Tarikh (al-Tabari) 694
The reports of the Jewish rabbis, Christian monks, and soothsayers and their glad tidings of the sending of the Beloved of the Most Merciful ﷺ
حَدِيثُ إسلام سالمان الفارسي إسْلَامِ سَلْمَانَ ؓ [ كَانَ سَلْمَانُ مَجُوسِيًّا، فَمَرَّ بِكَنِيسَةٍ فَتَطَلَّعَ إلَى النَّصْرَانِيَّةِ ] قَالَ ابْنُ إسْحَاقَ: وَحَدَّثَنِي عَاصِمُ بْنُ عُمْرَ بْنِ قَتَادَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، عَنْ مَحْمُودِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ، وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ مِنْ فِيهِ، قَالَ: كُنْتُ رَجُلًا فَارِسِيًّا مِنْ أَهْلِ أَصْبَهَانَ مِنْ قَرْيَةٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا جَيُّ، وَكَانَ أَبِي دِهْقَانَ قَرْيَتِهِ، وَكُنْتُ أَحَبَّ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ إلَيْهِ، لَمْ يَزَلْ بِهِ حُبُّهُ إيَّايَ حَتَّى حَبَسَنِي فِي بَيْتِهِ كَمَا تُحْبَسُ الْجَارِيَةُ، وَاجْتَهَدْتُ فِي الْمَجُوسِيَّةِ حَتَّى كُنْتُ قَطْنَ النَّارِ الَّذِي يُوقِدُهَا، لَا يَتْرُكُهَا تَخْبُو سَاعَةً. قَالَ: وَكَانَتْ لِأَبِي ضَيْعَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، فَشُغِلَ فِي بُنْيَانٍ لَهُ يَوْمًا، فَقَالَ لِي: يَا بُنَيَّ، إنِّي قَدْ شُغِلْتُ فِي بُنْيَانِي هَذَا الْيَوْمَ عَنْ ضَيْعَتِي، فَاذْهَبْ إلَيْهَا فَاطَّلَعَهَا. وَأَمَرَنِي فِيهَا بِبَعْضِ مَا يُرِيدُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: وَلَا تَحْتَبِسُ عَنِّي فَإِنَّكَ إنْ احْتَبَسْتَ عَنِّي كُنْتُ أَهَمَّ إلَيَّ مِنْ ضَيْعَتِي، وَشَغَلَتْنِي عَنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِي. قَالَ: فَخَرَجْتُ أُرِيدُ ضَيْعَتَهُ الَّتِي بَعَثَنِي إلَيْهَا، فَمَرَرْتُ بِكَنِيسَةٍ مِنْ كَنَائِسِ النَّصَارَى، فَسَمِعْتُ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ، وَكُنْتُ لَا أَدْرِي مَا أَمْرُ النَّاسِ، لِحَبْسِ أَبِي إيَّايَ فِي بَيْتِهِ، فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ أَصْوَاتَهُمْ دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْظُرُ مَا يَصْنَعُونَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُمْ أَعْجَبَتْنِي صَلَاتُهُمْ وَرَغِبْتُ فِي أَمْرِهِمْ وَقُلْتُ: هَذَا وَاَللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ الدِّينِ الَّذِي نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ، فَوَاَللَّهِ مَا بَرِحْتُهُمْ حَتَّى غَرَبَتْ الشَّمْسُ، وَتَرَكْتُ ضَيْعَةَ أَبِي فَلَمْ آتِهَا؛ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُمْ: أَيْنَ أَصْلُ هَذَا الدِّينِ ؟ قَالُوا: بِالشَّامِ. فَرَجَعْتُ إلَى أَبِي، وَقَدْ بَعَثَ فِي طَلَبِي، وَشَغَلْتُهُ عَنْ عَمَلِهِ كُلِّهِ، فَلَمَّا جِئْتُهُ قَالَ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ أَيْنَ كُنْتَ ؟ أَوَلَمْ أَكُنْ عَهِدْتُ إلَيْكَ مَا عَهِدْتُ ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا أَبَتِ، مَرَرْتُ بِأُنَاسٍ يُصَلُّونَ فِي كَنِيسَةٍ لَهُمْ، فَأَعْجَبَنِي مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ دِينِهِمْ، فَوَاَللَّهِ مَا زِلْتُ عِنْدَهُمْ حَتَّى غَرَبَتْ الشَّمْسُ؛ قَالَ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ، لَيْسَ فِي ذَلِكَ الدِّينِ خَيْرٌ، دِينُكَ وَدِينُ آبَائِكَ خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ؛ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: كَلَّا وَاَللَّهِ، إنَّهُ لَخَيْرٌ مِنْ دِينِنَا. قَالَ: فَخَافَنِي، فَجَعَلَ فِي رِجْلِي قَيْدًا، ثُمَّ حَبَسَنِي فِي بَيْتِهِ وَبَعَثْتُ إِلَى النَّصَارَى فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: إِذَا قَدِمَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَكْبٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ فَأَخْبِرُونِي بِهِمْ قَالَ: فَقَدِمَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَكْبٌ مِنَ الشَّامِ تُجَّارٌ مِنَ النَّصَارَى فَأَخْبَرُونِي بِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: إِذَا قَضَوْا حَوَائِجَهُمْ وَأَرَادُوا الرَّجْعَةَ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ فَآذِنُونِي. قَالَ: فَلَمَّا أَرَادُوا الرَّجْعَةَ إِلَى بِلَادِهِمْ أَخْبَرُونِي بِهِمْ فَأَلْقَيْتُ الْحَدِيدَ مِنْ رِجْلِي، ثُمَّ خَرَجْتُ مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى قَدِمْتُ الشَّامَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْتُهَا قُلْتُ: مَنْ أَفْضَلُ أَهْلِ هَذَا الدِّينِ عِلْمًا ؟ قَالُوا: الْأُسْقُفُّ فِي الْكَنِيسَةِ قَالَ: فَجِئْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنِّي قَدْ رَغِبْتُ فِي هَذَا الدِّينِ وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مَعَكَ وَأَخْدِمُكَ فِي كَنِيسَتِكَ وَأَتَعَلَّمُ مِنْكَ فَأُصَلِّي مَعَكَ. قَالَ: ادْخُلْ فَدَخَلْتُ مَعَهُ فَكَانَ رَجُلَ سُوءٍ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَيُرَغِّبُهُمْ فِيهَا فَإِذَا جَمَعُوا لَهُ شَيْئًا مِنْهَا كَنَزَهُ لِنَفْسِهِ، وَلَمْ يُعْطَهِ الْمَسَاكِينَ حَتَّى جَمَعَ سَبْعَ قِلَالٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، وَوَرِقٍ قَالَ: وَأَبْغَضْتُهُ بُغْضًا شَدِيدًا لِمَا رَأَيْتُهُ يَصْنَعُ ثُمَّ مَاتَ، وَاجْتَمَعَتْ لَهُ النَّصَارَى لِيَدْفِنُوهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ هَذَا كَانَ رَجُلَ سُوءٍ يَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَيُرَغِّبُكُمْ فِيهَا فَإِذَا جِئْتُمُوهُ بِهَا اكْتَنَزَهَا لِنَفْسِهِ، وَلَمْ يُعْطِ الْمَسَاكِينَ مِنْهَا شَيْئًا قَالَ: فَقَالُوا لِي: وَمَا عِلْمُكَ بِذَلِكَ ؟ قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ: أَنَا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى كَنْزِهِ قَالُوا: فَدَلَّنَا قَالَ: فَأَرَيْتُهُمْ مَوْضِعَهُ فَاسْتَخْرَجُوا سَبْعَ قِلَالٍ مَمْلُوءَةً ذَهَبًا وَوَرِقًا فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا: لَا نَدْفِنُهُ أَبَدًا قَالَ: فَصَلَبُوهُ وَرَجَمُوهُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ، وَجَاءُوا بِرَجُلٍ آخَرَ فَجَعَلُوهُ مَكَانَهُ. قَالَ: يَقُولُ سَلْمَانُ: فَمَا رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا لَا يُصَلِّي الْخَمْسَ أَرَى أَنَّهُ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ أَزْهَدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَا أَرْغَبُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ وَلَا أَدْأَبُ لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا، قَالَ: فَأَحْبَبْتُهُ حُبًّا لَمْ أُحِبَّ شَيْئًا قَبْلَهُ مِثْلَهُ. قَالَ: فَأَقَمْتُ مَعَهُ زَمَانًا، ثُمَّ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنِّي قَدْ كُنْتُ مَعَكَ وَأَحْبَبْتُكَ حُبًّا لَمْ أُحِبَّهُ شَيْئًا قَبْلَكَ، وَقَدْ حَضَرَكَ مَا تَرَى مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَإِلَى مَنْ تُوصِي بِي وَبِمَ تَأْمُرُنِي بِهِ ؟ قَالَ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ الْيَوْمَ أَحَدًا عَلَى مَا كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِ لَقَدْ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ وَبَدَّلُوا وَتَرَكُوا أَكْثَرَ مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ، إِلَّا رَجُلًا بِالْمَوْصِلِ وَهُوَ فُلَانٌ وَهُوَ عَلَى مَا كُنْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَالْحَقْ بِهِ قَالَ: فَلَمَّا مَاتَ وَغُيِّبَ، لَحِقْتُ بِصَاحِبِ الْمَوْصِلِ فَقُلْتُ: يَا فُلَانُ إِنَّ فَلَانًا أَوْصَانِي عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ أَنْ أَلْحَقَ بِكَ، وَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّكَ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ فَقَالَ لِي أَقِمْ عِنْدِي فَأَقَمْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَوَجَدْتُهُ خَيْرَ رَجُلٍ عَلَى أَمْرِ صَاحِبِهِ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ أَنْ مَاتَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا فُلَانُ إِنَّ فَلَانَا أَوْصَى بِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَمَرَنِي بِاللُّحُوقِ بِكَ وَقَدْ حَضَرَكَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ مَا تَرَى فَإِلَى مَنْ تُوصِي بِي وَبِمَ تَأْمُرُنِي ؟ قَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُ رَجُلًا عَلَى مِثْلِ مَا كُنَّا عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا رَجُلًا بِنَصِيبِينَ وَهُوَ فُلَانٌ فَالْحَقْ بِهِ فَلَمَّا مَاتَ وَغُيِّبَ، لَحِقْتُ بِصَاحِبِ نَصِيبِينَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ خَبَرِي وَمَا أَمَرَنِي بِهِ صَاحِبَايَ فَقَالَ: أَقِمْ عِنْدِي فَأَقَمْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَوَجَدْتُهُ عَلَى أَمْرِ صَاحِبَيْهِ فَأَقَمْتُ مَعَ خَيْرِ رَجُلٍ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا لَبِثَ أَنْ نَزَلَ بِهِ الْمَوْتُ فَلَمَّا حَضَرَ قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا فُلَانُ إِنَّ فُلَانًا كَانَ أَوْصَى بِي إِلَى فُلَانٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى بِي فُلَانٌ إِلَى فُلَانٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى بِي فُلَانٌ إِلَيْكَ فَإِلَى مَنْ تُوصِي بِي، وَبِمَ تَأْمُرُنِي ؟ قَالَ: يَا بُنَيَّ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُهُ بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَمْرِنَا آمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُ إِلَّا رَجُلًا بِعَمُّورِيَّةَ مِنْ أَرْضِ الرُّومِ فَإِنَّهُ عَلَى مِثْلِ مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ أَحْبَبْتَ فَائْتِهِ فَإِنَّهُ عَلَى أَمْرِنَا. فَلَمَّا مَاتَ وَغُيِّبَ لَحِقْتُ بِصَاحِبِ عَمُّورِيَّةَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ خَبَرِي فَقَالَ: أَقِمْ عِنْدِي فَأَقَمْتُ عِنْدَ خَيْرِ رَجُلٍ عَلَى هَدْيِ أَصْحَابِهِ وَأَمْرِهِمْ. قَالَ: وَاكْتَسَبْتُ حَتَّى كَانَتْ لِي بَقَرَاتٌ وَغَنِيمَةٌ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ نَزَلَ بِهِ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ فَلَمَّا حُضِرَ قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَا فُلَانُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مَعَ فُلَانٍ فَأَوْصَى بِي إِلَى فُلَانٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى بِي فُلَانٌ إِلَى فُلَانٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى بِي فُلَانٌ إِلَى فُلَانٍ، ثُمَّ أَوْصَى بِي فُلَانٌ إِلَيْكَ فَإِلَى مَنْ تُوصِي بِي وَبِمَ تَأْمُرُنِي ؟ قَالَ: أَيْ بُنَيَّ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَعْلَمُهُ أَصْبَحَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى مِثْلِ مَا كُنَّا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ النَّاسِ آمُرُكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُ، وَلَكِنَّهُ قَدْ أَظَلَّ زَمَانُ نَبِيٍّ مَبْعُوثٍ بِدِينِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَخْرُجُ بِأَرْضِ الْعَرَبِ. مُهَاجَرُهُ إِلَى أَرْضٍ بَيْنَ حَرَّتَيْنِ بَيْنَهُمَا نَخْلٌ بِهِ عَلَامَاتٌ لَا تَخْفَى; يَأْكُلُ الْهَدِيَّةَ وَلَا يَأْكُلُ الصَّدَقَةَ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهِ خَاتَمُ النُّبُوَّةِ فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَلْحَقَ بِتِلْكَ الْبِلَادِ فَافْعَلْ.
Translation
✧ The account of Salmān al-Fārisī’s Islam, ؓ. [Salmān was a Magian and passed by a church, so he looked into Christianity.] Ibn Isḥāq said: ʿĀṣim b. ʿUmar b. Qatādah al-Anṣārī reported to me, from Maḥmūd b. Labīd, from ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAbbās, who said: Salmān al-Fārisī told me, while I was listening from his mouth, saying: I was a Persian man from the people of Iṣbahān, from a village called Jayy. My father was the village chief. I was the most beloved of God’s creation to him; his love for me went on until he confined me in his house as a slave girl is confined. I exerted myself in Magianism until I became the keeper of the fire who kindled it, not letting it die down for an hour. He said: And my father had a great estate. One day he was occupied with a building of his and said to me: 'My son, I have been occupied today with this building of mine and away from my estate, so go and inspect it.' He commanded me concerning some of what he wanted, then said to me: 'Do not delay from me; if you delay from me, you will be more important to me than my estate and will distract me from everything of my affairs.' He said: So I went out intending to go to his estate to which he had sent me, and I passed by a church of the churches of the Christians. I heard their voices inside while they were praying. I did not know what the people's affair was because my father had confined me in his house. When I heard their voices, I entered upon them to see what they were doing. When I saw them, their prayer pleased me, and I desired their affair. I said: 'By God, this is better than the religion we follow.' By God, I did not leave them until the sun set, and I left my father's estate and did not come to it. Then I said to them: 'Where is the origin of this religion?' They said: 'In Syria.' I returned to my father, who had sent people in search of me and I had distracted him from all his work. When I came to him, he said: 'My son, where were you? Did I not make a covenant with you?' I said to him: 'Father, I passed by people praying in a church of theirs, and what I saw of their religion pleased me. By God, 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 than it.' I said to him: 'No, by God, it is better than our religion.' He said: So he feared me, put a shackle on my leg, and confined me in his house. I sent word to the Christians, saying: 'When a caravan from Syria comes to you, tell me about them.' He said: A caravan from Syria, Christian merchants, came to them, and they told me about them. I said to them: 'When they finish their needs and want to return to their lands, inform me.' When they wanted to return to their lands, they told me about them. I threw the iron from my leg, then went out with them until I reached Syria. When I arrived there, I asked: 'Who is the most knowledgeable of the people of this religion?' They said: 'The bishop in the church.' So I went to him and said: 'I have desired this religion and would like to be with you, serve you in your church, learn from you, and pray with you.' He said: 'Enter.' So I entered with him. But he was an evil man; he commanded them to give charity and made them desirous of it, but when they collected something of it for him, he hoarded it for himself and did not give it to the poor, until he gathered seven jars of gold and silver. He said: And I hated him with a great hatred because of what I saw him do. Then he died, and the Christians gathered to bury him. I said to them: 'This man was evil; he commanded you to give charity and made you desirous of it, but when you brought it to him, he hoarded it for himself and did not give any of it to the poor.' They said: 'What is your knowledge of that?' I said: 'I will show you his treasure.' They said: 'Show us.' So I showed them its place, and they brought out seven jars filled with gold and silver. When they saw them, they said: 'We will never bury him.' So they crucified him and stoned him with rocks, and brought another man and put him in his place. He said: Salmān said: I never saw a man who does not pray the five prayers—I think he is better than him—more ascetic in this world, more desirous of the Hereafter, nor more diligent night and day. I loved him with a love I had not loved anything before like it. He said: I stayed with him for a time. Then death came to him, and I said to him: 'I have been with you and loved you with a love I had not loved anything before you. What you see of God’s command has come to you. To whom do you entrust me, and what do you command me?' He said: 'My son, by God, I do not know today anyone upon what I was upon. The people have perished, changed, and abandoned most of what they were upon, except a man in Mosul, and he is so-and-so. He is upon what I was upon, so join him.' When he died and was buried, I joined the man of Mosul and said: 'O so-and-so, so-and-so entrusted me to you at his death and told me that you are upon his affair.' He said to me: 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with him, and I found him the best man upon the affair of his companion. It was not long before he died. When death came to him, I said to him: 'O so-and-so, so-and-so entrusted me to you and commanded me to join you. What you see of God’s command has come to you. To whom do you entrust me, and what do you command me?' He said: 'My son, by God, I do not know a man upon what we were upon except a man in Naṣībīn, and he is so-and-so, so join him.' When he died and was buried, I joined the man of Naṣībīn and told him my story and what my two companions had commanded me. He said: 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with him, and I found him upon the affair of his two companions. I stayed with the best man. By God, it was not long before death came to him. When he was dying, I said to him: 'O so-and-so, so-and-so entrusted me to so-and-so, then so-and-so entrusted me to so-and-so, then so-and-so entrusted me to you. To whom do you entrust me, and what do you command me?' He said: 'My son, by God, I do not know that anyone remains upon our affair whom I could command you to go to, except a man in ʿAmmūriyyah in the land of the Byzantines. He is upon what we are upon. If you wish, go to him, for he is upon our affair.' When he died and was buried, I joined the man of ʿAmmūriyyah and told him my story. He said: 'Stay with me.' So I stayed with the best man upon the guidance and affair of his companions. He said: And I earned until I had cows and a flock. He said: Then God’s command came to him. When he was dying, I said to him: 'O so-and-so, I was with so-and-so, and he entrusted me to so-and-so, then so-and-so entrusted me to so-and-so, then so-and-so entrusted me to so-and-so, then so-and-so entrusted me to you. To whom do you entrust me, and what do you command me?' He said: 'My son, by God, I do not know that anyone among the people has arisen upon what we were upon whom I could command you to go to. But the time of a prophet has drawn near, sent with the religion of Abraham, who will come forth in the land of the Arabs. His migration will be to a land between two lava fields, between which there are palm trees. He has signs that are not hidden: he eats the gift and does not eat charity; between his shoulders is the seal of prophethood. If you can reach those lands, then do so.'
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