Story: The Proud Fox and the Crab

5. Hazrat Talha (May Allah be pleased with him)

Hazrat Talhara belonged to the Taym bin Murrah tribe. Hazrat Talhara was known by the title of Abu Muhammad. Hazrat Talhara was among the rst eight Companions to accept Islam and also among the ve Companionsra who accepted Islam through Hazrat Abu Bakrra .

Although Hazrat Talhara was not present during the Battle of Badr because the Holy Prophetsaw had sent him along with Hazrat Saeed bin Zaidra to gather information about the Meccan Caravan that was returning from Syria. But he had taken part in all the subsequent battles alongside the Holy Prophetsaw .

With regards to the Battle of Uhud, Hazrat Musleh Maudra states:

“From the hill, the archers sent volleys of arrows. At that time, Talhara, one of the Quraysh and the Muhajirin (Meccan Muslims who had taken refuge in Medina), saw that the enemy arrows were all directed to the face of the Prophetsaw. He stretched out his hand and held it up against the Prophet’ssaw face. Arrow after arrow struck Talha’sra hand, yet it did not drop, although with each shot it was pierced through. Ultimately it was completely mutilated. Talhara lost his hand and for the rest of life went about with a stump. In the time of the Fourth Khalifah of Islam when internal dissensions had raised their head, Talhara was tauntingly described by an enemy as the handless Talhara . A friend of Talhara replied, “Handless, yes, but do you know where he lost his hand? At the Battle of Uhud, in which he raised his hand to shield the Prophet’ssaw face from the enemy’s arrows.” Long after the Battle of Uhud, friends of Talhara asked him, “Did not your hand smart under the arrow shots and the pain make you cry?” Talhara replied, “It made me smart, and it almost made me cry, but I resisted both because I knew that if my hand shook but slightly, it would expose the Prophet’ssaw face to the volley of enemy arrows.”

Hazrat Talhara was martyred, during Jang-e-Jamal [The Battle of the Camel] in 657 AD. At the time of his martyrdom, Hazrat Talhara was 64 years old.

6. Hazrat Zubair bin Awwam (May Allah be pleased with him)

Hazrat Zubair bin Awwam’sra mother’s name was Sa yya bint Abdul Muttalib, who was the paternal aunt of the Holy Prophetsaw. Hazrat Zubairra was also the nephew of Hazrat Khadijahra, the beloved wife of the Holy Prophetsaw. He was married to Hazrat Asmara, daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakrra. As the Holy Prophetsaw was married to another daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakrra, Hazrat A`ishara, Hazrat Zubairra was related to the Holy Prophetsaw in this way as well.

Hazrat Zubairra was either the fourth or fth person to accept Islam when he was at a very young age and was also among the six companions who Hazrat Umarra selected before his demise as a part of a consultative body to elect the next Khalifa.

Hazrat Zubairra was the rst to draw out his sword in the way of Islam for Jihad, the incident was that once while still in Makkah, Hazrat Zubairra was resting when he heard a voice say that the Holy Prophetsaw had been martyred. He immediately got up, unsheathed his sword and set out. As he was walking, the Holy Prophetsaw saw him and told him to stop, asking what had happened. Hazrat Zubairra told him what he had heard and his ensuing worry. The Holy Prophetsaw prayed for him on this account.

Hazrat Zubairra was alongside the Holy Prophetsaw in all battles. On the day of the Battle of Badr, the Holy Prophetsaw only had two horses, and Hazrat Zubairra was riding one of them. He was wearing a yellow turban on the day of Badr; upon seeing it, the Holy Prophetsaw said that the Angels which had descended to help the Muslims were also wearing similar turbans. He remained steadfast and did not leave the side of the Holy Prophetsaw during the Battle of Uhud. During the Conquest of Makkah, Hazrat Zubairra was carrying one of three ags of the Muhajireen [migrants].

He was also elected as one of the members of the advisory council, constituted by Hazrat Umar Farooqra to elect the Caliph after him. He was also one of those early Sahabah Iqraam who migrated to Ethiopia and then to Medina and his demise was in 656 AD.

7. Hazrat Abu Ubaida bin Jarah (May Allah be pleased with him)

Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarahra was from the Banu Harith bin Fihr family of the Quraish tribe and was the ninth person to accept Islam.

The Holy Prophetsaw said that every nation has an Amin (trustee) and the Amin of his nation was Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. Once, Hazrat Aishara was asked which of the companions were dearest to the Holy Prophetsaw. She replied saying Hazrat Abu Bakrra , then Hazrat Umarra and thirdly Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra .

Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra participated in all battles alongside the Holy Prophetsaw. On the day of the Battle of Badr, he was ghting alongside the Muslims, while his own father was ghting on the Meccan side. His father was targeting him throughout the battle due to his belief in the unity of God, but Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra did his best to evade him. Thus, his devotion to the unity of God overcame him, and eventually he overcame and killed his father in battle.

During the battle of Uhud, the Holy Prophetsaw was struck with rocks which broke his front teeth. The rocks struck him with such force, that the hooks of his armour became lodged in his face. Hazrat Abu Bakrra narrates that when the Holy Prophetsaw was struck, he ran towards him at the same time, he saw another person running towards the Holy Prophetsaw with such speed that it seemed as if he was ying. Upon reaching the Holy Prophetsaw , Hazrat Abu Bakrra realised that this person was Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra. Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra took hold of one of the hooks stuck in the blessed face of the Holy Prophetsaw with his teeth and pulled it. He had to pull so hard, that when the rst hook came out, he fell back and one of his teeth broke. Then when he pulled the second hook out, another one of his teeth broke.

Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra was suggested by Hazrat Abu Bakrra to be the rst Khalifa, before he himself was unanimously chosen. This shows the esteemed rank which Hazrat Abu Ubaidahra had. His demise was in 639 AD.

(Part 3 of series to be continued next issue)