Prior to him embracing Islam he was very curious about all that he heard regarding the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. But he still harboured doubts as to believing all that came to his notice. During his extensive travels he had heard from various priests and Rabbis that a new prophet would appear in the Hijaz, that he would have a mark between his shoulders, the symbol of the seal of Prophethood, and that he accepted gifts, but not charity. So this was the opportunity Salman al-Farisi RadhiAllahu anhu had to verify if Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was who so many were pledging allegiance to.
He went to
Quba where the Prophet
SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was at the time and offered him some dates
saying: “I have heard that you are a righteous man and that you have
companions RadhiAllahu anhum with you who are strangers and are in
need. Here is something from me as sadaqah. I see that you are more
deserving of it than others.” The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam
ordered his companions RadhiAllahu anhum to eat but he himself did not
eat of them. Salman al-Farisi RadhiAllahu anhu gathered some more dates
and when the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam was leaving Quba for
Madinah he went to him and said: “I noticed that you did not eat of the
sadaqah I gave. This however is a gift for you.” Of this gift of dates,
both the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and his companions
RadhiAllahu anhum ate. Salman al-Farisi RadhiAllahu anhu knew that only
the true Prophet would act accordingly. But he still wanted the final
proof, that of the seal of Prophethood…
Dates in salam Farsi Orchid
Another opportunity to absent himself
from the date grove came some time later when he hurriedly went to Baqi
Gharqad after the burial of one of the Sahabah, knowing that the
Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam would be there. The Prophet knew
what Salman desired, so he shifted his shawl to reveal the Seal of
Prophecy, whereupon Salman kissed it and wept and immediately professed
the Shahadah, SubhanAllah! But his destiny was to return to this grove
as a slave for many years to come…
Salman the Persian RadhiAllahu anhu came to the Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam to seek his counsel and his help. His master, a Jew of the Bani Quraysah, kept him so hard at work on his property south of Madinah that he had never been able to have a close contact with the Muslim community. It had been out of the question for him to be at Badr or Uhud or take part in any of the lesser forays which the Prophet had led or sent out during the last four years. Was there no way of escape from this present situation? He had asked his master what it would cost to set him free, but the price was far beyond his means. he would have to pay forty ounces of gold and plant three hundred date palms. The Prophet told him to write his master an agreement to pay the gold and plant the trees. Then he called on his Companions to help Salman with the palms, which they did, one contributing thirty palm-shoots, another twenty, and so on, until the full number had been reached. “Go dig the holes for them Salman,” said the Prophet, “and tell me when thou hast done, and mine is the hand that shall put them in.” The Companions helped Salman to prepare the ground, and the Prophet planted each of the three hundred shoots, which all took root and thrived.
As to the remainder of the price, a piece of gold the size of a hen’s egg had been given to the Prophet from one of the mines, and he gave it to Salman, telling him to buy himself free with it. “How far will this go towards what I have to pay?” said Salman, thinking that the price had been greatly underestimated. The Prophet took the gold from him and putting it in his mouth he rolled his tongue around it. Then he gave it back to Salman, saying: “Take it, and pay them the full price with it.” Salman weighed out to them forty ounces from it, and so he became a free man.