Talha b. 'Ubayd Allah: Difference between revisions

Abu Muhammad Talha b. 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Uthman b. 'Amr b. Ka'b b. Sa'd b. Taym b. Murra b. Ka'b b. Lu'ayy b. Ghalib al-Qurashi al-Taymi was from the Banu Taym tribe and was born 10 years before the [[Prophet]]'s (s) [[bi'that]] (600-1). His mother Su'ba bt. Hadrami was alive in the period of the Prophet (s), and according to some relatives of Talha, she died a Muslim.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 10, p. 129.</ref>

# Also two of his bind-women, Su'ba and Maryam, gave birth to children.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 1, p. 88, 244; vol. 10, p. 117, 130; Ibn Saʿd, ‘’al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā’’, vol. 3, p. 160-161.</ref>

Talha b. Ubayd Allah was persuaded by [[Abu Bakr]] to convert to Islam.<ref>Ibn Hishām, ‘’al-Sīra al-nabawīyya’’, vol. 1, p. 251-252; Ibn Athīr, ‘’Usd al-ghāba’’, vol. 2, p. 468.</ref> According to a different account, Talha was on his way to [[Syria]] when a monk gave him the news of the imminent emergence of a prophet called Ahmad, son of [[Abd al-Muttalib]]. When Talha returned to [[Mecca]], he and Abu Bakr converted to Islam.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 10, p. 115; Ibn Kathīr, ‘’al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya’’, vol. 3, p. 29.</ref>

Talha and Abu Bakr were usually tormented in the early days of Islam by Nawfal b. Khuwaylid b. 'Adawiyya or 'Uthman b. 'Ubayd Allah (Talha's brother). Nawfal (or 'Uthman) tied Abu Bakr and Talha to a tree in order to prevent them from saying their [[prayers]].<ref>Ibn Hishām, ‘’al-Sīra al-nabawīyya’’, vol. 1, p. 282; Ibn Athīr, ‘’Usd al-ghāba’’, vol. 2, p. 468.</ref>

Talha was among those [[Muhajirun]] who moved to [[Medina]] with their families before the migration of the [[Prophet (s)]].<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 1, p. 269; Maqrizī, ‘’Imtāʿ al-asmāʾ’’, vol. 1, p. 68-69.</ref> He resided in the house of Habib b. Asaf from Banu Harath b. Khazraj.<ref>Ibn Hishām, ‘’al-Sīra al-nabawīyya’’, vol. 1, p. 477.</ref> On one account, Talha brought two white clothes for the Prophet (s) and Abu Bakr from Syria, which they wore before they entered Medina.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 10, p. 61.</ref>

When they were in Mecca, the Prophet (s) made a [[Pact of brotherhood]] between Talha and [[al-Zubayr b. Awwam]]<ref>Ibn Hishām, ‘’al-Sīra al-nabawīyya’’, vol. 2, p. 561.</ref> or [[Sa'id b. Zayd]]<ref>Baghdādī, al-Muḥabbar’’, p. 71.</ref> or [[Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas]],<ref>Ibn Qutayba, ‘’al-Maʿārif’’, p. 228.</ref> and when they migrated to Medina, the Prophet (s) made another pact of brotherhood between Talha and [[Ka'b b. Malik]]<ref>Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ‘’al-Istīʿāb’’, vol. 2, p. 764.</ref> or [[Abu Ayyub al-Ansari]]<ref>Ibn Athīr, ‘’Usd al-ghāba’’, vol. 2, p. 468.</ref> or [[Ubayy b. Ka'b]].<ref>Baghdādī, al-Muḥabbar’’, p. 73; Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 1, p. 271.</ref>

: I asked the Prophet how we should salute him. He replied: "say 'O' God, salute Muhammad and his household, as you saluted [[Ibrahim (a)]]; you are praised and exalted, and bless Muhammad and his household as you blessed the household of Ibrahim; you are praised and exalted'".<ref>Maqrizī, ‘’Imtāʿ al-asmāʾ’’, vol. 11, p. 33.</ref>

People, such as his sons, Yahya, Musa and Isa, as well as Qays b. Abu Hazim, [[Ahnaf b. Qays]], Sa'ib b. Yazid, Abu 'Uthman al-Nahdi and [[Abu Salama b. Abd al-Rahman]], narrated hadiths from him.<ref>Dhahabī, ‘’Tārīkh al-Islām’’, vol. 3, p. 523.</ref>

Talha was not in Medina when the [[Battle of Badr]] occurred, since the [[Prophet (s)]] had sent him and [[Sa'id b. Zayd]] to [[Syria]] in order to get some information, and when he returned from Syria, the Muslims had already returned from Badr. When Talha returned from his travel to Syria, he went to the Prophet (s) and asked him for his share of booties from the battle, and the Prophet (s) gave him a share.<ref>Masʿūdī, ‘’al-Tanbīh wa l-ishrāf’’, p. 205; Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr, ‘’al-Istīʿāb’’, vol. 2, p. 764-765.</ref>

However, Talha did attend the [[Battle of Uhud]], and on some accounts, he exhibited his brevity. He was injured in the battle that led to the paralysis of some of his fingers.<ref>Maqrizī, ‘’Imtāʿ al-asmāʾ’’, vol. 1, p. 156-157.</ref>

After the defeat of Muslims near the end of the battle and the spread of rumors about the Prophet (s) being killed, Talha and some people from [[Muhajirun]] and [[Ansar]], including [[Umar b. al-Khattab]], quit fighting.<ref>Ṭabarī, ‘’Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk’’, vol. 2, p. 517.</ref> However, there are other accounts on which Talha was among the few people who remained steadfast alongside the Prophet (s) after the attack of the [[Quraysh]] in the middle of the battle (when many Muslims ran away).<ref>Ziriklī, ‘’al-Aʿlām’’, vol. 3, p. 229.</ref>

Before the [[Battle of Tabuk]], Talha was appointed as the commander of a [[sariyya]] (military expedition) in order to disperse hypocrites ([[munafiq]]s) who had assembled in the house of Suwaylim, the Jewish.<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ‘’al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya’’, vol. 2, p. 517; Ibn Hishām, ‘’al-Sīra al-nabawīyya’’, vol. 5, p. 3.</ref>

Talha said something offensive about the Prophet (s)'s wives that upset the Prophet (s), about which a Quranic verse was revealed. He said: if the Prophet (s) dies, I will marry his wife, [[Aisha]]. Thus the following verse was revealed:<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 10, p. 123; Ibn Kathīr, ‘’Tafsīr al-Qurʾān’’, vol. 6, p. 445.</ref>

Talha b. Ubayd Allah was one of the first people who joined the First [[Caliph]], [[Abu Bakr]], in the battle against the apostates.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Futūḥ al-buldān’’, p. 100; Maqdisī, ‘’al-Bidaʾ wa l-tārīkh’’, vol. 5, p. 157.</ref> And when Abu Bakr died, Talha, [['Umar b. al-Khattab]], [['Uthman b. 'Affan]] and [['Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr]] entered Abu Bakr's grave before he was buried in it; they buried him beside the [[Prophet (s)]]'s grave.<ref>Balādhurī, ‘’Jumal min ansāb al-ashrāf’’, vol. 10, p. 95.</ref>

In some cases, Talha reproached Abu Bakr for his giving too much role to Umar b. al-Khattb in his administration<ref>Ṭabarī, ‘’Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk’’, vol. 3, p. 275.</ref> and he was among those who objected to Abu Bakr when he announced 'Umar b. al-Khattab as his successor.<ref>Ṭabarī, ‘’Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk’’, vol. 3, p. 433.</ref>

Talha attended some Islamic conquests, including the [[Conquest of Iran]] alongside [['Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf]] and [[al-Zubayr b. 'Awwam]] during the [[caliphate]] of Umar b. al-Khattab.<ref>Ṭabarī, ‘’Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk’’, vol. 3, p. 481-488.</ref> He also advised Umar in some of his conquests.<ref>Ibn Aʿtham al-Kūfī, ‘’al-Futūḥ’’, vol. 2, p. 292.</ref>

Along with [[Imam 'Ali (a)]], [['Uthman b. 'Affan]], [[al-Zubayr b. 'Awwam]], [['Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf]], and [[Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas]], Talha was appointed in the [[Six-Member Council]] for the election of the Third Caliph. On some accounts, he was then outside of [[Medina]], but when he returned, he voted for 'Uthman. It is said that he returned to Medina when 'Umar died and he pledged his allegiance with Uthman.

===Complicity in 'Uthman's murder===

Talha was one of the protestors who sieged 'Uthman's house in [[35]]/655 and locked out water supplies to the house. When [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] learned that water supplies were blocked, he got upset; he talked to the protestors and then they allowed some waterskins to be taken to 'Uthman's house. During the siege, Talha undertook the leadership of [[congregational prayers]] in [[Medina]].

According to a report by Ibn A'tham, Talha and a man from Banu Taym sieged 'Uthman's house. 'Uthman asked Imam 'Ali (a) for help. After Imam 'Ali (a)'s intervention, Talha and his friends withdrew the siege. However, he was accused of complicity in the murder of the Third Caliph.

Talha was the first person who pledged allegiance to [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] after the murder of 'Uthman, and since his hand was paralyzed, a man from [[Banu Asad]] said that his allegiance is ominous. Soon Talha breached his allegiance, departing to [[Basra]] in order to form an army against Imam 'Ali (a) with the help of [[al-Zubayr b. 'Awwam]] and [[Aisha]].

Thus Talha, al-Zubayr and Aisha launched the [[Battle of Jamal]] against Imam 'Ali (a) in [[36]]/656.

It is said that when Talha and al-Zubayr entered Basra, 'Abd Allah b. Hakim al-Tamimi took to them the writings of Talha concerning the mobilization of forces against 'Uthman.

In this battle, Imam 'Ali (a) characterized Talha as a cheater, and characterized him, al-Zubayr, Aisha and Ya'la b. Munya, as the most recalcitrant of his enemies.

At the beginning of the battle, [[Marwan b. al-Hakam]] stated that he would no more avenge for 'Uthman's blood. At the beginning or in the middle of the battle when soldiers in the army of Jamal were running away, Marwan threw an arrow to Talha b. 'Ubayd Allah's knee that led to his death. Talha was buried near a river in Basra. He was reportedly 64 or 63 when he was killed.

When Talha died, he left behind a remarkable wealth. His cereals were worth about 400,000 to 500,000 [[dirham]]s and his daily income from his cereals in [[Iraq]] was about 1000 dirhams. Moreover, his cereals in Surat were worth around 10,000 [[dinar]]s. it is also reported that his property, livestock, and cash (that is, dirhams and dinars) were worth 30,000,000 dirhams, 2,200,000 dirhams of which were in cash and the rest were property and livestock. It is also reported that when Talha was killed, his treasurer had 2,200,000 dirhams in cash, and his palms groves and other property were evaluated to be about 30,000,000 dirhams. On another account, he also left a hundred oxhides each filled with 300 pounds of gold.

Talha is highly venerated by [[Sunni]] Muslims. They consider him as one of "'Ashara Mubashshara" (ten people to whom the Prophet (s) gave the good news of going to the Heaven). They also characterize him as "Talha al-Khayr" (Talha, the good), "Talha Fayyad" (Talha, the beneficent) and one of the 20 [[Sahaba]] who could issue [[fatwa]]s. He is also a prominent narrator of [[hadiths]] from the [[Prophet (s)]] from whom people such as his sons (Yahya and Musa), Qays b. Abu Hazim, [[Abu Salama b. 'Abd al-Rahman]] and Malik b. Abu 'Amir narrated hadiths. Sunni Muslims take Talha to be among the Twelve Disciples of the Prophet (s) along with [[Hamza b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]], [[Ja'far b. Abi Talib]], [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]], [[Abu Bakr]], [['Umar b. al-Khattab]], [[Abu 'Ubayda al-Jarrah]], [['Uthman b. 'Affan]], [['Uthman b. Maz'un]], [['Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf]], [[Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas]], and [[al-Zubayr b. 'Awwam]].

* [[Al-Zubayr b. 'Awwam]]

* The material for this article is mainly taken from [http://fa.wikishia.net/view/طلحة_بن_عبیدالله {{ia|طلحة بن عبیدالله}}] in Farsi Wikishia.