| Abdullah ibn Salam | |
| Titles: | Theologian, Disciple of Muhammad, Servant of Peace |
| Birth Date: | c. 550 C.E. (disputed) |
| Birth Place: | Yathrib, Hejaz |
| Death Date: | 663 C.E. |
| Death Place: | Medina, Umayyad Caliphate |
| Venerated In: | Islam |
| Influences: | Moses, Muhammad, Aaron, Hebrew prophets |
| Influenced: | Commentators on the Qur'an, especially Tafsir al Qurtubi and Ibn Ishaq |
Abdallah ibn Salam (Arabic: عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ|translit=ʿAbdullāh ibn Salām|lit=[ ALLAH'S (God's) Servant ]|links=), born Al-Husayn ibn Salam, was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and was a Jew who converted to Islam. He participated in the conquest of Syria, but died in Medina.
According to Islamic narrative, Abdullah ibn Salam was a Jew in Yathrib who belonged to the Banu Qaynuqa tribe, claiming descent from Joseph.[1] He was widely respected and honored by the people of the city, including those who were not Jewish. He was known for his piety and goodness, his upright conduct, and his truthfulness.[2]
Abdullah ibn Salam lived a peaceful life but was serious, purposeful and organized in the way he spent his time. For a fixed period each day, he would worship, teach and preach in the synagogue..
Then he would spend some time in his orchard, looking after date palms, pruning and pollinating. Thereafter, to increase his understanding and knowledge of his religion, he would devote himself to the study of the Torah.
In his study, it is said he was particularly struck by some verses of the Torah which dealt with the coming of a prophet who would complete the message of previous prophets. Abdullah ibn Salam therefore took an immediate and keen interest when he heard reports of the appearance of a prophet in Mecca. He used to stop at certain passages in the Torah and ponder a long time upon the news therein of the prophet who was to appear to complete the Message of all the prophets before him. The more he read the more he became convinced that the foretold prophet was Muhammad who appeared among his people in Mecca.
In 622, Muhammad left Mecca for Medina. When he reached Medina and stopped at Quba, a man came rushing into the city, calling out to people and announcing the arrival of Muhammad. and supposedly told his aunt, who was sitting nearby: "Aunt, he is really the brother of Moses, by God, and follows his religion".[3] Tradition recounts Abdullah's early life in his own words:
Reportedly the Qur'an implicitly mentions Abdullah ibn Salam, "Say, 'Have you considered: if the Qur'an was from Allah, and you disbelieved in it while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to something similar and believed while you were arrogant?' Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people" (Qur'an, 46:10). Tafsir al-Jalalayn mentions in its exegesis of this verse that the "witness" in the verse refers to Abdullah ibn Salam.
Abdullah ibn Salam was the first Muslim that was promised Paradise while he was still alive. In a Hadith, it was reported that one day while Muhammad was sitting with the best of his companions, he said "Do you want to see a man walking on Earth and in Paradise?" Each one of the companions looked in silence towards Muhammad hoping he would mention their name. Muhammad pointed in the distance and the companions saw he was looking towards Abd Allah ibn Salam.
He died in 663.[4]
Although some Muslim sources claim that he converted immediately after Muhammad’s arrival to Medina,[5] some non-Muslim scholars give more credence to other Muslim sources that indicate 630 as the year of Ibn Salam’s conversion.[6]