Hadith 15328

Buraydah bin Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports:
"when Rasulalullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam came to Medinah, Salmaan Faarisi Radiyallahu 'Anhu brought a tray which had fresh dates on it, and presented it to Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, who asked:"O Salmaan, what dates are these?"He replied:"This is sadaqah for you and your companions"Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam replied:"We do not eat Sadaqah. Remove it from me."(The 'ulama differ in their opinions as to the meaning of the word "we". Some say it is Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam himself, and the plural is used as a mark of respect. Others explain that it is the ambiyaa (prophets). According to some it is Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and his relatives, for whom it is not permissible to accept zakaah. According to this humble servant the third ihtimaal (supposition) is superior and more acceptable. Allaamah Munaawi's criticism of the third explanation is not forceful and weighty). On the next day this happened again. Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu brought a tray of fresh dates, and in reply to the question of Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, he replied: "O messenger of Allah, it is a present for you".Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said to the Sahaabah Radiyallahu 'Anhum "Help yourselves". (Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam himself ate from it. Bayjuri explains this thus: Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu bringing the dates on both days in this manner was to investigate, and to make Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam his master. Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu was an 'Aalim (learned) of the old days. He lived for a hundred and fifty years and according to some, he lived three hundred years. He had seen the signs of Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam in the kitaabs of previous prophets, that he will not accept sadaqah, but shall accept presents and gifts, and the seal of Prophethood will be between his two shoulders after witnessing the first two signs).He then saw the seal of Prophethood on the back of Sayyidina Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and embraced Islam. (At that time Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu was a slave of a Jew from the tribe of Banu Qurayzah.Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam purchased him(this is figuratively speaking. The fact is that Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam made him a Mukaatab - One who buys One's freedom for any agreed sum.) and paid Dirhams for him to become a Mukaatab, and also agreed that he(Sayyidina Salmaan Radiyallahu 'Anhu should plant for the Jew date palms,(the amount of three hundred palms) and until these bore fruit to tend them. Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam planted the palms with his mubaarak hands and it was his mu'jizah(miracle) that all the palms bore fruit in the same year. One tree among these did not bear fruit. Upon investigating it was found that Umar Radiyallahu 'Anhu had planted this tree, and that it was not planted by Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam. Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam removed this palm and replanted it. Another mu'jizah Rasullullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam is that he planted the palms out of season and they bore fruit the same year.