Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
10. The Prophet in Makkah
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the Banu Hashim. Abu Talib took his nephew, and
the whole of his family, out of Makkah, and they
took up their abode in ravine known after Abu
Talib. Except for a few wild trees, there was
nothing in this mountain pass. For three years
Abu Talib’s family lived on the leaves and roots of
these trees. Their only respite was during the four
sacred months, when the Banu Hashim used to
come to Makkah. They would take back animals
of sacrifice and live for a few months on the dried
meat that they prepared.
After three years, in the tenth year of the
Prophet’s mission, the pact to ostracize him that
the Quraysh had made among themselves came
to an end. The Banu Hashim were now able to
return to Makkah. But the strain of the time in
exile had been too much for Abu Talib, and he
died in the same year (A.D. 620). ‘Abd al-’Uzza,
known as Abu Lahab, became chief of the Banu
Hashim. He was an implacable opponent of the
Prophet, and took the decision that Abu Talib
had held back from: he expelled the Prophet from
his tribe.
