely attain it.'" [Sunan at-Tirmidhi]

But They will come!

Many in this world are like Salman, searching for the truth about the True and Only One God. This story of Salman is similar to stories of people in our own time. The search of some people took them from one church to another, from church to Budhism or Passiveness, from Judaism to 'Neutrality', from religion to meditations to mental abuse. I have met and heard about some who shifted from one idea to another, but were too 'afraid' of even wanting to know something about Islam! When they met some Muslims, however, they opened their minds. The story of Salman is that of a long search. You could make your search for truth shorter by benefiting from his.

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19A miracle from Allah.