Salman Farsi (born Ruzbeh Khoshnudan; ; ) was a Persian religious scholar and one of the companions of Prophet Muhammad. As a practicing Zoroastrian, he dedicated much of his early life to studying to become a magus, after which he began travelling extensively throughout Western Asia to engage in constructive dialogue with non-Zoroastrian groups. His quests eventually led to his conversion to Islam, which occurred after he met and befriended Prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina. He was a prominent non-Arab companion and one of Prophet Muhammad's closest friends; Prophet Muhammad had once stated to a gathering of his followers that he regarded Salman as a part of his family. The Prophet Muhammad specifically said "Salman is part of my Ahlul-Bayt." In meetings with the other companions, he was often referred to by the .
Prior to the Battle of the Trench in 627, Salman suggested to Prophet Muhammad and the other early Muslims that a large trench be dug around Yathrib (citing a technique commonly used by the Sasanian army) in order to help defend against the Quraysh, who were marching from Mecca in order to besiege the city. After Prophet Muhammad's death in 632, Salman became closely associated with Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib and is claimed to have participated in the Muslim conquest of Persia, aiding the territorial expansion of the Rashidun Caliphate outside of the Arabian Peninsula.
Early life
The date and place of Salman's birth are disputed. Based on available evidence, he was likely born between 568 and 570 AD. Salman was a Persian originally named Ruzbeh Khoshnudan. His birthplace is reported as either Kazerun in Fars province or Isfahan in Isfahan province.
In a hadith, Salman also traced his ancestry to Ramhormoz. The first sixteen years of his life were dedicated to studying to become a Zoroastrian magus or priest, after which he became the guardian of a fire temple.
Conversion to Christianity from Zoroastrianism
Three years later in 587 he met a Christian group and was impressed by them. Against the wishes of his father, he left his family to join them. His family allegedly imprisoned him afterwards to prevent him but he escaped.
Career as a Sahabi
thumb|Mosque of Salman al-Farsi at the site of the [[Battle of the Trench in Medina]]
Salman came up with the idea of digging a great trench around the Medina, to defend the city against the army of 10,000 Arabian non-Muslims. Muhammad and his companions accepted Salman's plan because it was safer, and there would be a better chance that the non-Muslim army would have a larger number of casualties. other sources narrate that during the Battle of the Trench, one of Muhajirun stated "Salman is one of us, Muhajirun", but this was challenged by the Muslims of Medina (also known as the Ansar). A lively argument began between the two groups with each of them claiming Salman belonged to their group and not to the other one. Muhammad arrived on the scene and heard the argument. He was amused by the claims but soon put an end to the argument by saying: "Salman is neither Muhajir nor Ansar. He is one of us. He is one of the People of the House."
Salman participated in the conquest of the Sasanian Empire, and became the first governor of Sasanid capital Ctesiphon, after its fall at the time of the second Rashidun Caliph, Umar ibn Al-Khattab.
Salman used to cut the hair of Muhammad at the time, inspiring plates in Turkish barber shops with the verse:
:Every morning our shop opens with the basmala-,
:Hazret-i Salman-i Pak is our pir and our master.
Manuscripts
Salman is considered one of the pioneers in Shiite written works. In addition, written works have also been attributed to him. Including a work called "Khobar Jathliq al-Roumi". Of course, this work is a text that Salman only narrated and was not the author of. "Khabar Jathliq Rumi" contains the theological questions of the Roman emperor to the Caliph of the Muslims after the death of the Prophet Muhammad and Ali's answer to those questions. Ibn Babawiyah quoted three parts of it and at the end of the second and third quotations he pointed out that the full text of Salman's book is at the end of the book Prophethood has been brought. while another source says he died during Uthman's era in 35 A.H. / 655 or 656 C.E. His tomb is located in Salman Al-Farsi Mosque in Al-Mada'in, or according to some others, in Isfahan, Jerusalem or elsewhere. Salman, along with Abu Dharr, Ammar ibn Yasir, and Miqdad ibn Aswad, is considered to be the four loftiest of the Shi'a. Ali Asgher Razwy, a 20th-century Shia Twelver Islamic scholar states:
Alawism
For Alawites, Salman is part of a divine trinity alongside Muhammad and Ali, the latter of whom is seen as a manifestation of Allah.
Sufism
Salman is also well known as a prominent figure in Sufism. and Salman is honored as a prophet, and as an incarnation of the monotheistic idea.
Bahá’í Faith
In the Kitáb-i-Íqán, Bahá'u'lláh honours Salman for having been told about the coming of Muhammad:
<blockquote>As to the signs of the invisible heaven, there appeared four men who successively announced unto the people the joyful tidings of the rise of that divine Luminary. Rúz-bih, later named Salmán, was honoured by being in their service. As the end of one of these approached, he would send Rúz-bih unto the other, until the fourth who, feeling his death to be nigh, addressed Rúz-bih saying: 'O Rúz-bih! when thou hast taken up my body and buried it, go to Hijáz for there the Day-star of Muhammad will arise. Happy art thou, for thou, shalt behold His face!'</blockquote>
See also
- List of non-Arab Sahabah
References
External links
- Salmān al-Farsi