Episode Summary
This episode chronicles the most severe trial faced by the Prophet (saw) and his clan in Makkah: a three-year social and economic boycott. After the Quraysh publicly declared their intent to assassinate the Prophet, Abu Talib moved the entire Banu Abdul Mutallib clan to a private valley for protection. The narrative details the harrowing starvation endured by the family, the miserable end of the traitor Abu Lahab, and the miraculous intervention of termites that eventually led to the annulment of the oppressive pact.
Key Highlights
- The Quraysh enforced a total boycott on business, marriage, and social interaction with Banu Hashim to force them to hand over the Prophet.
- Banu Abdul Mutallib—including non-Muslims—spent three years in a valley (Shi-eb of Abi Talib) where children's cries of hunger could be heard in Makkah.
- Abu Lahab abandoned his family to side with the Quraysh, later dying in a diseased and lonely state where even his family refused to touch his body.
- Muslims, including Hamza, saved Abu Jahl's life during a brawl to prevent a bloodbath that would have further endangered the Ummah.
- Termites miraculously ate every mention of Allah and the Prophet from the boycott parchment, leaving only the oppressive words of the Quraysh.
- Abu Talib delivered a powerful speech appealing to the honor of the Quraysh, leading to the public tearing of the pact.
Comprehensive Analysis
1. The Siege of Shi-eb Abi Talib
After the Quraysh publicly declared their intent to assassinate the Prophet (saw), Abu Talib took the drastic measure of moving his entire clan to a family-owned valley outside the city. This included relatives who had not accepted Islam but supported the Prophet out of family honour. In response, the Quraysh established a formal social and economic boycott: no one was permitted to talk to, marry into, or conduct business with the clan. For three years, the family endured extreme starvation, often reduced to hearing the screams of hungry children echoing through the valley.
2. The Betrayal and Death of Abu Lahab
Abu Lahab was the only member of Banu Abdul Mutallib to abandon his family, declaring his allegiance to the idols Al-lat and Uzza to avoid the boycott. However, the sources note he suffered a wretched end: he became paralyzed and diseased, covered in boils and rashes. His own family eventually kicked him out to live in a shed, and when he died, they were so repulsed by his condition that they paid servants to bury him. His body was reportedly followed and torn by wild dogs before it could be placed in a hidden grave.
3. Strategic Restraint and Internal Tension
Despite the boycott, some Makkans felt deep sympathy for their starving neighbours. When Hakim ibn Hizam attempted to deliver food to his aunt Khadijah (ra), a confrontation broke out between Abu Jahl and a man named Abul Bukhtari, who ended up cracking a camel jawbone over Abu Jahl’s head. Remarkably, Hamza and other Muslims intervened to save Abu Jahl’s life. They did this strategically, knowing that if a Quraysh leader were killed near the valley, it would give the opposition a pretext for a total massacre.
4. The Miracle of the Termites
As the suffering became unbearable, the Prophet (saw) informed Abu Talib of a divine sign: Allah had sent termites and insects to eat the boycott parchment hanging at the Ka’bah. The insects had consumed every mention of the names of Allah and the Prophet, leaving only the “vile and oppressive” words of the Quraysh. Abu Talib used this information to challenge the Quraysh leaders, offering to hand over the Prophet for execution only if the parchment remained undisturbed. When the leather case was opened, the parchment was found exactly as the Prophet had described.
5. The Annulment and Return
Bolstered by the miracle, Abu Talib delivered a stirring poetic address at the Haram, appealing to the Quraysh’s sense of decency and warning them of the “bitter milk of war” if they continued. Moved by his words and the miraculous sign, several prominent leaders broke away from Abu Jahl and physically tore up the pact. The boycott ended three years after it began, and the families finally returned to Makkah. The sources also note that the man who originally penned the oppressive agreement, Mansur ibn Ikrama, had his hands permanently paralyzed after the Prophet made a du’a against him.