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Saalim lived with his Messenger (PBUH) and the believers. He did not stay behind from any battle,
nor refrain from performing any worship, and his brotherliness with Abu Hudhaifah increased daily with
mutual self-sacrifice and solidarity.
The Messsenger (PBUH) passed away to the Most Exalted Guardian and the caliphate Abu Bakr
was confronted with the conspiracies of the apostates. Then the Day of Al-Yamaamah came and it was a
terrible war. Islam had not gone through anything like it. The Muslims went out to fight and Saalim and
his brother Abu Hudhaifah went out to fight in the cause of Allah. At the start of the battle, the Muslims
did not withstand the attack. However, each believer there felt that the battle was his own and the
responsibility was his own. Khaalid lbn Al-Waliid gathered them together again and reorganized the
army with astonishing skill and genius.
The brothers Abu Hudhaifah and Saalim embraced and pledged martyrdom in the cause of the
religion of truth which gave them the happiness of this world and the next. They threw themselves into
the vast, terrible sea of battle. Abu Hudhaifah was calling, "`O people of the Qur'aan, decorate the
Qur'aan with your actions," and his sword was like a violent hurricane in the army of Musailamah the
Liar. And Saalim was shouting, `What a bad carrier of the Qur'aan I would be if the Muslims were
attacked through me.
Drive into a trap, O Saalim, but yes, you are our best carrier of the Qur`aan.
And Saalim's sword was forceful on the necks of the apostates who embarked upon celebrating the
jaahiliyah of the Quraish and extinguishing the light of Islam. The swords of apostasy fell upon his right
hand and cut it off, while he was carrying with it the standard of the Muhaajiruun after its bearer, Zaid
Ibn Al-Khattaab, had fallen. When his right hand was cut off, he picked up the standard with his left and
kept on waving it high while shouting the following noble Qur'aanic verses: "And how many of the
Prophets have fought, and with them large troops of godly people? But they never lost heart when
adversity befell them in GOD's cause, nor did they weaken, nor did they fail. And GOD loves those who
show fortitude" (3:146).
Is not that the most magnificent slogan? That is the one he chose on the day of death.
A group of apostates circled around him, so the hero fell, but his spirit kept on repeating in his
purified body, until the battle ended with the killing of Musailamah the Liar, the defeat of his army, and
the triumph of the Muslim army.
When the Muslims were examining their sacrificed and martyrs, they found Saalim in the last agony
of death. He asked them, "What has Abu Hudhaifah done?" They said, "`He died a martyr." He said,
"Lay me next to him." They said, "He is next to you, O Saalim." He had died a martyr in the same place.
He smiled his last smile and did not speak again. He and his companion had realized what they
desired. Together they had become Muslims. Together they had lived and together they had died as
martyrs.
Oh, the magnificence of fortune and beauty of destiny! And he went to Allah, that great believer
about whom `Umar lbn Al Khattaab said while he was dying, "If Saalim were alive, I would have given
him the command after me".