That he visited Al-Hajjaj (bin Yusuf). Al-Hajjaj said, "O son of Al-Akwaʿ! You have turned on your heels (i.e., deserted Islam) by staying (in the desert) with the bedouins." Salama replied, "No, but Messenger of Allah ﷺ allowed me to stay with the bedouin in the desert." Narrated Yazid bin Abi Ubaid: When ʿUthman bin ʿAffan was killed (martyred), Salama bin Al-Akwaʿ went out to a place called Ar- Rabadha and married there and begot children, and he stayed there till a few nights before his death when he came to Medina.
أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَى الْحَجَّاجِ فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ الأَكْوَعِ! ارْتَدَدْتَ عَلَى عَقِبَيْكَ تَعَرَّبْتَ۔ قَالَ: لاَ، وَلَكِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَذِنَ لِي فِي الْبَدْوِ۔