Salmân the first ḳâḍi of al-Kûfah. This Salmân ibn-Rabîʿah was the first to hold the position of ḳâḍi in al-Kûfah,[1] where he spent forty days without hearing a case. He transmitted traditions on ʿUmar ibn-al-Khaṭṭâb's authority. Says ibn-Jumânah-l-Bâhili referring to Salmân and Ḳutaibah ibn-Muslim :
"We have two tombs one at Balanjar
and another at Ṣîn-Istân [China] and what a tomb that is!
The one who lies in China has brought about conquests in all places;
and the merits of the other cause abundant rain to fall."[2]
Among the companions of Salmân at Balanjar was Ḳarẓah ibn-Kaʿb al-Anṣâri. It was he who carried the news of Salmân's death to ʿUthmân.
Ḥabîb put by ʿUthmân in charge of the frontier fortresses. Having made these conquests in Armenia, Ḥabîb reported his success to ʿUthmân ibn-ʿAffân who received his letter immediately after the news of Salmân's death. ʿUthmân was on the point of assigning Ḥabib over all Armenia; but he then deemed it best to put him in charge of the campaigns on the frontiers of Syria and Mesopotamia, because of his efficiency in doing what he intended to do. ʿUthmân conferred on Ḥudhaifah ibn-al-Yamân al-ʿAbsi the governorship of the frontier fortresses of Armenia; and the latter left for Bardhaʿah and sent his ʿâmils to the places that lay between it and Ḳâlîḳala and up to Khaizân. He then received ʿUthmân's message instructing him to depart and leave in his place Ṣilah ibn-Zufar al-ʿAbsi who was in his company. Ḥudhaifah assigned Ṣilah as his successor.
Ḥabîb returned to Syria and began his campaigns against the Greeks. He settled in Ḥimṣ, but Muʿâwiyah moved him to Damascus, where he died in the year 42, aged 35. Once
