Aqdam أقدام

Companion of the Prophet ﷺ

طلحة بن عبيد الله

رضي الله عنه

Talha ibn Ubaydullah

Talha ibn Ubayd Allah al-Taymi al-Qurashi

A wealthy early Muslim who shielded the Prophet at Uhud with his own hand and was promised Paradise.

  • One of the Ten promised Paradise
  • al-Khayr / al-Fayyad (the Generous)
A day in his footsteps
  • KunyaAbu Muhammad
  • Family and tribeQuraysh (Banu Taym)
  • Bornc. 594 CE (approx.), Makkah
  • Died36 AH / 656 CE, near Basra
  • Resting placeBasra, Iraq
  • Counted amongTen promised Paradise, Muhajirun

Introduction

Talha was a Makkan merchant of the Banu Taym, from the same clan as Abu Bakr, and one of the early converts. He migrated to Madinah and is remembered above all for Uhud.

At Uhud, when the Muslim ranks broke, Talha stayed with the Prophet and took the blows with his hand. One report mentions that his hand was paralysed afterwards. The Prophet praised him warmly.

He is among the ten promised Paradise and one of the six members of the consultative council after Umar. He died at the Battle of the Camel in 36 AH and is buried near Basra.

The story

  1. c. 594 CE

    Born in Makkah.

  2. 3 AH / 625 CE

    At Uhud he stayed beside the Prophet and shielded him; his hand was left paralysed.

    Read the wording
    Sahih al-Bukhari 3724Sahih
    Arabic text

    قَالَ رَأَيْتُ يَدَ طَلْحَةَ الَّتِي وَقَى بِهَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ شَلَّتْ.

    “I saw Talha's paralyzed hand with which he had protected the Prophet”

    Grade: Sahih

  3. 23 AH / 644 CE

    One of the six consulted on the caliphate after Umar.

  4. 36 AH / 656 CE

    Killed at the Battle of the Camel.

A day in their footsteps

4 small, repeatable practices from Talha ibn Ubaydullah's life. Each comes with the Arabic text and English wording of its source, and links to read the full report.

  1. Staying beside the Prophet when others scattered

    In one battle, no one remained with the Prophet except Talha and Sad. At Uhud, Talha used his hand to ward off arrows aimed at the Prophet.

    Try this today

    Stay loyal when it becomes hard.

    Sit with this

    When things get hard, are you still standing beside the people you love?

    Sources

    Sahih al-Bukhari 3722Sahih

    قَالَ لَمْ يَبْقَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَعْضِ تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ الَّتِي قَاتَلَ فِيهِنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَيْرُ طَلْحَةَ وَسَعْدٍ. عَنْ حَدِيثِهِمَا.

    “none remained with the Prophet (ﷺ) but Talha and Sa`d”

    Grade: Sahih

    Sahih al-Bukhari 4063Sahih

    قَالَ رَأَيْتُ يَدَ طَلْحَةَ شَلاَّءَ، وَقَى بِهَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ.

    “I saw Talha's paralyzed hand with which he had protected the Prophet”

    Grade: Sahih

  2. Making himself a step for the Prophet

    At Uhud the Prophet, weighed down by two coats of mail, could not climb a boulder. Talha crouched beneath him so he could reach it. The Prophet said that Paradise was due to him.

    Try this today

    Put your own strength under someone who needs to get higher.

    Sit with this

    Whom could you lift up today, even at a cost to yourself?

    Source

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3738Hasan

    قَالَ كَانَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ دِرْعَانِ فَنَهَضَ إِلَى صَخْرَةٍ فَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَأَقْعَدَ تَحْتَهُ طَلْحَةَ فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى اسْتَوَى عَلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " أَوْجَبَ طَلْحَةُ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ.

    “Talhah squatted under him, lifting the Prophet (ﷺ) upon it, such that he could sit on the boulder. So he said: 'It (Paradise) is obligatory for Talhah”

    Grade: Hasan (al-Albani)

  3. Learning the basics of Islam and carrying them forward

    Talha narrated the account of the man from Najd who asked about Islam and was told of the five prayers, fasting, and zakat; he carried that teaching precisely.

    Try this today

    Know the basic duties and hold to them.

    Sit with this

    Are you holding firmly to the basic duties before the extras?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 46Sahih

    … الرَّأْسِ، يُسْمَعُ دَوِيُّ صَوْتِهِ، وَلاَ يُفْقَهُ مَا يَقُولُ حَتَّى دَنَا، فَإِذَا هُوَ يَسْأَلُ عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم" خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ". فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَىَّ غَيْرُهَا قَالَ" لاَ، إِلاَّ أَنْ تَطَوَّعَ". قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم" وَصِيَامُ رَمَضَانَ". قَالَ هَلْ عَلَىَّ غَيْرُهُ قَالَ" لاَ، إِلاَّ …

    “You have to offer prayers perfectly five times in a day and night (24”

    Grade: Sahih

  4. Bringing his own sacrificial animal to Hajj

    On the Prophet's Hajj, only the Prophet and Talha had brought sacrificial animals with them from the start. Talha did not leave the offering to chance.

    Try this today

    Prepare your acts of worship in advance rather than hoping for them.

    Sit with this

    Which act of worship could you prepare for in advance rather than leave to chance?

    Source

    Sahih al-Bukhari 1651Sahih

    … النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم هُوَ وَأَصْحَابُهُ بِالْحَجِّ، وَلَيْسَ مَعَ أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ هَدْىٌ، غَيْرَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَطَلْحَةَ، وَقَدِمَ عَلِيٌّ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ، وَمَعَهُ هَدْىٌ فَقَالَ أَهْلَلْتُ بِمَا أَهَلَّ بِهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَأَمَرَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَصْحَابَهُ أَنْ يَجْعَلُوهَا عُمْرَةً، وَيَطُوفُوا، ثُمَّ يُقَصِّرُوا وَيَحِلُّوا، إِلاَّ …

    “none except the Prophet (ﷺ) and Talha had the Hadi (sacrifice) with them. `Ali arrived from”

    Grade: Sahih

Virtues

  • The Prophet said Paradise was due for Talha when he lifted him onto the rock at Uhud.

    “Talhah squatted under him, lifting the Prophet (ﷺ) upon it, such that he could sit on the boulder. So he said: 'It (Paradise) is obligatory for Talhah”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ كَانَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ دِرْعَانِ فَنَهَضَ إِلَى صَخْرَةٍ فَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَأَقْعَدَ تَحْتَهُ طَلْحَةَ فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى اسْتَوَى عَلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " أَوْجَبَ طَلْحَةُ". قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ.

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3738Hasan

  • The Prophet said Talha was among those who fulfilled their pledge, referring to a verse of the Quran about men who kept their covenant.

    “Talhah is among those who fulfilled their vow”

    Arabic text

    قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُبَشِّرُكَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " طَلْحَةُ مِمَّنْ قَضَى نَحْبَهُ".هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلاَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ.

    Jami at-Tirmidhi 3740Hasan

    More sources (1)
    Quran 33:23Quran
    Arabic text

    مِّنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا۟ مَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُۥ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا۟ تَبْدِيلًا

    “Of the believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and some of them”

    Surah Al-Ahzaab

  • He is among the ten the Prophet named as promised Paradise.

    “Ten persons will go to”

    Arabic text

    … أَنِّي سَمِعْتُهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ " عَشْرَةٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ النَّبِيُّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُمَرُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعُثْمَانُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَلِيٌّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَطَلْحَةُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَالزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَسَعْدُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَعَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَوْفٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ". وَلَوْ شِئْتَ لَسَمَّيْتُ الْعَاشِرَ. قَالَ …

    Sunan Abi Dawud 4649Sahih

Words on this page

Hajjالحج
The pilgrimage to Makkah in the month of Dhu al-Hijjah, required once in a lifetime of every adult Muslim who is able.
Madinahالمدينة
The city, formerly Yathrib, to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated and where the first Muslim community was built.
Makkahمكة
The city of the Ka'bah, where the Prophet ﷺ was born and revelation began.
Uhudأحد
The mountain outside Madinah where the Muslims fought Quraysh in 3 AH, and where Hamzah and many others were martyred.
Zakatالزكاة
The obligatory annual alms on wealth above a threshold, one of the five pillars of Islam.

The full glossary

Sources and review

Hadith numbers follow sunnah.com. Each report links to sunnah.com, and, where the numbering matches, to al-Hadees or HadithUnlocked as well. Quran verses link to quran.com, Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tanzil. The Arabic is taken from the hadith editions and trimmed around the quoted words, so read the full report at the source before relying on it. Grades are the ones those editions give.

This page is pending scholar review. It was compiled from public sources, and its citations were last checked on 7 October 2026. If you notice a mistake or a missing source, please tell us.

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