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_-_from_Zoroastrianism_to_Christianity_001.jpg) The blessed Companion of the Prophet Muhammad, may the
mercy and blessings of God be upon him, Salman al-Farisi narrates
his journey to Islam as follows:
“I was a
Persian man from the people of Isfahaan from a town
known as Jayi. My father was the town chief. To him, I was the most beloved
creature of God. His love for me reached the point to which he trusted me to
supervise the fire he lit. He would not let it
die down.
My father
owned a large area of fertile land. One day, while busy with his construction,
he told me to go to his land and fulfill some chores he desired. On my way to
his land, I came across a Christian church. I heard the sound of people
praying inside. I did not know how people lived outside, for my father kept me
confined to his house! So when I came across those people [in the church] and
I heard their voices, I went inside to watch what they were doing.”
When I saw
them, I liked their prayers and became interested in their religion. I said
[to myself], “By God, this religion is better than that of ours.” By God, I
did not leave them until sunset. I did not return to my father’s Land.
I asked [i.e.,
the people of the church]. “From where did this religion originate?”
“They said,
‘In Al-Shaam.’
I returned
to my father who had become worried and sent [someone] after me. Upon my
arrival, he said, ‘O son! Where have you been? Didn’t I entrust you with an
assignment?”
I said, “My
father, I came across some people praying in their church and I liked their
religion. By God I stayed with them until sunset.”
My father
said, “My Son! There is no good in that religion; the religion of you and your
forefathers’ is better.’ ”
“No, by God,
it is better than our religion.”
He
threatened me, chained me by my feet and kept me confined to his home. I sent
a message to the Christians requesting them to inform me of the arrival of any
Christian trade caravan coming from Al-Shaam. A trade caravan arrived and they
informed me, so I then told [the Christians] to let me know once the people of
the caravan finish their business and set off to return to their country. I
[indeed] was informed [by them] when the people of Al-Shaam finished their
business and were about to set off to their country, so I then let loose the
chains from my feet and accompanied [the caravan] until we reached Al-Shaam.
Upon my
arrival I asked, “Who is the best amongst the people of this religion [of
yours]?”
They said, “The
bishop. [He is] in the church.”
I went to
him and said, “I like this religion, and I would love to be with you and serve
you in your church, in order that I may learn from you and pray with you.”
He said,
“You may enter and stay with me,” so I joined him.
After some time, Salman
discovered something of the bishop. He was a bad man who ordered and motivated
his people to pay charity, only to keep it for himself. He did not give it to
the poor. He had heaped up seven jars of gold and silver! Salman continued:
I despised
him because of his deeds.
He [the
bishop] died. The Christians gathered to bury him. I informed them that he
was a bad man who ordered and motivated people to give him their charity only
to keep it for himself, and that he did not give any of it to the poor. They
said, “How do you know this?”
I replied, “I
can show you his treasure.”
They said, “Show
us!”
I showed
them the place [where he kept it] and they recovered from it seven jars heaped
up with gold and silver. When they saw it they said, “By God we will never
bury him.” So they crucified him and stoned him.
They
replaced their bishop. I never saw anyone [from them] who prayed better than
him [the new bishop]; nor a man more detached from this worldly life and
attached to the Hereafter, nor a person more committed to working day and night.
I loved him more than anyone else I loved before.
I stayed
with him for sometime before his death. When his death approached I told him,
“O [so and so], I stayed with you and loved you more than anything else I loved
before. Now the Decree of God [i.e., death] has come, so who do you recommend
for me [to keep to], and with what do you order me?”
The bishop
said “By God! People are in total loss; they have altered and changed [the
religion] they were upon. I do not know of anyone who is still holding to the
religion I am upon except a man in al-Musil,
so join him [and he gave me his name].”
When the man died, Salman moved
to al-Musil and met the person he recommended…
I said to
him, “[Such & such person] at the time of his death recommended me to join
you. He told me that you are holding to the same [religion] as him.” I stayed
with him and found him to be the best man holding on to the matter [religion]of
his companion.
Soon he died. When death
approached him, Salman requested of him [as he did earlier with his first
companion] to recommend another person who was upon the same religion.
The man
said, “By God! I don’t know of anyone on the same matter [religion] as ours except
a man in Naseebeen and his name
is [such and such], so go and join him.”
Following
his death, I traveled to the man of Naseebeen.” Salman found the man and
stayed with him for a while. The same incidents occurred. Death approached
and before he died, Salman came to the man and asked for his advice as to whom
and where to go. The man recommended that Salman join another man in Amuria
who was also upon the same religion.
Salman moved
to Amuria after his companion died. He found his new reference and joined him
on his religion. Salman [at that time] worked and, “earned some cows and one
sheep.”
Death approached the man of Amuria. Salman repeated his
requests, but [this time] the answer was different.
The man
said, “O son! I don’t know of anyone who is upon the same [religion] as we are.
However, a Prophet will emerge in your lifetime, and this Prophet is on the
same religion as Abraham.”
The man
described this Prophet, saying, “He will be sent with the same religion as
Abraham. He will come from the land of Arabia and will migrate to a place located
in between two lands filled with black stones [as if burned by fire]. There
are palm trees spread in the midst of these two lands. He can be recognized by
certain signs. He [will accept] and eat [from] the [food] which has been given
as a gift, but will not eat from charity. The seal of Prophethood will be
between his shoulders. If you can move to that land, then do so.”
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