Salāma
Definition
Salama — spiritual safety or soundness — is al-Ghazali's primary criterion for deciding between seclusion and engagement. The fundamental question for each person is: which option better protects and develops the soundness of my faith and character? For many people in many circumstances, seclusion is salama — it protects the fragile plant of faith from the storms of social life. For others, engagement is salama — their character is strong enough to withstand the friction of community, and the virtues that engagement demands would wither without exercise. The person who applies this criterion honestly to their own situation will find their answer, and al-Ghazali trusts the reader to make that application.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Salāma.
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"their son Salama in her lap and set off. However, the men of Banu al-Mughirah stopped them, taking her away and seizing the camel. The sons of Abd al-Assad, Abu Salama's clan, were angered and took the child Salama from her resulting in his arm being dislocated. Abu Salama continued to Medina leaving Umm Salama separated from her husband and child. Every morning she would sit in Al-Abtah weeping until evening for nearly a year. Eventually a relative from Banu al-Mughirah took pity on her and persuaded the men to release her. They allowed her to join her husband and the sons of Abd al-Assad"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr
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"awaiting permission from his Lord to leave. The first to migrate to Al-Medina from the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was Abu Salama Abdullah Ibn Abd al-Assad from the Muhajirun of Quraysh. His migration occurred a year before the pledge of Al-Aqaba after facing harm from Quraysh upon his return from Abyssinia. He resolved to return to Al-Medina knowing he had brothers there. Ibn Ishaq narrated from Umm Salama who recounted her journey to Medina. When her husband Abu Salama decided to leave for Medina, he prepared their camel, placed her on it with their son Salama in her lap and set off. However, the men of Banu al-Mughirah stopped them, taking"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 3 — The Sīrah: From the First Revelation to Badr
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"to fast and he did not fast a complete month since he arrived in Medina except for Ramadan. Muhammad ibn Bashar narrated from Umm Salama who said, I did not see the Prophet, peace be upon him, fasting two consecutive months except for Shaban and Ramadan. It is noted that this hadith has been narrated by others from Aisha may Allah be pleased with her about the Prophet, peace be upon him. It is possible that Abu Salama Ibn Abdul Rahman narrated this hadith from both Aisha and Umm Salama. Hanad narrated from Aisha who said, I did not see the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, fasting in a month more than he fasted for Allah and"
— Imam al-Tirmidhi, Al-Shamā'il al-Muhammadiyya — The Sublime Beauty of the Prophet ﷺ
Appears in
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