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Companions had taken before the Prophet of Allah was that they must not let the world possess them and
that they should take nothing from it but the provision of the traveler in his bag.
Salmaan had kept the oath, yet still his tears ran when he saw his soul preparing for departure,
fearing that he had gone beyond the limits. There was nothing around him except a vessel to eat in and a
water-pot and yet still he considered himself lavish! Did I not tell you that he was the nearest in
resemblance to `Umar? During the days of his rule over the Madiinah area, he never changed his way.
He had refused, as we have seen, to receive his salary as a ruler, but went on making baskets to earn his
living. His dress was no more than a gown, resembling his old clothes in simplicity.
One day while on the road, he met a man arriving from Syria, carrying a load of figs and dates. The
load was too heavy for him and made him weary. No sooner did the Syrian see the man in front of him,
who appeared to be one of the common people and poor than he thought of putting the load on his
shoulders and when he reached his destination he would give him something for his labor. So he
beckoned to the man (Salmaan, the governor), and he came up to him.
The Syrian said to him, "Relieve me of this load." He carried it, and they walked together.
While on their way, they met a group of people. He greeted them and they stood up in obeisance,
replying, "And unto the governor be peace!" "Who is the governor?" The Syrian asked himself. His
surprise increased when he saw some of them rushing towards Salmaan to take the load off his shoulders.
"Let us carry it, O governor". When the Syrian knew that he was the governor of Al Madiinah, he was
astonished. Words of apology and regret fell from his lips, and he went forward to grab the load. But
Salmaan shook his head in refusal, saying, "No, not until I take you to your destination."
He was asked one day, "What troubles you in the leadership?" He replied, "The pleasure of
nurturing it and the bitterness of meaning!"
A friend of his came to him one day at his house and found him kneading dough. He asked him,
"Where is your servant? "He replied, We have sent her on an errand and we hate to charge her with two
duties."
When we say "his house" let us remember what kind of house it was. When Salmaan thought of
building it, he asked the mason, "How are you going to build it?" The mason was courteous and yet
witty. He knew the piety and devotion of Salmaan, so he replied to him saying "Fear not. It is a house
for you to protect yourself against the heat of the sun and dwell in the cold weather. When you stand
erect in it, it touches your head." Salmaan said to him, "Yes, that is it, so go on and build it."
There was nothing of the goods of this world which could attract Salmaan for a moment, nor did
they leave any traces in his heart except one thing, which he was particularly mindful of and had
entrusted to his wife, requesting her to keep it far away in a safe place. In his last sickness, and in the
morning on which he gave up his soul, he called her, "Bring me the trust which I left in safe keeping!"
She brought it and behold, it was a bottle of musk. He had gained it on the day of liberating the city of
Jalwalaa' and kept it to be his perfume on the day of his death. Then he called for a pot of water,
sprinkled the musk into it, stirred it with his hand and then said to his wife, "Sprinkle it on me, for there
will now come to me creatures from the creatures of Allah. They do not eat food and what they like is
perfume."
Having done so he said to her, "Shut the door and go down." She did what he bade her to do. After a
while she went up to him and saw his blessed soul had departed his body his frame. It was gone to the
Supreme Master, and it ascended with the desire to meet Him as he had an appointment there with the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his two Companions Abu Bakr and `Umar and the noble circle of
martyrs!
Long had the burning desire stirred Salmaan. The time had come for him to rest in peace.