MOSQUE OF UNAYF — TOMB OF TALHA IBN AL-BARA'
The young companion over whom the Prophet ﷺ prayed.
A young man who loved the Prophet ﷺ more than his own life
Talha ibn al-Bara' al-Balawi (رضي الله عنه) was a young Ansari companion from the Bali tribe (Quda'a). Just barely of age when he met the Prophet ﷺ in Medina, he expressed his love for him in a way that remains in history: "O Messenger of Allah, command me as you wish, I have no disobedience for you."
The Prophet ﷺ, moved by this total devotion from such a young man, tested him by saying: "Go and kill your father."
Talha immediately stood up, ready to carry out the order. The Prophet ﷺ called him back: "Come back here. I have not been sent to sever family ties." (Tabarani · Mu'jam al-Kabir · Ibn al-Athir · Usd al-Ghaba)
The illness and the terrible night
Shortly after, Talha contracted a severe fever. During the night, he felt death approaching and told his loved ones: "Do not wake the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for me. I fear that the Jews may ambush him on the way."
Such was his love: even while dying, he thought of protecting the Prophet ﷺ.
The invocation of the Prophet ﷺ
When the Prophet ﷺ learned the news in the morning, he immediately went to the grave and invoked Allah with these famous words:
"O Allah, make You meet Talha with a smile, and let him smile at You." (Sunan Abu Dawud · Tabarani · Ibn Hajar · Al-Isabah)
The reliability of the story
This story is reported by Sunan Abu Dawud, Mu'jam al-Kabir of at-Tabarani, Usd al-Ghaba of Ibn al-Athir, Al-Isabah of Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani. Scholars generally classify it as hassan (good).
Not to be confused
Talha ibn al-Bara' al-Balawi (young Ansari, died AFTER the Hijra in Medina, hadith of Allah's smile) ≠ Al-Bara' ibn Ma'rur al-Khazraji (leader of the Khazraj, elder of the 70 of Aqabah, died ONE MONTH BEFORE the Hijra, first to turn towards the Kaaba).
Why visit
1. To reflect on the purity of the heart of a young man who thought of the Prophet ﷺ until his last breath.
2. To understand the love of the companions for their Messenger ﷺ.
3. To remember that the Prophet ﷺ personally prayed over the graves of his beloved companions.