Salm was the son of the distinguished Bahila general Qutayba ibn Muslim, who as governor of Khurasan conquered Transoxiana for the Umayyad Caliphate.
Salm, aided by the troops of the Qays and Mudar at his disposal, confronted the advance guard under Sufyan's son Mu'awiyah, who was killed.
Salm retained control of the city until he received news of Yazid ibn Umar's death, whereupon he abandoned it.
[5] During the Alid revolt of 762–763 he served as governor of Rayy, and was asked by al-Mansur to come to assist in suppressing the uprising.
[1] His sons, Amr, Muthanna, Sa'id, Ibrahim, and Kathir, and their offspring, continued to occupy several high offices as governors and military commanders in the early Abbasid regime.