Abu Talha had a child who was sick. [Abu Talhah was very upset and distressed by the child's sickness.] Once, while Abu Talha was out, the child died. [Umm Sulaym (the mother) washed the child, enshrouded him and laid him down. She said to the people in the house, "Do not tell his father that he died before I tell him."] When Abu Talha returned home [along with some of his friends from the mosque], he asked, "How is my child" Umm Sulaym replied, "He is quieter than he has ever been." [Her husband took it to mean that the child's condition had improved.]

She brought the meal and they all ate dinner, [then the guests left.] [She got up and put on perfume and adorned herself,] [making herself more beautiful than she ever had before.] He slept with her, when he finished [they slept and when it was morning, he did ghusl (full ablution) and was heading to leave, so she said to him] ["O Abu Talhah, do you think that if some people lent something to some others, then they asked for it back, do they have the right not to give it back?" He said, "No."] [They should return it to them]
[She said, "Allah Almighty, lent your son to you, and now He has taken him back, so seek reward with Him and have patience."] She said: "Bury the child (as he's dead)." [He became angry and said, "You left me until I did what I did (i.e., had intercourse), then you tell me that my son has died!"] [Then he said, "Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon (Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return) and praised Allah.] In the morning Abu Talha came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and told him about that.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Did you sleep with your wife last night?" Abu Talha said, "Yes". The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Bestow your blessing on them as regards that night of theirs."

Later, Umm Sulaym gave birth to a boy. Abu Talha told me to take care of the child till it was taken to the Prophet. Then Abu Talha took the child to the Prophet (ﷺ) [he found him smearing some camels with tar to protect them from diseases, or marking them] and Umm Sulaym sent some dates along with the child. The Prophet (ﷺ) took the child (on his lap) and asked if there was something with him. The people replied, "Yes, a few dates." The Prophet took a date, chewed it, took some of it out of his mouth, put it into the child's mouth and did Tahnik for him with that, and named him 'Abdullah. [There was no young man better than him among al-Ansar

The Prophet said "O Allah! Bestow your blessing on them..." The Prophet's supplication was answered, and Abu Talha, Umm Sulaym, her son and their grandsons were all blessed.

Abdullah bin Abi Talha, the newborn whom the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed for his parents to be blessed, and did tahnik to him when he was born, is the father of Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abi Talha, the scholar of Fiqh. He had ten brothers all of them received knowledge from him. Ishaq, the son of Abdullah, is the teacher of Imam Malik, the author of al-Muwata'.

About Umm Sulaym

1. Her strength is quite obvious, she was able to wash her child and shroud him on her own. She also kept her household calm at such a hard time.

2. She was pleased with Allah's decree even though she is afflicted. She accepted Allah's decree with contentment and patience and she did not scream or cry.

3. She was very patient and enduring, even though her child died she made supper for her husband and guests, she also beautified herself for her husband, putting on perfume and making herself beautiful than she ever had before. She did not tell him about the passing of the child till it was morning.

4. She was very steadfast, wise and determined, Umm Sulaym used to witness battles, serve the fighters and doing other things that were unique in comparison to the rest of women.

5. She was very cautious to be honest in what she is saying, and used the method of allusion to avoid lying.

6. Umm Sulaym is very generous, she did not object when her husband brought some guests even though her child is ill, and she prepared food for them.

7. The metaphor Umm Sulaym mentioned to her husband about the loan and right to get it back reveals her strong faith and belief that the soul is a trust and we will all return to Allah Almighty.

- When calamities and tribulations befall us, we should praise Allah and say Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon (Verily to Allah we belong and unto Him is our return).

- Patience and acceptance of a painful decree, the reward is as much as the tribulation.