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).
Talha ibn Ubaidullah and 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".
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.
