The Ban
When the polytheists knew that Abu Talib would not leave our Master Muhammad [s] alone and that he was ready to die for him, they decided to announce an economic and social ban on Bani Hashim. At the same time, they cut off all relations with them.
In the month of Muharram, the seventh year after the Prophetic Mission, forty Quraishi leaders signed the ban and fixed it to the wall in the Ka'aba.
The Quraish expected Abu Talib to surrender. But Shaikh al-Bat-ha had another plan.
Abu Talib took his tribe to a valley between two mountains to protect our Master Muhammad [s] from assassination. He was always visiting the valley to close the openings where the enemies might pass through to kill our Master Muhammad [s] at night.
Abu Talib, though old man, his brother Hamza, and some men of Bani Hashim were always guarding the Prophet [s] one by one at night. Abu Talib was always moving the Prophet's bed from one place to another to keep it a secret.
Days and months passed. The besieged were in perfect isolation. They suffered from the pains of hunger and deprivation. When the time of pilgrimage came, they got out to buy some food and clothes.
The richest Quraishi tyrants in Makkah were always buying all kinds of food to prevent the besieged from buying it.
During that bitter period of time, Abu Talib was as solid as the mountain. He was always standing by our Master Muhammad [s]. He was a fearless, resolute believer.
Abu Talib loved our Master Muhammad [s] more than his sons. He was sometimes looking at him, weeping and saying:
When I look at him, I remember my brother Abdullah.
One night, Abu Talib came and woke our Master Muhammad [s]. He said to his son Ali aged eighteen:
My son, sleep in his bed.
To know his father's loyalty to Muhammad, Ali said:
But, I'll be killed.
His father said:
Be patient!
Eagerly Ali said:
I'm not afraid of death. But I want you to know my support.
Abu Talib patted Ali's back. He took our Master Muhammad [s] to a safe place to sleep in.
When our Master Muhammad [s] went to bed, Abu Talib went to bed, too.
Months after months passed. The patience and hunger of the besieged increased. They ate the leaves of the trees. The Prophet [s] took pity on the hungry children.
The Good News
One day, our Master Muhammad [s] came to his uncle. He was filled with happiness. He said to him:
Uncle, my Lord ordered the white ant to eat the Ban Page. So, it's eaten it all but Allah's Name.
Abu Talib said happily:
Has your Lord told you about that?
Muhammad [s] answered:
Yes, Uncle.
Abu Talib's heart was filled with belief. So, Abu Talib stood up and went to Darul-Nadwa, at the Kaaba, where the Quraishi leaders sat.
Abu-Talib addressed the sitting persons:
Quraish!
They got up for the respectful, old man. They listened to his words. They expected his surrender and defeat because of the ban.
But Shaikh al-Bat-ha said:
Quraish, my nephew Muhammad has told me that Allah ordered the white ant to eat your Ban Page. So it has eaten it all but His Name. if he is right, the end the ban.
Abu-Jahal said:
And, if he was a liar?
Abu Talib answered with confidence and belief:
I'll hand you my nephew.
The Quraishi leaders said:
Okay.
They opened the door of the Ka'aba. They found that the white ant had eaten every thing but Allah's Name.
The besieged got out of Abu Talib valley. Our Master Muhammad [s] and his companions began preaching Islam to the pilgrims of Allah's Holy House.
The Demise
Abu Talib was over eighty years of age. He became very invalid. So, he was confined to the bed. He thought about nothing but our Master Muhammad [s]. He knew that if he died, the Quraish would fear no one and they would kill his nephew.
The Quraishi leaders came to visit Shaikh al-Bat-ha. They said:
Abu Talib, you're our Shaikh and Master.
You're about to die. So, put an end to the enmity between your nephew and us. Tell him to stop hurting us. We'll stop hurting him. Tell him to leave us with our religion. We'll leave him with his religion.
Abu Talib looked at Abu Jahal, Abu Sufyan, and other Quraishi leaders. He said to them faintly:
If you hear Muhammad's words and obey his orders, you'll be happy. So, obey him and get happiness here and in the hereafter.
The atheists stood up. Abu Jahal said with spite:
Do you want us to make the gods one god?
Abu Talib was sad at the Quraishi stand. He was very anxious about our Master Muhammad's safety. So, he invited Bani Hashim and asked them to support our Master Muhammad [s] at any cost They all obeyed him. Then Abu Talib closed his eyes to die soundly.
Shaikh al-Bat-ha kept silent. He became a motionless body.
His son Ali wept bitter tears. Sad cries spread all over Makkah. The atheists rejoiced at his death.
Abu Jahal angrily said:
It's time to get my revenge on Muhammad.
Our Master Muhammad [s] came to say farewell. He kissed Abu Talib's bright forehead and murmured sadly:
Uncle, may Allah have mercy on you.
You educated me when I was small, looked after me when I became an orphan, and supported me when I became a grown-up.
So, may Allah reward you a lot.
Then he burst into tears. He began recalling the days of his childhood with his kind uncle. He embraced his cousin Ali. They began weeping together.
The Year of Sadness
Only a few weeks passed. Khadijah, Muhammad's wife died, too. So, our Master Muhammad [s] named that year the Year of Sadness.
The Quraish increased their harm against Muhammad and those who believed in him.
One day, a foolish person threw some dust at him. His head was covered with dust. So, he went home.
While Fatima, Muhammad's daughter, was washing his head, she began weeping. So, he patted her head and said:
Daughter, don't weep. Allah will save your father. He'll protect your father from the enemies of His religion and Mission.
Jibreel came down from the sky holding Allah's Order. He said:
Muhammad, go out of Makkah. Your supporter has died.
When the Quraish plotted to kill our Master Muhammad [s], Ali, Abu Talib's young son, came to sleep in his bed. He was ready to die for him.
Our Master Muhammad [s] went towards Yathrib (al-Madina al-Munawarah). From there the light of Islam started to illuminate the world.
When the Muslims go to visit Allah's Holy House every year, they remember the life of Shaikh al-Bat-ha when he was always defending Allah's religion.
Muhammad is Allah's Apostle, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate, among each other.
