assalamoalaikum, i heard a story about the how Salman Al -farsi may Allah be pleased with him was freed, it is also related to the date of Ajwa the famous date of Madina. it states that when Salman told the prophet may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him about his ordeal coming to the land of Arab and was sold to the jews man, prophet(PBUH) asked the jew man to free him but the jew refused and mocked the Prophet pbuh giving him some date stones and said that i will only free him till these date stones become a date tree and bear fruit, so the prophet pbum planted the stones where he was standing and in the morning it was big tree with bearing dates on it. and that is how the jew had to stand by his word to free Salman Alfarsi. is this story authentic, where can i find it. if not is there any authentic story about the date of Ajawa? jazakallah khairan

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The story of the emancipation of Salmaan was narrated by Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad. The story mentioned that he was sold to a Jewish man but it did not mention what you stated in the question about the date stones and the challenge of the Jew to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. We have not come across any authentic evidence about this.

The story reads: “…Then the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told me (i.e. Salmaan, as he was the narrator): “Draw up a contract of manumission, O Salmaan [as he was still a slave owned by his master].” So, I obeyed and drew up a contract [with my master] for my manumission in return for three hundred small palm trees which I would plant for him and dig the holes where they would be planted, and in return for forty ounces (of silver). The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said to his Companions: “Help your brother.” So, they helped me with the small palm trees. One man brought 30 trees, another one brought 20, another 15 and another 10; each man brought what he was able to give, until they collected for me 300 small date trees. Then, the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and said to me: " Go O Salmaan and dig the proper holes for planting the small palm trees and when you have finished, come to me and I will plant them with my own hand." So, I dug the holes for them and my companions helped me to dig them. When I finished I went to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and told him. Then, he came out with me and we started to bring the trees close and he planted each one with his own hands. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Salmaan, not one single tree among them died. So I had paid off the trees but there still remained the money. A piece of gold the size of an egg was brought to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, from one of his campaigns (as a booty from the war). He said: “What happened to the Persian who had a contract of manumission?” I was summoned to him and he said: “Take this and pay off what you owe, O Salmaan.” I said: How could this pay off everything I owe, O Messenger of Allaah? He said: “Take it, and Allaah will help you to pay off what you owe.” So I took it and weighed it for them, and by the One in Whose hand is the soul of Salmaan, it was forty ounces, so I paid them their dues and I was set free. I was present with the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, at al-Khandaq, and after that I did not miss any major event with him.” [Shaykh Al-Arna’oot classified the chain of narration of this Hadeeth as Hasan (Good)].

However, we have not come across stories on Al-Ajwah dates; nonetheless, there are some authentic Ahaadeeth about its excellence which we have mentioned in Fataawa 89646 and 184143.

Allaah Knows best.