By Sh. Said Rageah

Talhah (RA)  was the man who learnt about Prophet (SAW) in Sham during his business when a man came to him and asked, “Are you from the Holy City?” He (RA) said, “Yes!” Then the man continued, “Did the Prophet come to you yet?” Talhah (RA) said, “I don’t what are you talking about a Prophet?” The man said, “Yes! The man would come from that city and based on the books and scriptures that man is almost here. If you learn about, make sure that you are the first of the Believers.” Talhah (RA) abandoned his business, left the city and went to Makkah. When he reached there, he made Tawaf and asked, “Is there anything new in this city?” The people said, “No, except that a man from Bani Hashim claims to be a Prophet.” He (RA) said, “Did anyone believe in him?” They said, “Abu Bakr!” Talhah (RA) replied, “Abu Bakr and Muhammad (SAW) will not agree on something except that is the truth.” So he went to Abu Bakr (RA) and said, “O’ Abu Bakr, what is the story behind your companion?” Abu Bakr (RA) said, “He is the Messenger of Allah, make sure you believe in him!” Talhah (RA) did not hesitate and went to Prophet (SAW) and he gave him pledge and accepted Islam.

 Talhah (RA) did not witness the Battle of Badr because the Prophet (SAW) sent him and Sa’id bin Zayd (RA) to take care of business outside the city of Madinah. And when he came back, Talhah (RA) felt so bad that he missed the first Battle. He (RA) said, “O’ Messenger of Allah, I was absent the first time you encountered the mushrikin.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “Don’t feel remorse, you will be one of those who have the booty of the Battle of Badr.” He said, “I am not concerned about the booty, I wanted the reward of Badr!” Then the Prophet (SAW) said, “You also receive the reward of Badr.”

In the Battle of Uhud, ‘AbduLlah bin Ubayy as Salool the head of the munafiqoon when he reached outside Madinah, he said, “We have a covenant with Muhammad in Madinah and since we are out of Madinah we don’t have it any longer.” He took with him 300 men from the Muslim army and returned to Madinah. This act resulted in a great distress amongst the Sahabah (RA). Some lost hope of winning the battle due to lack of men in the army. ‘AbduLlah ibn Haram (RA) came to ‘AbduLlah bin Ubayy and the rest of the munafiqeen and said, “Come back and fight and if you don’t want to fight then at least defend!” They refused and left. Before the battle started, Prophet (SAW) looked around and saw that the Sahabah (RA) were ready to fight. So, Prophet (SAW) raised his sword and said, “Who will take this sword?” All the Sahabah (RA) stood up to take the sword, to take up the honour of fighting with Prophet (SAW)’s sword. But a man who was not famously known in the history of Islam, the Sahabi Abu Dujanah (RA) who put up his red bandana and asked Prophet (SAW), “O’ Messenger of Allah, what is the Haqq of the sword?” Prophet (SAW) said, “You bring it back bent on the heads of kuffar!” He said, “I will take the sword!” And then he went away from Prophet (SAW). But there was a man who was standing near Prophet (SAW), not leaving he was Talhah bin ‘UbaydiLlah (RA). When the situation became difficult and hard, only 7 were standing of the Sahabah (RA) were standing next to Prophet (SAW), Talhah bin ‘UbaydiLlah and Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas (RA) and the rest were the Ansar. When the kuffar saw that Prophet (SAW) was alone they rushed up with large number of men to attack Prophet (SAW). Seeing this Prophet (SAW) told his companions (RA), “Who is going to take care of them and become my companion in Jannah?” Talhah (RA) said, “Me!” Prophet (SAW) said, “No, not you Talhah!” An Ansari agreed to fight and he fought till he was martyred. Second time Prophet (SAW) said, “Who is going to take care of them and become my companion in Jannah?” Once again Talhah (RA) said, “Me!” Prophet (SAW) said, “No, not you Talhah!” 5 Ansari companions (RA) passed away protecting Prophet (SAW) and each time Prophet (SAW) would ask, “Who is going to take care of them and become my companion in Jannah?” Talhah (RA) would say, “Me!” But Prophet (SAW) used to say, “No, not you Talhah!” At the end, Prophet (SAW) “Who is going to take care of them and become my companion in Jannah?” Talhah (RA) said, “Me!” Prophet (SAW) said, “Yes Talhah!”

 Talhah (RA) had no concern other than to defend Prophet (SAW). Talhah (RA) lost all his fingers protecting Prophet (SAW). In one narration it is mentioned that Talhah (RA) said, “Is it only that what I lose?” Prophet (SAW) said, “AlhamduLilah, the Angel will raise whilst people will be witnessing the battle.” Talhah (RA) was carrying with one of his hand the injured Prophet (SAW) and with the other, he was defending Prophet (SAW) until he was hit on every single part of his body. Talhah (RA) would carry the Prophet (SAW) to safety and then chase the kuffar away and then carry the Prophet (SAW) to safety and then chase the kuffar away until he was no longer able to move. Prophet (SAW) said to Abu Bakr and ‘UbaydiLlah (RA) “Help your companion, Jannah has become Wajib for him!”

 Prophet (SAW), when he was standing on a high point, the rock underneath him shook said, “Calm down, for upon you is a Prophet, Siddiq and Shaheed!” That day Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, az-Zubayr and Talhah (RadiyAllahu anhum) 20 years after the death of Prophet (SAW), he was killed Shaheed.