Chapter 10 - The Years of Sorrow - Social Boycott and Life in Shi'ab Abi Talib.

 Chapter 9 

THE YEARS OF SORROW.

SOCIAL BOYCOTT AND LIFE IN SHA'IB ABI TALIB

Social Life and Economy Boycott in Sha'ib Abi Talib.

(617-619 A.C)

“It is not fitting, For the Prophet and those, Who believe, that they should Pray for forgiveness. For Pagans, even though, They are of kin, after it is, Clear to them that they Are companions of the Fire.

(Surah Taubah; V-113)

SOCIAL BOYCOTT AND LIFE IN SHI' AB  ABI TALIB

Waraqah bin Nawfal had once told Rasulullahﷺ, "That I wish I was alive to help you when your tribesmen would oppose and compel you to migrate". His prediction was made in the year 610 AD. It became true in 616 AD and as he had feared he was not alive to extend his help to Rasulullahﷺ.

Throughout history people who presented something for the betterment and righteousness of society, were exiled, imprisoned, murdered, or burnt alive. Such people negate and contradict centuries-old customs and exploitation of those who thrive on such traditions. People take it as a threat to their survival, therefore, resolve to oppose these reformists.

The Quraish observed that the king of Abyssinia was not willing to return the Muslims who had taken refuge in his land. Also back home the popularity of Rasulullahﷺ was increasing steadily. They decided, to banish Rasulullahﷺ and his followers to eradicate Islam forever. In this connection, they formulated a scheme for their complete social and economic boycott by implementing special restrictions for Muslims.

It was not tolerable to SayidinaUmar Ibn Al Khattab RA,  that Quraish should worship their gods, openly at the Holy Kaabah, while the believers worshipped Allah in secret. Quraish were determined not to allow Rasulullahﷺ to imagine that he had defeated them. Under pressure from Abu Jahl, they decided that the best solution would be to place an interdiction on the whole clan of Hashim. With the exception of Abu Lahab, all others were resolved to protect their kinsman whether they believed him to be a Prophet or not. In order to nullify this support, a document was drawn up. No less than forty leaders of Quraish set their seal to this agreement.

Quraish Musyrikin hung this notice or "Saheefah" as the Arabs called it on the walls of the Holy Kaaba and directed the people to make a complete boycott of the Muslims. "Saheefah" is a statement of an order, decree, or announcement. The orders were, "No citizen of Makkah is allowed to talk to any Muslim (whether male or female). The Makkans are forbidden to touch a Muslim or to shake hands with him. If they do so they would become unclean. The Makkans have no right to transact any business with the Muslims. The Makkans will neither accept nor give any girl or woman in marriage to the Muslims. If one owes money to a Muslim, one should not repay his debt. These orders will remain active until Rasulullahﷺ revokes his religion or Banu Hashim suspends their support to Rasulullahﷺ)".

In 616 AD, Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ) along with other Muslims was expelled from Makkah. They were still patronized by Banu Hashim who also left Makkah with them even though some of them, including Rasulullahﷺ uncle, were not Muslims. The gallantry of Abu Talib could not permit him to abandon his nephew. Only "Abu Lahab" of Banu Hashim was not on their side. Rasulullahﷺ shifted to a "Sha’ib" owned by Abu Talib.

Literally "Sha’ib" means a crag in a rock. However, figuratively it is a pass or a valley carved naturally in a mountain.

Each of the ten tribes of Quraish owned a separate "Sha’ib". Whenever a person or a tribe sought refuge from any of the Quraishite tribes, it was provided for in one of the particular "Sha’ib". The Arabs did not consider any refugee tribe or person as one of their own. Hence a stranger was never accommodated as being one of them, and such a person could not live among them.

In tribal life, the tents were fixed in such a way that one could know at a glance which tent belonged to the chief. The chieftain was always in the middle. On his right and left were his sons. Next to them were the tents of the chieftain’s brothers, daughters, and sons-in-law. The more distant the relation, the farther the tent from the center.

Shi'ab  Abu Talib was used only to provide shelter to strangers and the needy, and not for Abu Talib himself or his tribesmen. It was a small place that could not accommodate so many people as there was no place in the surroundings for shelter. All around this "Shi'ab" were either sand dunes or passes.

During the Rasulullahﷺ period, the land of Makkah was surrounded by dunes and huge rocks that heated like a great oven. During summer, there were no trees, grass, or birds. Although the situation is quite different now, at some distance from the city are still present the same barren rocks and dunes found during the Rasulullahﷺ period.

When Rasulullahﷺ and his followers left Makkah, they could not bring enough eatables with them. They had been abandoned socially and economically. Their shelter was also far from any caravan’s route.

They faced the worst of hardships for sustenance. They fed themselves by boiling pieces of hides and leather of the sacrificed animals. It was only during the four months of "Harem" that they could come into the city for buying food. They collected skins as well as food to feed them through the rest of the year.

During this exile, the nephew of Khadijah R.A sneaked out of Makkah one day to deliver some eatables to his aunt. The Quraish, who were on the guard, followed him. They confiscated all the eatables and beat him severely.

Some Islamic historians, in respect and honor of Rasulullahﷺ, have left his period of exile un-mentioned, or at least have not described it in detail. They opine that if this period is discussed in detail, it would be a sort of disrespect to Rasulullahﷺ glory.

Having said this one must also realize that these three years were to have a great impact on Rasulullahﷺ later life. Rasulullahﷺ dealt with all the misery and hardship of this exile with immense resolve and determination. Where the Makkans had been anticipating the death of this new religion there came a new vigor in the spirits of those stranded in the "Sha’ib Abi Talib.”

The Year of Grieve.

Undoubtedly this exile also brought much pain to Rasulullahﷺ as the loss of two of his most beloved family members, Khadijah R.A and Abu Talib occurred during this period.

He was sure of his prophethood and therefore did not give way to the demands of the Quraish and spent three years destitute and hungry.

It was during this time that Khadijah R.A Rasulullahﷺ wife of twenty-five years died. He himself was fifty at the time. Khadijah R.A. had been not only his wife but also an adviser. She always counseled him and gave the best possible advice which Rasulullahﷺ took seriously. She was the first woman to believe in his prophethood hood and unlike the business class which usually had nothing to do with religion; she spent all her wealth on the cause of Islam.

Khadijah R.A fell ill during exile as there was no means to provide for her treatment and diet. She expired in the year 619 AD. - the year of "A’am-al-Hazn" (the year of sorrow and grief). She was 65 years old at that time.

Rasulullahﷺmourned her death with tears for two consecutive days. Whenever he recalled her memories, his eyes filled with tears. Though there was a marked difference in ages, there occurred no disparity between them from the start to the end of their marital life. They complimented each other with true adoration.

There was no shroud, in the camp for "Kafin", therefore she was wrapped in "Saooqah", a type of coverlet or veil used by the Arab women to cover their heads.

She was a devoted and sincere Muslim whose material support played a very important role in the propagation of Islam. It was she who always stood by the side of Rasulullahﷺ and shared all his burdens.

Two days after her death, the Muslims were struck by another grief. Rasulullahﷺ uncle "Abu Talib" breathed his last. He was eighty-sixed years old then.

When Abu Lahab received news of his brother’s approaching death, he went to his place and standing at the head of the bed addressed him, "O brother! Swear that you have not attested Muhammad’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) religion and that you are departing the world in the footsteps of your ancestral religion".

In his last gasps, Abu Talib swore that he had not accepted Muhammad’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) religion and that he was leaving the world as his ancestors did.

The devotion and sacrifice of Khadijah R.A is not surprising as Rasulullahﷺ was her husband and Rasulullahﷺ as well. It is his Uncle’s sacrifices and hardships that are commendable and surprising. He neither believed in Islam nor accepted his nephew as Rasulullahﷺ, yet he offered his life for him to fulfill his obligation towards "Assiyah" (tribal loyalty).

"Assiyah" - was a form of tribal conceit. It was so predominant in Arabs that a person like Abu Talib, a chieftain, forsook his peaceful life, in spite of his old age, and accepted refuge in a fissure, for a person he did not believe in. He had to make sure that none of his subjects remained helpless and shelterless. After his death, the Banu Hashim had no choice but to choose a new chieftain and according to the custom, Abu Talib’s brother Abu Lahab was offered this position. Ironically he was the worst enemy of Islam in Makkah.

The Banu on Hashim and Muttalib was for three years. It showed no signs of having any of the desired effects. The time had come for a change of mind to take place, and the first man to act was Hashim who had so often sent his camel with food and clothes for the Hashemites. He was joined by another man named Zuhayr.


Early one day they joined the gathering of the people in the Mosque and Zuhayr, clad in a long robe, went around the Holy Kaabah seven times. Then he turned to face the assembly and said:

 "O people of Makkah are we to eat food and wear clothes, while the sons of Hashim perish. They are unable to buy and unable to sell? By Allah, I will not be seated until this iniquitous ban is torn up". "Thou liest!" said his cousin Abu Jahl. "It shall not be torn up". "Thou art the better liar," said Zam’ah "We were not in favor of its being written when it was written. Zam’ah is right," said Abu l-Bakhtari. "We are not in favor of what is written in it, neither do we hold with it". "You are both right," said Mut 'im, "and he that saith no is a liar".

Mut 'im, cut him short by going into the Holy Kaabah to fetch the document. He came out in triumph with a small piece of vellum in his hand: the worms had eaten it all except the opening words "In Thy Name, O Allah". The ban was formally revoked, and a body of Quraish went to give the good news to the Bani Hashim and the Bani Al-Muttalib.

Walid and other chiefs proposed that they should all practice both religions. Rasulullah was saved from the trouble of formulating his refusal by an immediate answer that came directly from Heaven in a Surah of six verses:

.

Say: O ye, That reject Faith!, I worship not that, Which ye worship, Nor will ye worship, That which I worship, And I will not worship, That which ye have been, Wont to worship, Nor will ye worship, That which I worship, To you be your Way, And to me mine.

(Quran 109: 1-6)

Except for Sayidina Jaafar Ibn Abi Talib RA, and Ubayd Ibn Jahsh, all Rasulullahﷺ cousins returned. With them came also Sayidina Uthman R.A and Ruqayyah R.A.

When the Makkans observed that the decree hung on the walls of Makkah for a social boycott of Rasulullahﷺ had been eaten away by termites, they became scared of the unknown. By chance, this incident took place when Abu Talib had died and Abu Lahab had just taken the oath. The Quraish were thus worried about these strings of events. They proposed to allow the Muslims to return to which Abu Lahab agreed. Thus the Muslims returned to their native city after three years. During this time the Muslims had undergone great losses financially. Most of their businesses were ruined and even people like Abu Bakr R.A, who was extremely rich, were left only with 5000 Dirhams.

When Abu Lahab was asked about his unlikely permission for the Muslims to return, he replied that being the chieftain he had to patronize his tribe. He hoped that Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ) would abide by the tribal laws for he would expel him from the tribe if he did not. He was not like Abu Talib who would leave for Sha’ib Abi Talib for his tribe and suffer on the account of Muslims.

 Abu Lahab could not restrain himself from opposing Islam. One day he invited all the people of Banu Hashim to a feast; including Rasulullahﷺ. When all gathered, he addressed Rasulullahﷺ "I intend to ask you, in front of all these people of Banu Hashim, about Abu Talib. You say about pagans going to hell, is Abu Talib in hell or heaven?.”

In answer, Rasulullahﷺ recited a verse of Surah Tauba verse 113.

 

It is not fitting, For the Prophet and those, Who believe, that they should, Pray for forgiveness. For Pagans, even though, They are of kin, after it is, Clear to them that they Are companions of the Fire.

                                                 (Surah Taubah; V-113)

Then Abu Lahab asked whether his brother Abu Talib had been pardoned Rasulullah replied that as Abu Talib had died a non-believer, his matter rested with Allah.

Abu Lahab again inquired about the fate of some other ancestors. Rasulullah again recited a Holy Quranic verse and said that the final decision rests with Allah, who accommodates neither any change nor any concessions. Those in attendance were speechless.

Ancestors were thought of with great reverence among the Arabs. The criticism of one’s ancestors was an act of grave offense. Till then Rasulullah had propagated Islam and invited the Makkans to it, but had not criticized his ancestors with such courage.

Abu Lahab asked the audience whether using his authority as the chieftain, he should expel Rasulullah from the tribe. They all agreed unanimously. Abu Lahab instantly declared his verdict. The meeting was adjourned and the people returned to their homes. From that very moment, Rasulullah was turned into a person to whom the right of protégé was denied.

In Makkah, shedding the blood of a person who had been expelled from his tribe was lawful. He could be killed, enslaved, sold, or even burned alive by anyone. There was no punishment for the killer as he would not be considered guilty of any crime. The expelled person had no right to appeal to the tribal jury. In short, such a person had no right to live.

Thus Abu Lahab had practically made Rasulullah a social outcast. Rasulullah was left completely alone and defenseless. There was neither Khadijah R.A nor Abu Talib to solaces him. He asked for Allah’s succor. Allah not only helped and comforted him but also invited Rasulullah to His throne in the Heavens. This was Rasulullah  - Ascension". We the Muslims term this event as "Mira’aj".

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