Ali bin Zayd and Thabit narrate from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) recited this verse: "Go forth, whether light or heavy." [Surah al-Tawbah: 41] and said: "Allah Almighty has commanded us to go forth, (or he said:) Allah has commanded us and called us to go forth in every condition, old and young; so prepare my equipment." His sons said: "May Allah have mercy on you! You waged jihad in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both); now we will wage jihad on your behalf." But he went on jihad by a sea voyage (on the Mediterranean) and passed away during it. His companions searched for an island to bury him, but for seven days they found no place, and during those seven days his body did not change (decay) in the slightest. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it. And in our view, there is no contradiction between these two reports and the statements of the imams that we mentioned earlier, that Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) led his funeral prayer, for it may be that he was brought back to Madinah after his death so that Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) led his funeral prayer.

Thabit narrates from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) established brotherhood between Abu Talhah and Abu Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with them both). This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

Humayd al-Tawil narrates from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) was standing in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) shooting arrows, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would raise his blessed head from behind him to see where his arrow landed. So Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) would stretch out his chest and become a shield for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "O Prophet of Allah! Stay like this; may Allah make me a ransom for you; my life is sacrificed for your life." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it. An account of the virtues of Sayyiduna Ubadah bin al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him).