Buraydah bin Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports:
"when Rasulalullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam came to Medinah, Salmaan Faarisi
Radiyallahu 'Anhu brought a tray which had fresh dates on it, and presented it
to Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, who asked:
"O Salmaan, what dates are these?"
He replied:
"This is sadaqah for you and your companions"
Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied:
"We do not eat Sadaqah. Remove it from me."
(The 'ulama differ in their opinions as to the meaning of the word "we". Some
say it is Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam himself, and the
plural is used as a mark of respect. Others explain that it is the ambiyaa
(prophets). According to some it is Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi
Wasallam and his relatives, for whom it is not permissible to accept zakaah.
According to this humble servant the third ihtimaal (supposition) is superior
and more acceptable. Allaamah Munaawi's criticism of the third explanation is
not forceful and weighty). On the next day this happened again. Salmaan
Radiyallahu 'Anhu brought a tray of fresh dates, and in reply to the question of
Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, he replied: "O messenger of Allah, it
is a present for you"
Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said to the Sahaabah Radiyallahu 'Anhum
"Help yourselves". (Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam himself
ate from it. Bayjuri explains this thus: Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu
bringing the dates on both days in this manner was to investigate, and to make
Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam his master. Sayyidina Salmaan
Radiyallahu 'Anhu was an 'Aalim (learned) of the old days. He lived for a
hundred and fifty years and according to some, he lived three hundred years. He
had seen the signs of Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam in the
kitaabs of previous prophets, that he will not accept sadaqah, but shall accept
presents and gifts, and the seal of Prophethood will be between his two
shoulders after witnessing the first two signs).
He then saw the seal of Prophethood on the back of Sayyidina Rasullullah
Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and embraced Islam. (At that time Sayyidina Salmaan
Radiyallahu 'Anhu was a slave of a Jew from the tribe of Banu Qurayzah.
Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam purchased him(this is figuratively
speaking. The fact is that Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam made him a
Mukaatab - One who buys One's freedom for any agreed sum.) and paid Dirhams for
him to become a Mukaatab, and also agreed that he(Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu
'Anhu should plant for the Jew date palms,(the amount of three hundred palms)
and until these bore fruit to tend them. Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam
planted the palms with his mubaarak hands and it was his mu'jizah(miracle) that
all the palms bore fruit in the same year. One tree among these did not bear
fruit. Upon investigating it was found that Umar Radiyallahu 'Anhu had planted
this tree, and that it was not planted by Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi
Wasallam. Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam removed this palm and
replanted it. Another mu'jizah Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam is that
he planted the palms out of season and they bore fruit the same year.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمَّارٍ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ الْخُزَاعِيُّ، قَالَ:
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، قَالَ:
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبِي بُرَيْدَةَ،
يَقُولُ: جَاءَ سَلْمَانُ الْفَارِسِيُّ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم،
حِينَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ بِمَائِدَةٍ عَلَيْهَا رُطَبٌ، فَوَضَعَهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ
رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ: يَا سَلْمَانُ مَا هَذَا؟ فَقَالَ:
صَدَقَةٌ عَلَيْكَ، وَعَلَى أَصْحَابِكَ، فَقَالَ: ارْفَعْهَا، فَإِنَّا لا
نَأْكُلُ الصَّدَقَةَ، قَالَ: فَرَفَعَهَا، فَجَاءَ الْغَدَ بِمِثْلِهِ،
فَوَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ: مَا هَذَا
يَا سَلْمَانُ؟ فَقَالَ: هَدِيَّةٌ لَكَ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه
وسلم لأَصْحَابِهِ: ابْسُطُوا ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْخَاتَمِ عَلَى ظَهْرِ رَسُولِ
اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَآمَنَ بِهِ، وَكَانَ لِلْيَهُودِ فَاشْتَرَاهُ رَسُولُ
اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، بِكَذَا وَكَذَا دِرْهَمًا عَلَى أَنْ يَغْرِسَ لَهُمْ
نَخْلا، فَيَعْمَلَ سَلْمَانُ فِيهِ، حَتَّى تُطْعِمَ، فَغَرَسَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى
الله عليه وسلم، النَّخلَ إِلا نَخْلَةً وَاحِدَةً، غَرَسَهَا عُمَرُ فَحَمَلَتِ
النَّخْلُ مِنْ عَامِهَا، وَلَمْ تَحْمِلْ نَخْلَةٌ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى
الله عليه وسلم: مَا شَأْنُ هَذِهِ النَّخْلَةِ؟ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: يَا رَسُولَ
اللهِ، أَنَا غَرَسْتُهَا، فَنَزَعَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم،
فَغَرَسَهَا فَحَمَلَتْ مِنْ عَامِهَا.