After Badr...

After Badr, he took active part in all the battles fought to defend Islam and the Muslims. When the Qurayshites of Mecca together with many other tribes including the Jews of Medina, besieged Medina, it was Salman who advised the Prophet to dig a moat around Medina in order to prevent the enemy from attacking the weak points of the city.

And it is for this reason that this battle is called the “ Battle of Moat (khandaq) ” .[^4] It was at this battle that a friendly argument began between the emigrants of Mecca (the muhajirun ) and the natives of Medina (the ansar ). The subject: Was Salman a muhajir or an ansar ? The ansar claimed that as Salman came to the Prophet in Medina, he belonged to the ansar group; the muhajirun claimed that as Salman had left his home and family, he was a muhajir.

This friendly dispute also shows how great had become the status of Salman within a short period of three years that every group wanted to claim him as their own. Anyhow, the dispute was referred to the highest authority - the Prophet, who decided that Salman was from neither of the two groups; he said' “ Salman minna -Salman is from us, the family [of the Prophet]. ” [^5] It was such a great honour which has continuously been mentioned in traditions and poems.

A poet says: The devotion of Salman was his pedigree, while there was no relationship between Noah and his son. The Holy Prophet had also said, “ Salman is a sea which cannot be exhausted and a treasure which never comes to end. Salman is from us, the family [of the Prophet]; he has been given wisdom, and is bestowed with reason. ” [^6] Imam 'Ali said, “ Salman was like Luqman, the Sage. ” [^7] Luqman is thought by many Muslim scholars to be a prophet.

Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq said that he was even better than Luqman.[^8] Imam Muhammad al-Baqir said that Salman was from the mutawassimin (those who know the inner character of the people).[^9] Numerous traditions say that Salman knew al-ismul a'zam (the greatest name of Allah);[^10] and that he was from the muhaddathin (those to whom the angels talk).[^11] To show the greatness of Salman, it is enough that the Prophet said, “ Faith has ten grades, and Salman is on the tenth (i.e., highest) grade, Abu Dharr on the ninth, and Miqdad on the eighth grade.