Salaam is the best gift

When the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم migrated to Madinah, he established brotherhood between the Muhājirīn and Anṣār عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ. He made the Companions Salmān Fārsi and Abū Dardā رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا brothers, and based upon this, they both developed a strong bond of love between themselves. After the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم left this this world, Sayyidunā Abū Dardā رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ went to Syria and Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ to the city of Mada’in, in Iraq.^[1]

On one occasion, Ashʿath bin Qays and Jarīr bin ʿAbdullah Bajali رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا journeyed from Syria to Iraq. They had never seen Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ before. Searching far and wide, asking from here and there, they finally encountered him in a small tent. They both gave him salaam, to which he responded. They asked, “Are you Salmān Fārsi?”

“Yes, I am Salmān”, he replied.

“The very Salmān who is a Companion of Allah’s Messenger?”

Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ replied, “I do not know if I am a Companion or not.”

Both Ashʿath and Jarīr رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا fell into doubt, “Perhaps this is not who we were looking for.”

Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then explained, “I am the one who you wish to meet. I was blessed to see the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and remain in his company. However, [in reality] a Companion is he who enters Paradise with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.”

Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ then asked, “Where did you come from?”

“We came from your brother Abū Dardā رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ in Syria.”