A Bearer of the Qur’an
Salim was the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfa ibn Utba, and so excellent a reciter that the emigrants would have him lead their prayers. Aisha relates that the Prophet ﷺ once rose in the night to listen to his recitation and praised Allah for placing such men in his Ummah. 1 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 3 · pp. 139 — Kandhlawi — the Prophet rises to listen to Salim's night recitation and praises Allah.
Martyr of Yamamah
At the Battle of Yamamah, when Zayd ibn al-Khattab fell, Salim took up the banner of the Muhajirun. Warned the enemy might strike from his side, he answered that he would be a poor bearer of the Qur’an if they did; he dug in to keep himself from retreating and fought on, holding the standard, until he was martyred. 2 Hayatus Sahaba · Vol 1 · pp. 516–518 — Kandhlawi — Salim takes the banner after Zayd ibn al-Khattab and fights to martyrdom at Yamamah.
Virtues in the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ named him among the four from whom the Qur’an should be learned:
خُذُوا الْقُرْآنَ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةٍ … وَسَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي حُذَيْفَةَ
”Learn the Qur’an from four… and Salim, the freedman of Abu Hudhayfa.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3808 · Book 63 (Merits of the Ansar), Hadith 33 · USC-MSA: Vol. 5, Book 58, Hadith 153 · narrated by Masruq from Abdullah ibn Amr
Life Timeline
Freed by Abu Hudhayfa
A bearer of the Qur'an.
Leads the emigrants in prayer for his recitation
Martyred at Yamamah
Holding the Muhajirun's banner against Musaylama.
References
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — Salim takes the banner after Zayd ibn al-Khattab; his martyrdom at Yamamah Vol 1 · pp. 516–518
- Hayatus Sahaba — Kandhlawi — the Prophet ﷺ rises to listen to Salim's recitation and praises Allah Vol 3 · pp. 139
- Sahih al-Bukhari — 'Learn the Qur'an from four' — Salim mawla Abi Hudhayfa named among them pp. 3808 (Book 63, Hadith 33)