Qareenain - The Two Companions

When Hazrat Talha (ra) accepted Islam, Naufal bin Khuwailid bin Adawiyah tied him and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) with a rope, which is why both of them are known by the title Qareenain i.e., the two fellow companions. Naufal was known in Mecca for his harsh treatment. Among those who tied them up was Uthman bin Ubaidullah, the brother of Hazrat Talha(ra). He tied them up to prevent them from seeing the Holy Prophet (sa) and in order for them to relinquish their faith in Islam. Imam Baihaqi has written that the Holy Prophet (sa) prayed, “O Allah, protect them from the harm of Adawiyah.”

(Roshan Sitarey az Ghulam Bari Saif Sahib, Vol. 2, pp. 129-130)

Hazrat Mas‘ud (ra) bin Khirash relates, “One day I was walking between Safa and Marwa, when I saw a large number of people following a young man whose hands were tied to his neck. I enquired as to who this was. The people told me that this was Talha (ra) bin Ubaidullah, who had given up his faith and his mother Sa‘bah was following behind, whilst cursing him with rage.”

(At-Tarikh as-Saghir li Imam Bukhari, Vol. 1, p. 113, Dar-ul-Ma’rifah, Beirut)