An Excellent Archer
Hazrat Anas (ra) relates that when the Battle of Uhud took place, people dispersed from the Holy Prophet (sa) after being defeated. Hazrat Abu Talha (ra), however, remained in front of the Holy Prophet (sa) and stood resolutely behind his shield in front of the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) was an archer who would pull the string of his bow very forcefully. He had broken two or three bows that day. In other words, he would pull the bow so forcefully that the string of the bow would snap.
The Holy Prophet (sa) instructed anyone who passed by with a quiver to give it to Abu Talha (ra). In other words, the Holy Prophet (sa) would instruct others that there were plenty of archers and that they should instead give their arrows to Abu Talha (ra), who at that particular moment was standing in front of the Holy Prophet (sa). Hazrat Anas (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) would raise his head and look at the people, upon which Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) used to say:
بِأَبِیْ أَنْتَ وَأُمِّیْ یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ، لَا یُصِیْبُکَ سَہْمٌ، نَحْرِیْ دُوْنَ نَحْرِکَ
“O Messenger (sa) of Allah; may my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and look around, lest an arrow of the enemy strikes you. I stand with my chest guarding you.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Maghazi, Bab Idh hammat Ta’ifatani minkum…, Hadith 4096) (al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, pp. 383-384, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)
Hazrat Anas (ra) bin Malik relates that Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) would shield the Holy Prophet (sa) with the very same shield [that he was using]. Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) was an excellent archer. When he fired an arrow, the Holy Prophet (sa) would look at where it landed. This is a narration from Bukhari. The previous narration was also from Bukhari as well.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Jihad, Bab al-Mubhin wa man Yatrusu bi tarsi Sahibah, Hadith 2902)
During the Battle of Uhud, it is mentioned that Hazrat Abu Talha (ra) would recite the following couplet:
وَجْہِیْ لِوَجْہِکَ الْوِقَاءُ
وَنَفْسِیْ لِنَفْسِکَ الْفِدَاءُ
“My face is there to protect your blessed countenance and I am ever ready to offer my life for your sake.”
(Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, Vol. 4, Musnad Anas bin Malik, Hadith 13781, Alamul Kutub, Beirut, 1998)