Did you know? (Inspirational Islamic Stories)

Seeking the truth

This was a man of unwavering determination in his search for the truth (Salman Al-Farisi).

He had seen the efficacy of different paths. He had lived as a Magian (Zoroastrian), as a Christian, and with the Jews. He had traveled and had many experiences and teachers. 
He is favored with this knowledge, but it’s a special favor of Allah he has chosen... It is the mercy and the blessing, the nicmah, of Allah (Swt).

Salman Al-Farisi travelled from his hometown in Esafahan, Iran to Syria, Iraq and Madinah.

He was cheated, robbed, tortured and even made a slave, but he didn’t give up.  Eventually he met a Christian priest who told him of the coming of a Prophet who brought the message of Prophet Ibrahim and that he should seek him out.

Salman Al-Farisi finally met Rasulullah(S) in Quba and after ascertaining that Rasulullah(S) was indeed the Prophet that he was searching for, he hugged Rasulullah(S) and cried.
His arduous journey was finally over...

The truth he was trying to find was Islam; he finally found through the teachings of Rasulullah(S).

He was a scholar who lived a rough and ascetic life. He had one cloak that he wore and one that he slept on. He would not seek the shelter of a roof but stayed under a tree or against a wall.

- During Caliph Umar bin al-Khattab times, he was appointed over al-Madain. He became a model for the just, Muslim ruler.

His salary was five thousand Dirhams. But he divided them all among the poor.

He lived a simple life. He bought palm-leaves by a Dirham. He made baskets and sold them for three Dirhams. He spent a Dirham on his family, gave a Dirham to the poor, and saved the third Dirham to buy palm-leaves.

His clothing were simple. When the travellers and the strangers saw him, they regarded him as a poor man from al-Madain.

- One day, while Salman( RA) was walking in the market, a traveller ordered him to carry his baggage.

Salman carried the baggage and began walking after the man.

In the street, the people were greeting Salman respectfully. The traveller wondered and asked the people around him:

Who's that poor man?

They answered:

He's Salman al-Farsi, the companion of Allah's Apostle [s], and the Emir of al-Madain.

The traveller was surprised. He apologised to Salman and asked him to put down the baggage.

Salman refused that and said:

Till I see you off.

The traveller felt sorry and knew that Salman was Allah's supporter.

The Prophet (saws) said about him, 

“It was said in the revelation received by me that Paradise more impatiently desires the presence of Salman, than Salman wishes to go there. He is my intimate friend and advisor, as well as to all Muslims. Salman is one of my family.”  

As we can see from this hadith, Salman (as) is someone who was deeply valued by Rasuul-Llaah (saws). 

So what do we learn from his life?

- Salman Al-Farisi thirst for seeking the truth led him to travel great distances and to go to great lengths.

- He wasn't born a Muslim but struggled for the true religion.

- He always learned from the more knowledgeable. He didn’t think himself to be smarter than others nor did he assume he was right but instead learned from others until he found Rasulullah(S) and learned from him.

- Salman (ra), might easily have continued to live a life of ease and luxury in the sprawling Persian empire of this time. His search for truth however led him, even to suffer the indignities of slavery and to live a simple life.