Musa ibn Talhah, and in his day the people believed that he was the Mahdi. We went in to see him, and found him a man of long silences, heavy-hearted and sorrowful, until one day he raised his head and said, “By Allah, for me to know that this is a trial that will come to an end is dearer to me than such-and-such, even though the danger is tremendous.”

A man asked, “Abu Muhammad, what do you fear could be worse than the turmoil?”

He replied, “al-Harj.”

They said, “And what is al-Harj?”

He said, “The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to tell us: ‘Killing, killing,’ until the Hour is established and they are still experiencing it.” (1)

Musa ibn Talhah also said, “I kept the company of ʿUthman — may Allah be pleased with him — for twelve years.”

Ibn Mawhab said, “I saw Musa ibn Talhah dyeing his hair black.” (2)

ʿIsa ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman said, “I saw a fine woollen burnous on Musa ibn Talhah.” (3)

Salih ibn Musa al-Talhi related from ʿAsim ibn Abi al-Najud, who said:

“The most eloquent of people are three: Musa ibn Talhah al-Taymi, Qabisah ibn Jabir al-Asadi, and Yahya ibn Yaʿmar.” (3)

A similar statement is related from ʿAbd al-Malik ibn ʿUmayr. (4)

Musa died at the end of the year 103 AH.

Ahmad ibn Salamah informed us, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Taymi — by authorization — who reported to us from Abu ʿAli al-Haddad, who reported to us from Abu Nuʿaym, who narrated to us from Abu Bakr ibn Khallad, who narrated to us from al-Harith ibn Muhammad, who narrated to us from Yazid ibn Harun, who was informed by Abu Malik al-Ashjaʿi, from Musa ibn