The Boycott and the Year of Sorrow

A Written Agreement

Quraysh had tried mockery, threats and torture. Hamzah and Umar had become Muslims, and believers were safe in Abyssinia. So the leaders tried something new: they would squeeze the Prophet's ﷺ whole family.

Abu Hurayrah reported that Quraysh and the tribe of Kinana made an agreement against Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib, the Prophet's ﷺ clan and their closest relatives. Nobody would marry from them or marry into them, and nobody would buy from them or sell to them, until they handed the Prophet ﷺ over. Bukhari 1590

This was a boycott. And it hit the whole clan, not only the Muslims. Many in Banu Hashim did not believe in Islam, but they still would not hand over one of their own. Abu Talib, who never became a Muslim, stood at the front to protect his nephew. Bukhari 3883

Years in the Valley

Historians reportHistorians report that the two clans gathered in a valley in Makkah known as the Valley (Shi'b) of Abu Talib, and stayed there under the boycott for about three years. Food was hard to get, and people suffered real hunger. In the end, some men of Quraysh who were related to the clans felt ashamed of what was being done, worked together and brought the boycott to an end. Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah, citing Ibn Ishaq

The Prophet ﷺ never forgot the place where the agreement was made. Years later, when he came back to Makkah in victory and again during his Farewell Hajj, he said: “Tomorrow we will camp at Khayf Bani Kinanah, where they made their oath of disbelief.” Bukhari 1589Bukhari 3882 The place that had seen his family shut out became the place where he camped as a victor.

Khadijah

Not long after the boycott ended, the Prophet ﷺ lost the person closest to him. Khadijah died in Makkah, about three years before the Hijrah to Madinah. Bukhari 3896

She had been his wife for about twenty-five years. She was the first to believe in him, the one who wrapped him up and comforted him after the first revelation, and the mother of his children. Once, while she was still alive, Jibril came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “Khadijah is coming to you with a dish of food. When she reaches you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the good news of a house in Paradise made of hollow pearl, where there is no noise and no tiredness.” Bukhari 3820

A Love That Did Not Fade

The Prophet ﷺ never stopped remembering her. Aishah, whom he married later, said that he spoke of Khadijah so often that she felt jealous of her, though she had never met her. Whenever he slaughtered a sheep, he would cut it up and send portions to Khadijah's friends. When Aishah complained, he said: “She was this and that, and from her I had children.” Bukhari 3818 In another report he said: “I was given her love.” Muslim 2435

Years later, Khadijah's sister Halah asked permission to come in. Her voice sounded just like Khadijah's way of asking, and the Prophet ﷺ was moved. “O Allah, it is Halah!” he said. Bukhari 3821

The best of the women of her time was Maryam, and the best of the women of her time was Khadijah.

Abu Talib

In the same period, his uncle Abu Talib fell ill and was dying. Abu Talib had raised him as a boy, and had protected him for years in Makkah. Al-Abbas once said to the Prophet ﷺ that Abu Talib “used to protect you and become angry for your sake”. Bukhari 3883

The Prophet ﷺ went to his uncle's bedside. Abu Jahl and Abd Allah ibn Abi Umayyah were sitting there. “O my uncle,” said the Prophet ﷺ, “say La ilaha illa Allah, a word I can plead for you with before Allah.” But the two men kept saying, “Abu Talib, will you leave the religion of Abd al-Muttalib?” His last words were that he was on the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. Bukhari 3884

The Prophet ﷺ loved his uncle, and wanted so much for him to believe. Then Allah revealed: