Social
Boycott
Umar's coming to the fold of Islam
plunged the Makkan disbelievers into profound grief. The believers began to
perform their prayers openly at the Ka'bah, while a substantial number of the
converts had been in peace in Abyssinia. The Quraish were rendered helpless and
they had no way within their power to ward off the lurking menace. Now they
went into fresh consultations and discussed ways and means to combat the
challenge.
They came up with a plan to see Abu
Tâlib and ask him to hand over his nephew to them. In case of his refusal they
decided to impose a complete social and material boycott on Banu Hâshim and
Banu Abdul-Muttalib, who were lending their unrelenting support to the new
faith. They reached an agreement that they would sever all relations with these
two tribes and none among them would meet the Muslims, talk with them and
establish marital relations with any of them. Moreover, they decided to see
that no food reached them from any quarter. They also agreed that the boycott
would be kept in force until they handed over Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to them.
They put their agreement in writing
with the initials of all the notables of the Quraish and hung it on the Ka'bah,
this gave added impact to the agreement. Abu Tâlib, along with the Banu Hâshim
and Banu Abdul-Muttalib, deserted their homes and went into the hills of Makkah
to stay there. All the Muslims followed them to the pass called Shi'b Abu
Tâlib. Abu Lahab was the only man of Banu Hâshim who sided with the
disbelievers. The food that Banu Hâshim brought with them ran short and they
had to live in a state of near starvation.
Three years elapsed with untold
sufferings forced upon the Muslims. The inhuman persecution endured by them was
awe-inspiring. These besieged people would come out during the days of Hajj and
would buy food and other things they needed. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) would also come out in the months of
peace and in this atmosphere would preach Islam among the people from outside
Makkah. But the Quraish followed him everywhere holding people back from
listening to him and branding him as insane and a sorcerer.
The three-year exile of the Muslims
to Shi'b Abu Tâlib proves beyond doubt that the sense of honor of the tribes
and considerations for race and lineage had substantial value and importance.
It was this fact that forced even the disbelieving section of Banu Hâshim to
extend their unflinching support to the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم). This miserable period of exile spanning
over three years also proved a blessing in disguise. They all became very close
to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
even the disbelieving group had a real chance of observing the life and
activities, conduct and character of one who had nothing but the message of
truth, love and righteousness. They watched him directly and came into direct
contact with his Divine mission. Three years of inhuman treatment meted out to
Banu Hâshim stirred some Quraish individuals from within.
The Quraish of Makkah could easily
assess the pathetic situation when the babies of Banu Hâshim were heard crying
in front of their starving parents due to lack of food. Zuhair bin Abu Umayyah
bin Mughirah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was the first to assess the gravity of the sufferings because Abu Tâlib
happened to be his maternal uncle. Zuhair drew first the attention of Mut'im
bin Adi bin Naufal bin Abdu Manâf on the grounds of relationship to the
miseries borne by Banu Hâshim and persuaded him to break the agreement. He then
brought Abul-Bukhtari bin Hishâm and Zam'ah bin Al-Aswad round to his plan. A
number of persons rose in favor of abrogating the agreement in view of their
close relations with Banu Hâshim.
In the meantime, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) conveyed to Abu
Tâlib that he was informed by Allâh the Almighty that the document bearing the
agreement had been eaten by the termites except the word "Allâh"
where ever it was mentioned. Hearing this, Abu Tâlib came out of the pass and
informed the Quraish that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) had told him such and such. He then asked them to see the
document and in case it was destroyed, the boycott should also be called off.
The disbelievers were dismayed when they found that termites had already eaten
up the document except the spots that mentioned the Name of Allâh. They were
all deeply bewildered and announced the end of boycott then and there.
Banu Hâshim and all the Muslims came
out from Shi'b Abu Tâlib after three years and began to live in their deserted
houses. They had lived in Shi'b Abu Tâlib a life of acute depravation which
forced them at times to eat the leaves of trees. If they found a dry skin, they
would roast and eat it. Hakim bin Hizâm would, sometimes, secretly send by his
slave some food to his father's sister Khadijah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْھَا). Once it came to the notice of Abu Jahl, he snatched it from
the slave and tightened his vigil on them.
The
Year of Sorrow
When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) emerged from Shi'b Abu Tâlib, the tenth
year of Prophethood had started. Instead of showing politeness, the Quraish
appeared to be more atrocious. Moreover, some events also took place in this
year that it came to be called the Year of Sorrow among the Muslims. During the
month of Rajab, Abu Talib fell seriously ill and died at the age of eighty. The
death of Abu Talib was encouraging to the hostile Makkans. Abu Talib was the
only person who was held in esteem and awe by one and all and with his death,
the strength and honor of Banu Hâshim eroded to a great extent. It was a golden
opportunity for the mischievous Quraish to create trouble and commit atrocities
more openly and fearlessly.
The same year Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) also decided to
migrate for the cruelties of the Quraish had taken a turn beyond endurance. He
had reached Bark Al-Ghimâd when he came across Ibn Daghinah, the chieftain of
the Qârah tribe. On being asked about his departure Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) told him that he had been tortured by his
people to such an extent that he was forced to leave Makkah to settle somewhere
else so that he could pray to Allâh peacefully. Ibn Daghinah said, "You
are a man that neither yourself nor the people should let you go from Makkah.
You better come back and worship your Lord in Makkah." Thus Abu Bakr
returned to Makkah. Ibn Daghinah assembled the notables of the Quraish and put
them to utter shame for driving out a man with such high qualities. Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) built in his
courtyard a platform for performing prayer where he began to recite the Quran
and offer prayers. His loud recitation would leave its impression on the hearts
and minds of the women and children of neighborhood. Obviously, the Quraish
could not remain silent over this lurking danger. Ibn Daghinah forbade him but
Abu Bakr (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) boldly answered
back, "I abandon your protection now and go to the shelter of Allâh the
Almighty instead of giving up the recitation of the Quran."
Two months after the demise of Abu
Tâlib, Khadijah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْھَا)
the wife of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
also passed away in the tenth year of his Prophethood. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) loved her very much.
She was his companion through all his troubles and suffering. She was the first
to believe in him. She always encouraged him and consoled him to keep patience.
Abu Tâlib and Khadijah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْھَا)
were such staunch supports that their constant encouragement kept the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) moving forward with
his mission. Their final departure made him sad. He was plunged into
frustration also because the atrocities of the disbelievers had taken a turn
for the worse.
Once he (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) was passing through a place where some
scoundrels threw mud on his head with the result that his hair, body and
garments were polluted. He came back home in the same pitiable plight. His
daughter, Fâtimah Zuhrah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْھَا) washed him weeping bitterly. Thereupon the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) consoled her saying,
"Weep not my daughter! Allâh the Almighty will Himself protect your
father."
Once the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) went to the Ka'bah where the polytheists
were sitting, Abu Jahl passed a sarcastic remark, "O Abd Manâf, look your
Prophet has come." Utbah bin Rabi'ah quipped, "Who are we to reject
if one claims to be a Prophet or an angel?" The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) turned to Utbah and said, "You never
lent support to the cause of Allâh and His Messenger and remained insolently
persistent in your stand." While addressing Abu Jahl he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) remarked, "The time is drawing near
when you will laugh less and weep more." Then he told all the pagans,
"The time is nearing when you will enter into the faith you are rejecting
now."
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