'They are people with high status prestige' (qasida 15:48)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the companions and beloved ones to our prophet Mohammad [PPBUH].

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Salem, Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah [AAT]

[attendant of Abi Hudhayfah]

What an excellent Qur'an carrier! One day the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] said to his companions advising them (Take Qur'an from four men: Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Salem Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah, Abi ibn Ka'b and Mu'az ibn Jabal), he meant they were the reference to Qur'an. So, who is this great companion that the Messenger [PPBUH] made him an authoritative source for teaching Qur'an and a reference for it? He is salem Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah who was a slave before. However Islam has promoted his rank until he became a son to one of the top Muslims who was one of the nobles of Quraysh before he embraced Islam and one of their leaders. When Islam annulled the habit of adoption, Salem became a brother, a companion and an attendant to he who adopted him, who is Abi-Hudhayfah ibn 'Utbah, the honorable companion. Through the grace and blessings of Allah, Salem reached a high and great rank among Muslims. He deserved that because of the virtues of his soul, his good behavior and his piety.

The honorable companion was named (Salem Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah) as he was a slave and had been liberated, he believed in Allah in an early time and had his postion among the earlier and the first Muslims. At the same time, Abi-Hudhayfah ibn 'utbah had himself harried to embrace Islam leaving his father 'utbah ibn Rabi'ah with his worries and rage that made his life miserable because of his son's Islam. His son was notable among his people and he, as his father, was preparing him to be a leader in Quraysh.

Abi-Hudhayfah adopted Salem after he had liberated him, then he was named Salem ibn Abi-Hudhayfah. They started to worship Allah together in submission and humbleness. They had so much patience and endurance for the harm and cunning of Quraysh. Once the Qur'anic verse, that annulled the habit of adoption, had been revealed. Every adopted one returned back to have the name of his real father who begot him. For example, Zaid ibn Harethah who was adopted by the Prophet [PPBUH] and was known among Muslims as Zaid the son of Muhammed, has returned to have the name of his real father Harethah and was named again Zaid ibn Harethah. However the father of Salem was not known, so he was named Salem Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah, because he freed him from slavery.  

When Islam annulled the habit of adoption, it was as if it wanted to say to Muslims, do not seek a family relation or any other kind of relationship to assure and strengthen your brotherhood better or greatest than Islam itself and the faith that surely made you brothers. The early Muslims has understood this so well that there was not any thing they love most. other than Allah, Almighty, and His Messenger [PPBUH], except for their brothers in Allah and in Islam. we have seen how Ansar [the supporters] received their brothers, Mohajerin [the emigrants]. They halved their money, their residences and all what they owned with them!

That is what happened between Abi-Hudhayfah, the noble in Quraysh and Salem who was a slave with unknown father. They remained more than two full brothers until the last moment of their lives. Even in their death, they died together, soul with soul, body beside body!! this is the uniqueness and grandeur of Islam, and that is one of the greatest merits and virtues of Islam.

Salem has believed in Allah honestly, the belief of the sincere people. He followed his path to Allah, the way of pious and righteous people. There was no longer any consideration for his lineage or his social situation. He ascended with his piety and sincerity to the highest ranks of the new society that Islam came to rectify and uplift it on the new basis of the great justice. That basis was summarized by the verse [the most Honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you]. al-Hujurat 49:13, and by many Hadith (there is no favoring for an Arab over a non-Arab except with piety) also (There is no favoring for the son of the white woman over the son of the black one except with piety) .

In this new orthodox society, Abi-Huzdhayfah found it honorable for himself to ally with who was a slave one day. He also found it honorable to his family to marry Salem to his brother's daughter Fatima bent al-Walid ibn 'Utbah. This is the new orthodox society which tore down the injustice casteism and annulled the false distinction. Salem found, because of his honesty, faith and ordeal, himself to be always in the first line.

Yes, Salem was Imam for the praying of the emigrants, who emograted from Maccah to Medina, in the Masjid of Qa'bah. He was an authoritative source in the Holy Qur'an to the extent that the Prophet [PPBUH] told Muslims to learn from him, he has had a great deal of goodness and superiority, that the Prophet [PPBUH] said (Praise be to Allah for having the likes of you in my nation). even Salem's brother believers were saying "Salem is one of the righteous people".

Salem's story is like Belal's story and like tens of stories of other slaves and poor people whom Islam has shaken the weakness and slavery off them and made them Imams and leaders in the society of the right way and guidance. Salem had all the virtues of the orthodox Islam, that were always in his behavior and all around him. His firm and honest faith was coordinating these virtues the best way. It was one of his greatest merits, that he used to declare what he regarded as the right thing. He never was silent with any word he considered be his duty to say. He never betrayed life with the silence towards something wrong that would affect it. After  the conquest of Maccah by the Muslims, the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] sent some companies to the villages and tribes around Maccah. Salem told them that the Prophet [PPBUH] sent them there as advocates not as fighters. Khalid ibn al-Walid was at the head of one of these companies, when he reached his aim, an incident happened that made him use the swords and shed the blood, When the Prophet [PPBUH]heard the news of what happened, he apologized to His Lord for a long time, saying (O, Allah I disavow to You what Khalid did). That was the same incident that the prince of believers, 'Omar ibn al-Khattab, kept remembering and blaming Khalid for it and saying "The sword of Khalid has some haste". Salem Mawla Abi-Hudhayfah and other companions were with Khalid in that company. As soon as Salem saw what Khalid has done, that he faced him and blamed him hardly. He entered in a heated debate and began to list for him the mistakes that was made. Khalid, the great leader and hero in the before and after Islam, was listening to Salem at a time, defending himself the second time and talking hard the third time. However Salem was sticking to his right opinion and declaring it with no fear or flattery.

Salem did not look at Khalid as someone from the nobility of Maccah while he himself was  a slave in the near past. As Islam made them equal. Salem did not look at Khalid as a war leader whose mistakes was to be respected, but as a partner in the responsibility and duty. He did not contradict Khalid for a specific purpose or desire, but it was the advice that Islam sacred its right, the one that he always listened to the Prophet [PPBUH] talking about it as the core the whole religion when He [PPBUH] said (The religion is the advice, the religion is the advice, the religion is the advice). When the the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] heard about what Khalid did, he [PPBUH] asked (Did anyone disapproved of what he did?) what a wonderfull and great Question! The Prophet [PPBUH] calmed down when they said to Him "Yes, Salem contradicted and blamed him".

Salem lived with The Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] and the believers, he never was absent or detained from any conquest or left out a worship. His brotherhood with Abi-Hudhayfah grew up with days to become more dedicated and cohesive. When the Messenger of Allah [PPBUH] passed away to Allah, the Caliphate of Abi-Bakr [AAH] was confronted with the conspiracies of the apostaters. Then came the day of Yamamah, and it was a frightful battle, a one that Islam was never afflicted with anyone like it before.

Muslims went to fight, and so did Salem and his brother in Islam Abi-Hudhayfah. At the beginning of the battle Muslims did not stand for the attack, then every believer felt that this battle is his own and the responsibility is his. However Khalid ibn al-Walid gathered them again and re-coordinated the army with a genius stunning way. The two brothers Adi-Hudhayfah and Salem embraced each other then they covenanted with each other to martyr for the sake of the true religion that has given them the happiness of the worldly life and the hereafter. They began to fight in the middle of the terrible battle. Abi-Hudhayfah was saying "O, people of Qur'an... adorn the Holy Qur'an with your deeds", while saying this, his sword was hitting like a storm in the army of Musailamah al-Kaddab [liar]. Salem was shouting "I will be the worse Qur'an holder, if Muslims would be attacked through me". 

No Salem, you are one of the best Qur'an holders! His sword was going back and forth through the necks of apostates who wanted to return Quraish's ignorance era back again, and to put off the light of Islam. One of the apostates' swords fell on Salem's right arm and cut it off. He was holding the flag of the Emigrants with that hand, after its first carrier, Zaid ibn al-Khattab, was killed. When he saw his right arm cut off, he picked the flag up with his left hand and waved it high, shouting with the verse [How many of the prophets fought, and with them fought large bands of godly men, but they never lost heart for what happened to them in Allah's way, nor did they weaken nor give in. And Allah Loves those who are Patient] Aal-'Imran 3:146, what a great slogan he chosed for the day of his death!

Then Salem was surrounded with a group of the apostates, and the hero fell down. However, his soul remained hesitating in his pure body until the battle was over and Musailamah al-Kaddab was killed, his army was defected, and the Muslims were victorious.

While Muslims were looking for their wounded and martyrs, they found Salem dying, and he asked them "What did Abi-Hudhayfah do? They said "He martyred". Salem said "Lie me down beside him", they said "O, Salem, He is just beside you". Then Salem smiled his last smile and never talk again. He martyred in the same place as his brother Abi-Hudhayfah!

Salem and his companion Abi-Hudhayfah [AAT] got what they were hoping for. Together they became Muslim, together they lived and together they martyred. What a wonderful and great Fate!

He went to Allah, that great believer about whom 'Omar ibn al-Khattab [AAH] said, while he was dying, "If Salem was alive I would have made him caliph after Me".

Edited by Samir Gamal

Translated by Fatima az-Zahra'

Whoever wants to read more about the great companions, can browse the companions pages in al-Ahbab site.

Editors Team