السِّجل البكري والمنتدى
Talha Al-Darahim
Talha Al-Darahim (1): Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq was from the tribe of Taym, a sub-clan of the tribe of Quraysh. He is regarded as one of the most prominent figures from the family of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and was among the nobles of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah. Talha Al-Darahim has countless descendants, and many of the world’s Bakri family lineages can be traced back to him.
Talha Al-Darahim’s maternal grandfather was Talha Al-Fayadh Bin Ubaydullah of the tribe of Taym. His mother was Aisha Bint Talha Bin Ubaydullah, and his maternal grandmother was Umm Kulthum Bint Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, which means that he was related to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq through both sides of his family, as we will explain in greater detail below.
Talha Bin Abdullah was called Talha Al-Darahim due to his great generosity and benevolence (“darahim” is the Arabic plural of “dirham,” implying that Talha spent his money freely)—and he was one of six Talhas famous for their generosity, the rest of whom were: Talha Al-Fayadh Bin Ubaydullah Al-Taymi (his grandfather), Talha Al-Jud Bin Umar Al-Taymi, Talha Al-Khubz Al-Hashimi Al-Hasani, Talha Al-Nada Al-Zuhri, and Talha Al-Talhat Al-Khuza’i.
Talha Al-Darahim: A Descendant of Generous Individuals, Givers, and Providers
The greatest number of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq’s descendants can be traced back to Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them all. He was nicknamed Talha Al-Darahim due to his tremendous generosity and the many dirhams he gave away. As mentioned above, he was one of six Talhas famous for their generosity. He was the grandson of the Sahabi (Companion) Talha Bin Ubaydullah Al-Taymi, may Allah be pleased with him, who was known as Talha Al-Khair, Talha Al-Fayadh, and Talha Al-Jawad (all of which mean Talha the Generous). The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family, gave him these names due to his great generosity (2). Talha Bin Ubaydullah was among the six Talhas known for their generosity, and—as mentioned above—his daughter, Aisha Bint Talha, was the mother of Talha Al-Darahim, while Umm Kulthum Bint Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with her and her father, was the mother of Aisha Bint Talha.
Talha Al-Darahim’s father was Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him and his ancestors. Not much has been written about him in the books of history and biography. However, a man with a father like Abdel-Rahman; a grandfather like Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq; a paternal uncle like Talha Bin Ubaydullah Al-Fayadh (who was also the husband of his paternal aunt as well as his father-in-law); a paternal aunt like Umm Al-Mu’minin, Aisha (The Mother of the Believers); a maternal aunt like Umm Al-Mu’minin, Umm Salama; a son like Talha Al-Darahim; and a brother like Muhammad Abu Ateeq (Atiq), could be nothing but a man of generosity and magnanimity himself—which is no wonder, further considering that the mother of Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman (Qurayba “the Younger”) was the daughter of “Zad Al-Rakb” (Provider for All Travelers) Abu Umayya Huthaifa Bin Al-Mughira of the tribe of Al-Makhzum.
This Abu Umayya was one of three men from the tribe of Quraysh who were called “Azwad Al-Rakb” (Providers for All Travelers) due to their unparalleled level of generosity and open-handedness, as they were the only people of their time known to slaughter livestock in order to feed others, freely giving away food and lighting a fire while travelling (implying that others were welcome to join them) (3).
The mother of Qurayba “the Younger,” daughter of “Zad Al-Rakb” Abu Umayya, was Aatika Bint Utbah Bin Rabi’ah Bin Abd Shams of Quraysh. She was the daughter of a well-known noble, generous man remembered as one of two people from the tribe of Quraysh who became prominent despite their lack of wealth. The other was Aba Talib Bin Abdul-Muttalab Bin Hashim of Quraysh—and both men were recognized as generous men of Quraysh who were known provide others with food (4).
Talha Al-Darahim’s grandfather was Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them both. Abdel-Rahman was known as a man of honor, generosity, and bravery. He was of the brave archers of Quraysh, and the stories of his generosity are well-known and documented in the books of history. This, too, comes as no surprise, as his maternal uncles were from the tribe of Dahman Bin Ghanam, a sub-clan of the tribe of Kinanah, whose members were relatives of the tribe of Firas Bin Ghanam, known for its great bravery, generosity, and benevolence. One of them was the “Knight of the Arabs,” Rabi’ah Bin Mukdim, who provided protection while he was dead, a feat no other human being is known to have achieved (5).
Talha Al-Darahim’s brother, Muhammad “Abu Ateeq (Atiq)” Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, married a woman from the tribes of Firas and Kinanah. She was a descendant of the famed knight, ‘Alqama Jathl Al-Ti’an, and bore him his son, Abdullah, who was known as Ibn Abi Ateeq. He, too, was known for his generosity and was also famous for his great sense of humor.
Talha Al-Darahim’s great-grandfather was Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), about whom the Noble Qur’an and the Chief of the Tribe of Bani Adnan (the Prophet, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family) has told you about in great detail. We will thus not say anything more than the following hadith:
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family, said: “There is no favor due upon us from anyone, except that we have repaid him, with the exception of Abu Bakr. Verily upon us, there is a favor due to him, which Allah will repay him on the Day of Judgement. No one’s wealth has benefited as much as Abu Bakr’s wealth has benefited me. And if I were to take a khalil (close friend), then I would have taken Abu Bakr as a khalil, and indeed your companion is Allah’s khalil” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi) (6).
As for the great-grandfather of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (‘Amr Bin Kaab Bin Sa’d Bin Taym Bin Murrah of Quraysh), he was called ‘Amr Al-Sayal (‘Amr the Flowing) as he was so giving and generous it brought to mind a man dripping and flowing with generosity like a river that never stops streaming. The descendants of ‘Amr Al-Sayal comprised the tribe of Bani Taym Bin Murrah along with their noble members and leaders, including Uthman Bin ‘Amr Al-Sayal, who was called the “gold drinker” due to his habit of drinking from a gold vessel. He was an ancestor of Talha Al-Darahim’s mother, whose full name was Aisha Bint Talha Al-Fayadh Bin Ubaydullah Bin Uthman (The Gold Drinker) Bin ‘Amr Al-Sayal Bin Kaab Bin Sa’d Bin Taym.
Another of ‘Amr Al-Sayal’s descendants was Abdullah Bin Jadaan Bin ‘Amr Al-Sayal, who was amongst the most generous Arabs and people of Quraysh to ever live. Like his paternal uncle, Uthman, he was called the “gold sipper,” as he, too, drank from a gold vessel. He provided an outstanding example of generosity, with the people of his time saying that no one was more hospitable than the Gold Sipper. The stories of his open-handed generosity and free-spirited giving are abundant, so anyone wishing to know more should read them.
As you can see, the people described above represent generation after generation of generosity, benevolence, and noble giving—so may Allah bless you abundantly for this great legacy, O Talha Al-Darahim.
Getting back to the topic at hand, Talha narrated on the authority of his mother, his father, and both of his father’s paternal aunts—Asma and Aisha, the daughters of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq. His sons, Muhammad, Shuaib, and Nuh, narrated on his authority. Talha Al-Darahim lived at the time of Abdullah Bin Al-Zubayr and the incident of his murder. He died in either 111 or 120 AH.
Al-Zubayr Ibn Bakkar related an incident in which Al-Nathar Al-Asghar Al-Asadi Al-Faqa’si went to Madinah and went door-to-door to the homes of the people of Quraysh to ask for assistance with a need he had, but no one helped him, until he went to the home of Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, which was known as Dar Abi Yasar.
The man complained to Talha Bin Abdullah regarding what had happened to him and the way people had treated him. On that day, there were five dome-shaped grain-storage containers in the home of Talha, and Talha told him: “O man of Bani Asad, what is something I can give you that you would consider sufficient enough to prevent you from speaking badly of my people?”
In response, the man said: “These grain-storage containers of yours.”
Talha said: “They are yours, then.”
Afterwards, Al-Nathar recited some verses of poetry in which he praised Talha Al-Darahim, the tribe of Taym, and Talha’s ancestors on both sides of his family, saying (in part): “We knocked on their doors, one-by-one, and the best of homes was that of Abi Yasar.”
The story says that Al-Nathar continued to recite these verses in the mosque and in the markets. A man from the tribe of Quraysh heard him and said: “O Bedouin, what is it that makes the home of Talha better than the rest of the homes?”
He said: “Because of the blessings of Allah, the Lord of all Homes, and indeed, He has favored them due to the virtues of their fathers’ father” (referring to Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq).
Al-Balathuri mentioned that Urwah Bin Al-Zubayr once entrusted Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr with a sum of money. He left money with other people as well and departed for the Levant. He inquired about Talha and was told that he was building homes and giving away money, making him fearful that his money would be spent and thus lost. When he sent someone of prominence to retrieve his money, however, Talha gave him every last cent of it. In response, he recited a short poem about the incident in which he praised Talha Al-Darahim’s honesty, generosity, and good lineage.
Other poems have been composed about Talha Al-Darahim, including one in which Al-Hazin Al-Daili praised his lineage and said (addressing Talha): “You have not just helped me once or twice, but many times.”
Abu Basir Al-Buka’i, too, recited verses in praise of Talha Al-Darahim, describing him as “the young man of Taym Bin Murrah who is the son of Aisha ‘the Younger’ (7) and a descendant of Abu Bakr.”
Al-Zubayr Bin Bakkar said: Yahya Bin Muhammad Bin Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq told me: Ibrahim Bin Malih As-Sulmi (who used to train the horses of Talha Bin Abdullah Bin Abdel-Rahman Bin Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq, making them lean before a race) told me:
Talha Bin Abdullah came and was informed that Yazid Bin Hisham Bin Abdul-Malik was preparing for the Hajj pilgrimage, and that he was going to partake in horse-racing, so he sent me a message telling me to take Dhabir and Al-Asla’ and make them lean, and then bring them to Ibn Hisham in Al-Hada between Asfan and Mur. He also sent a message to a servant of Zubyar’s family named Khabib Bin Aasim, telling him to take Al-Makki and Al-Ashl, two horses that he owned, make them lean, and then bring them to Ibn Hisham with his friend in Al-Hada and have the horses race each other. So we sent our horses, and Al-Dhabir was the winner, so I won a (hollowed-out) sugar-cane stalk containing a thousand dirhams, while Al-Asla’, who came in second, won a stalk containing eight hundred dirhams, Al-Makki, who came in third, won a stalk containing six hundred dirhams, and Al-Ashl, who came in fourth, won a stalk containing four hundred dirhams.
They beat all of the other horses, so I left with the winnings in search of Talha Bin Abdullah to give him the good news until I found him in Al-Majma’ah, in the eastern corner of ‘Ayn Bani Talha Bin Umar Bin Ubaydullah Bin Muammar, whereupon I said: I have good news for you, may Allah keep you righteous. Al-Dhabir beat the horse of Amir Al-Mu’minin’s son (referring to Ibn Hisham).
He said: May Allah bless you with good news as well. (The horse) belongs to the daughter of Al-Najrani.
Then I walked with him a little and said: More good news, may Allah keep you righteous. Al-Asla’ came in second.
He said: Praise be to Allah, (the horse) belongs to the son of Al-Muttali’.
Then I walked a little more and said: Al-Makki came in third.
He said: Praise be to Allah, (the horse) belongs to the son of As-Sakb.
Then I walked a little more and said: Al-Ashl came in fourth.
He said: Praise be to Allah, (the horse) belongs to the son of Al-Tha’id, may Allah bless you with good news as well. No one has ever been presented with good news like the good news you have given me regarding my horses!
He then gave me and my friend the sugar-cane stalks with the horses’ winnings.
Source: Kitab Al-Sulala Al-Bakria As-Siddiqia – Part II, by Ahmed Farghal Al-De’abassi Al-Bakri
Date of Publication
1 Ramadan 1438 AH / May 26, 2017 AD
(1) Al-Tarikh Al-Kabir, by Al-Bukhari 4/ 345, Tarikh Al-Islam, Bashar Ed. 3/ 251, Lisan Al-Arab 2/ 533, Nasab Quraysh 1/ 278-279, Jamharat Nasab Quraysh wa Akhbariha (1/ 157-160, 2/ 608-611), Ansab Al-Ashraf, by Al-Baladhuri 9/ 442, Al-Tabieen fi Ansab Al-Qurashieen 1/ 277-278
(2) On the authority of Musa Bin Talha Bin Ubaydullah Al-Taymi, on the authority of his father, Talha, he said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family, called me “Talha Al-Khair” during the Battle of Uhud, “Talha Al-Fayadh” during the Battle of Dhu Al-Ushairah, and “Talha Al-Jawad” during the Battle of Khaybar. See: Ar-Riyad an-Nadirah fi Manaqib al-Asharah 4/ 246, Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala’, Al-Hadith Ed. 3/ 23, Usdul Ghabah, El-Elmia Ed. 3/ 84, Al-Isti’ab fi Ma’rifat Al-Ashab 2/ 764, Tahdhib Al-Kamal fi Asma’ Al-Rijal 13/ 413, Mizan Al-I’tidal 2/ 197
(3) See: Nasab Quraysh (1/ 300, 315), Jamharat Nasab Quraysh wa Akhbariha 1/ 465, Ansab Al-Ashraf, by Al-Baladhuri 10/ 200, Al-Isti’ab fi Ma’rifat Al-Ashab 3/ 868, Usdul Ghabah, El-Elmia Ed. 3/ 176, Tarikh Dimashq, by Ibn Asakir 63/ 324
(4) See: Ansab Al-Ashraf, by Al-Baladhuri 9/ 367, Tarikh Dimashq, by Ibn Asakir 38/ 241, Al-Bidaya Wal Nihaya, Ihiaa Al-Turath Ed. 3/ 317, Samt Al-Nojoum Al-Awali fi Anbaa Al-Awa’il wal Tawali 1/ 242, Shifa’ Al-Gharam Bi Akhbar Al-Balad Al-Haram 2/ 115
(5) Rabi’ah Bin Mukdim was one of the few knights and brave men of Mudhar. He was killed by Nabisha Bin Habib Al-Sulmi on the Day of Al-Kadid. He found him with a group of traveling women from his tribe and protected them. He was struck by an arrow shot by Nabisha, so he told the women: “Start riding your mounts until you get home, because I am dying (due to the hit I took), but I will remain here for your protection, waiting on the road and leaning on my spear. They will not approach you so long as I remain where I am.” So the women left and were able to escape. As he predicted, no one dared approach him while he was dead, leaning on his spear. No one was ever known to have protected a group of women in this manner while dead. He was a young man at the time, and no one approached him until Nabisha said: “His neck is slack, and I am certain he is dead.” He then struck Rabi’ah’s horse with an arrow; it got startled, and Rabi’ah fell off the horse. See: Nashwat Al-Tarab fi Tarikh Jahiliyyat Al-‘Arab 1/ 375
(6) See: Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, Shaker Ed. 5/ 609
(7) Aisha “the Younger” was Aisha Bint Talha Bin Ubaydullah Al-Taymi, while Aisha “the Older” was her maternal aunt: Umm Al-Mu’minin, Sayyida Aisha Bint Abi Bakr Al-Siddiq.