Many years before the advent of Islam, Salman had been raised by his father to serve in the temples of Persia. As Salman grew he secretly started to challenge the validity of worshiping idols and started to search for the truth.

There were two sects of good living people who did not worship the Persian idols that interested Salman but both claimed that they followed the teachings of Jesus, however, the doctrines were distinctively different. He listened to both sects and chose not to follow the one that preached the concept of the trinity as it occurred to him that worshiping three gods instead of

One was very much akin to the pagan religions of Persia. He chose to follow the Nazarenes who taught the Creator was One and that Jesus was His prophet, not a god or His son, however, he hid his conversion from his father. Salman had many experiences in his search for the truth, and served several bishops.

The first bishop was, however, corrupt who took from the poor and used the proceeds to satisfy his lusts, so he abandoned him in search of one more pious. He found a pious Nazarene bishop to teach him and served him for many years until his death. When he died Salman sought to serve another Nazarene bishop and was blessed to find one who was more knowledgeable and pious than the last.

Bishops of 1400 Years Ago

The bishop spoke to him many times about a special prophecy of Jesus. Salman was taught that it was written in the Holy Scriptures that Prophet Jesus had foretold the coming of a new prophet who would be sent after him, and that he would appear in Arabia and went on to described the location of his appearance.

As death approached the bishop, Salman asked if he knew of another bishop to guide him but the Nazarene bishop said he knew of none, however, he advised him to go in search of the city he described in Arabia.

Bishops of Today

It seems strange that the bishops of 1400 years ago awaited the coming of Prophet Muhammad (sa). They knew his signs and even his birth-place, yet after his coming and their rejection they abandoned this prophecy so that they neither await the coming of the last Prophet of Allah (sa) nor even speak of it.

Salman Arrival in Medina

It was shortly after the death of the bishop that Salman's father learned of his son's conversion, in a burst of rage he had his son bound with rope so that he could not leave the house. Salman was a strong young man, and one day as he sat bound in his room news arrived that an Arab caravan was about to return to Arabia.

It was the opportunity he had been waiting for so he summoned all his strength, broke loose from the ropes that bound him and went to them. When Salman met the leader of the caravan he offered him a herd of camels and all his wealth if he would take him with them, the deal was struck and so shortly thereafter he left with them.

Just before the caravan reached Yathrib, as Medina was then called, the Arabs took not only Salman's camels and wealth but sold him into slavery to a Jew from the tribe of Krayzah. Salman was very disheartened by the turn of events until the Prophet's arrival in Medina.

It was then that he was able to recognize that his circumstances had not been a misfortune, as he had previously thought, but a very great blessing of Allah to him, for he had unknowingly, and certainly not through his own planning, arrived at the place the bishop described to him and so it was that Salman converted to Islam.

Salman did his best to follow the ways of Islam but it was difficult and it grieved him when he was unable to take part in the encounters of Badr and Uhud, but as he was a slave he had no choice but to remain behind. Salman seldom had a chance to meet his fellow Muslims as his owner made him work long hours in the fields and groves.

He longed to be free and join his brethren and so one day he decided to go to his owner and asked how much he would need to buy himself out of his bondage. His owner demanded a very high price for his release -- no less than forty ounces of gold as well as three hundred planted date palms -- and he became very disheartened. One day, Salman was blessed to meet the Prophet (sa) and told him of his predicament.

The Prophet (sa), who was deeply touched by Salman’s story, told Salman to write his owner an agreement, saying that he would pay the amount required in full. When the Prophet (sa) told his companions about Salman and asked them to donate as many date palms as they could, the companions responded generously. Some gave as many as thirty young palm tress, others twenty and so on until the required number was satisfied.

The Humility of the Prophet (sa) Who Labored to Secure the Release of His Follower

Now that the palms had been gathered, the Prophet (sa) told Salman to go and prepare the land in readiness to plant the young trees and that once he had finished he would plant the trees himself. The companions joined Salman in the preparation of the ground and together they dug the holes.

When all was finished they told the Prophet (sa) so he returned with them to the grove and planted all but one of the trees. All the saplings flourished except for the one that had not been planted by him whereupon another sapling was planted. Prophet Muhammad (sa) had been given a nugget of gold -- about the size of a hen's egg -- and without a second thought gave it to Salman telling him to buy his freedom with it.

Salman was concerned that the weight of the nugget would be insufficient and asked how much more gold would be necessary to complete the agreement. The Prophet (sa) supplicated to Allah, then took the nugget, put it in his mouth, rolled his tongue around it, then gave it back to Salman saying: "Take it, and pay the full price with it." When the nugget was weighed, it weighed exactly forty ounces and Salman was released from captivity.