Talha ibn Ubaidullah

Genealogy of Talha ibn Ubaidullah

He was Talha ibn Ubaidullah ibn Uthman ibn Amr ibn Kaab ibn Saad ibn Taim ibn Murrah ibn Kaab ibn Lu'ay, a member of the Quraysh tribe, specifically the Timi branch. He was also known by the nickname "Abu Muhammad." Talha was one of the early converts to Islam, having embraced the faith upon the invitation of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him.

 Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the ten companions who promised paradise. He and Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with both of them, were referred to as "Al-Qarainan" because of their close bond formed when they both accepted Islam under the sponsorship of Nawfal ibn Khwailid. He was renowned for his generosity and benevolence, earning him titles like "Talha Al-Khair" (Talha the Good), "Talha Al-Jood" (Talha the Generous), and "Talha Al-Fayad" (Talha the Benevolent).

Family of Talha ibn Ubaidullah

Talha ibn Ubaidullah al-Taymi was from the noble tribe of Banu Taym of Quraysh. His father was Ubaidullah ibn Uthman, and his mother was al-Sa’bah bint al-Hadrami. He came from a respected family and was one of the earliest converts to Islam.

Wives

He had multiple wives and many children. His wives included:

• Hamnah bint Jahsh – Sister of Zaynab bint Jahsh (the Prophet’s wife).
  • Child: Muhammad ibn Talha
• Asma bint Abi Bakr – Daughter of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. After Talha’s death, she married Ali ibn Abi Talib.
  • Child: Talha ibn Talha
• Khawla bint al-Qaqa’ ibn Ma’bad
  • Child: Imran ibn Talha
• Juwayriya bint al-Jarud
  • Child: Isa ibn Talha

Talha had several children, both sons and daughters. Some of the notable ones include:

Sons

• Muhammad ibn Talha
• Talha ibn Talha
• Imran ibn Talha
• Isa ibn Talha

Daughters

• A’isha bint Talha – Known for her intelligence and beauty. She was married to the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan.
• Fatimah bint Talha (mentioned in some sources)

His children carried on his legacy and played important roles in the generations following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Story of the Conversion of Talha ibn Ubaydullah to Islam

Talha ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) was on a trading trip to Busra (in the Levant). When he arrived at the market of Busra, he heard a monk in his hermitage announcing the coming of a prophet from the land of Mecca. The monk asked Talha, “Has Ahmad appeared?” Talha rushed back to Mecca to verify the monk’s words. Upon his arrival, he immediately heard the news that was the talk of the town—that the prophethood had been revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

So, he went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) along with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and told him about the monk's words. He then declared his conversion to Islam, becoming one of the early Muslims. Talha was one of the ten companions who were given the glad tidings of Paradise.

Like the rest of the early Muslims, Talha ibn Ubaydullah endured persecution. His brother ‘Uthman, or some say Nawfal ibn Khuwaylid, used to tie him and Abu Bakr together with a single rope to prevent them from praying. Talha thus became a companion and supporter of Abu Bakr.

Story of Talha ibn Ubaidullah in the Battle of Uhud

Talha ibn Ubaidullah, may Allah be pleased with him, was known for his bravery. During the Battle of Uhud, he displayed remarkable valor when he defended the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Some of the idolaters attempted to strike the Prophet, peace be upon him, with their swords. Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, shielded the Prophet, peace be upon him, with his hand, to the extent that his hand became paralyzed from the impact of the blow.

According to Al-Zubair ibn Al-Awam, may Allah be pleased with him, he said, "On the day of Uhud, the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, had two shields. He tried to climb a rock but couldn't. So, Talha sat down under it, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, climbed up the rock, and I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying, 'Talha has earned Paradise.'" In this incident, Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, literally put himself in harm's way to allow the Prophet, peace be upon him, to climb the rock. The Prophet, peace be upon him, then commented, "Talha has earned Paradise," meaning he was guaranteed a place in Paradise.

Due to his exceptional courage and sacrifice on that day, Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say when the Battle of Uhud was mentioned, "All of that day was the day of Talha." It is also reported that Talha sustained over seventy wounds on that day.

Virtues of Talha ibn Ubaidullah

Talha ibn Ubaidullah, may Allah be pleased with him, held a significant position in Islamic history. He was one of the ten companions promised paradise. According to a narration by Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Abu Bakr is in paradise, Umar is in paradise, Uthman is in paradise, Ali is in paradise, Talha is in paradise, and Zubair is in paradise, Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf is in paradise, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas is in paradise, Sa'id ibn Zaid is in paradise, and Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah is in paradise."

It is also reported that Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, received 700,000 dirhams in wealth and distributed it among the Muhajirun (emigrants) and the Ansar (helpers). He retained only 1,000 dirhams for himself and his family. When a Bedouin approached him, claiming to be a relative and asked for money, Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "No one has ever asked me for this kinship before. I have a piece of land that Uthman gave me for 300,000 dirhams. It's yours if you want it, and I will pay you the price".

Talha’s Steadfastness in Jihad

Talha ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) was among those who remained steadfast and fought sincerely for the cause of Allah. One of the clearest examples of his bravery was during the Battle of Uhud, where he fought fiercely and remained firmly by the Prophet’s side, defending him with everything he had. He endured severe wounds, with 75 injuries on his body from stabs, arrows, and blows.

Both al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated a hadith from the companion Abu ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he said:

“No one remained with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during some of the hardest moments of the battle except Talha and Sa’d”.

Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) also recounted that when the fighting intensified and only a small group stayed firm, he saw a man defending the Prophet with all his might. Abu Bakr kept saying, “Be Talha! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you!” and indeed, it was Talha.

Talha had also been among the steadfast in Mecca before the migration, enduring harm from the Quraysh. Later, he migrated to Medina and took part in all the battles with the Prophet except the Battle of Badr. The Prophet had assigned him a special mission, and by the time he returned, the battle had ended. Though saddened by missing it, the Prophet comforted him by assuring that he would have the same reward as those who attended Badr, and he was also given a share of the spoils of war.

Hadiths About Talha ibn Ubaidullah

1. Talha Among the Ten Promised Paradise

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Abu Bakr is in Paradise. Umar is in Paradise. Uthman is in Paradise. Ali is in Paradise. Talha is in Paradise. Az-Zubayr is in Paradise. Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf is in Paradise. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas is in Paradise. Sa'id ibn Zayd is in Paradise. Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah is in Paradise."
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3747 – Hasan)

2. Talha's Defense of the Prophet at Uhud

Talha is most remembered for his heroism during the Battle of Uhud. It was narrated by Abu Bakr:

"On the day of Uhud, I was with the Prophet ﷺ, and when the Prophet was left alone, I saw a man fighting to protect him fiercely. I said, 'Be Talha, O Allah, be Talha!' And it was indeed Talha."
(Musnad Ahmad – authentic narration)

3. The Prophet’s Statement About Talha

The Prophet ﷺ once said about Talha:

"Whoever wants to see a martyr walking on the earth, let him look at Talha ibn Ubaidullah."
(Al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak – Sahih)

4. Hadith Reported by Talha

Talha also narrated hadiths from the Prophet ﷺ. One example:

Talha ibn Ubaidullah reported: A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from among the people of Najd with disheveled hair. The humming sound of his voice could be heard, but we couldn’t understand what he was saying, until he came closer and we knew he was asking about Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Five daily prayers..." and he mentioned the hadith of the pillars of Islam.
(Sahih al-Bukhari 46, Sahih Muslim 11)

Death of Talha ibn Ubaidullah

Talha ibn Ubaidullah, may Allah be pleased with him, met his end in the Battle of the Camel (Mawakib), where an arrow struck him in the neck. This event occurred in the year 36 AH (After Hijrah).

Talha ibn Ubaidullah, may Allah be pleased with him, was martyred in the Battle of the Camel. Marwan ibn al-Hakam shot an arrow that struck Talha, and he continued to bleed from his wound until he passed away. He was the first casualty of this battle. His death was a source of great sorrow for Ali; may Allah be pleased with him.

Location of His Grave

• City: Basra
• Country: Iraq
• Grave Site: The site is known locally as "Maqbarat Talha" (مقبرة طلحة), and is part of a historical cemetery in Basra.

The grave is visited by many Muslims who honor the memory of this great companion, especially for his bravery, piety, and role as one of the ten promised in Paradise.