Hazrat
Abu Talib (a.s.) was the beloved uncle of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and
the respectable father of the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.). To
protect and safeguard his nephew (s.a.w.a.s.), he did not openly recite the
“Shahadah”. He was the custodian of Ka’ba and the strong man of Makkah. Quraish
feared and respected him. He was like “The Momin of Surah Yasin” and “The Shia
of Prophet Musa” who advised him about the plan of Pharaoh and his advisors to
kill him. His wife was Hazrat Fatima bint Assad (s.a.). They nourished and
raised the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) when he was a young orphan. She would
give the best of the food to him and if the food is insufficient, she
will give it to him while
her own sons sleep hungry. The Quraish respected him for 40 years and gave him
the titles of “The Truthful and The Trustworthy”.
As soon as the Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) announced about his Prophet hood, they became his staunch
enemy. People of Makkah, specially the oppressed poor class people, slowly
began accepting the new faith. The Quraish tortured them. When the number of
new Muslims increased, the Quraish became furious and worried. They complained
to Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s.) to ask his nephew to stop his noble mission, but he
refused.
The Quraish prepared a covenant, after consulting other
tribes, detailing the terms of the
blockade against Hashemites stating as an act of war without truce, not to
marry from them and not to let them marry from them, not to sell or buy from
each other, without any mercy or pity. Nothing would make Quraish to give up
the blockade unless they hand over the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.). A signed
copy was hanged on the wall of Ka’ba.
Hazrat Abu Talib (a.s.) criticized and warned them of the
disastrous consequences. He discussed it with all the Hashemites and decided to
go to the Shi’b (mountain pass) to be safe from Quraish. They were in great
distress. Hunger harmed them extremely until they were obliged to eat the
leaves of the tree. To protect his nephew, he would spread his bed before the
sight of all. He remained awake the whole night. He would take his nephew to
his son Ali (a.s.) and let him sleep in Ali’s bed. After three years, Allah revealed to His Prophet that
He had made the termite eat the blockade document except the name of Allah.
Sir
William Muir described the Siege as, “It should be pointed here that the hatred
and anger of the Umayyad clan of the Quraish was directed not against Muslims
but against the clan of Banu Hashim. Their aim was to destroy Islam. But they
could not destroy Islam without killing Muhammad. They made numerous attempts
to kill him, but they failed because he was beyond their reach. He was safe and
comfortable in the “fortress” which Abu Talib and Banu Hashim had built for
him. Ali was 16 years old and he was charged with the most difficult and dangerous
task of victualling the whole clan. He discharged this duty at great risk to
his own life and brought water and grain whenever he could find any” (A
Restatement of the History of Islam by Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy)
All this time, the sacred ladies of Islam like Sayyida
Khadija (s.a.), the richest woman in Hijaz, who gave her entire huge wealth to
her beloved husband (s.a.w.a.s.) for use in the maintenance and spread of Islam,
Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.), the Chief of the Women of the World, Sayyida
Fatima bint Assad (s.a.), who gave birth to Imam Ali (a.s.) inside the sacred
Ka’ba. They patiently endured the hardship for the pleasure of Allah.
The Covid-19 Virus Pandemic have locked down the huge population
of the world but at least people are staying in their homes comfortably, eating
and drinking.
Sources: Abu Talib the Faithful of
Quraish by Abdullah al-Khunayzi, A Restatement of the History of Islam and
Muslims by Ali Asghar Razwy
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