Story of the Sahaba
Abdullah ibn Salam
- "Whoever wants to look at a man who is from the people of al-jannah, let him look at Abdullah ibn Salam." Bukhari 5:157
- Abdullah ibn Salam was a rabbi from one of the Jewish tribes that lived alongside the Aws and the Khazraj.
- His name was Al-Husain ibn Salam at this time.
- He was pious and knowledgeable in the teachings of the torah.
- He knew about the coming of a prophet to Medina and he prayed to Allah to prolong his life to enable him to be alive when this prophet appeared.
- When he heard about Muhammad SAW in Makkah he enquired about him looking for all the foretld signs of prophet hood until he was sure he was te true prophet of Allah.
- He did not tell the other Jews about this.
- When Rasulullah SAW wentto Medina he went anddeclared his faith in him and in NAllah. It was then that Rasulullah SAW named him Abdullah ibn Salam.
- is entire family entered Islam, including his aunt Khalidah.
- He got Rasulullah to call the notable Jews from the tribe and ask them about himself. The Jews said "He is our master and son of our master, ur ma of knowledge and son of our man of knowledge". Rasulullah then asked "If h followed Islam, would you follow it too?". They replied "He would never follow Islam, may Allah prevent him from entering into Islam" Abdullah ibn Salam who was hiding then came out and said "O Jews, my people, fear Allah and accept what Muhammad hs brought. You surely know that he is the messenger of Allah. You find him written in your Torah by name an description. I testify that he is the messenger of Allah, I have faith in him. I believe him. I know him". The Jews then shouted "Liar, by Allah, you are the worst man of us and son of the worst man, you are ignorant and son of an ignorant man!"
- He loved the Qur’an and used to spend many hours reading it.
- He also had a grat love for Rasulullah SAW and tried to listento him, help hi and be with him as much as he could.
- Qais ibn Ubadah heard people at the mosque sying "Whoever wants to look at a man who is from the people of Jannah let him look at the man" (referring to Abdullah ibn Salam. He thenfollowed him home and ask him aboutwhy they said that. Abdullah ibn Salam then related a dream that he had where a man came and told him to stand up, then he saw a way on his left but the man said "Leave it, it is not yors". Then he looked and saw an obvious way on his right. The man told him to take that path. H took it until he reached a large beautiful garden. In the middl of the garden was an iron pillar fixed on the ground and ending in the sky. On the top of the pillar was a golden ring. the man told him to go up. but Abdullah replied that he couldnt. A servant then came and lifted him to the top.H took th ring in both hands and held onto it till he woke up. This dream was interpreted by Rasulullah SAW who said "The way y saw at your left is the way of the Sahaba of the left, the dwellers of hell.
- The way you saw at your right is the way of the Shaba of the ight, the dwelers of Jannah. The garden that attracted you, with its greenness and bloom, is Islam. The pillar, in the midst of it, is the pillar of religion. The ring is the most trustworthy handhold (al-’URWAHT AL-WUTHWA). you will keep holding it until you die.
