There are mountains surrounding Mecca. In Arabic, “shib” means “a ravine” or “gorge.” A narrow path or field between two high mountains is called a ravine. According to Arab custom, these ravines belonged to tribes. One such ravine was inherited by Abu Talib, which became famous as the Shib of Abu Talib.

When the Negus of Abyssinia refused to send the Muslims back to Mecca and the disbelievers’ representatives returned in failure, the number of Muslims in Mecca was increasing. Around this time, two influential and vital figures of Mecca, Umar Farooq and Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with them), accepted Islam.

Seeing these developments, the disbelievers were filled with rage.

In the seventh year of Prophethood, all the chiefs of Mecca gathered and wrote a covenant. It stated that until the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib handed over Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) to them:

1. No one shall associate with the families of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib.
2. No one shall engage in any kind of buying or selling with them.
3. No one shall marry into their family.
4. No one shall host them as guests or give them any food or drink.

Forty chiefs of Mecca signed this covenant and hung it on the wall of the Kaaba. According to this covenant, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) and the Muslims were exiled from Mecca. Even those members of the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib families who had not accepted Islam went out of Mecca and into the Shib of Abu Talib.

The disbelievers enforced a complete boycott for three years. They did not allow any food or drink to reach the ravine. The Muslims in the ravine had no household goods. The heat of the sun and the cold of the nights were endured by everyone—the elderly, the young, and the children. Little children would cry from hunger. Their cries could be heard far away outside the ravine. Some people in Mecca, seeing their loved ones in distress, would secretly send them food and drink.

One day, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) said to Abu Talib, “Uncle, Allah Almighty has informed me that the covenant written by the chiefs and hung in the Kaaba has been eaten away by termites. Only the part on which the name of Allah Almighty was written remains.”

A few elders in Mecca disliked this covenant. They gathered and decided that this tyrannical decision should be ended, and the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib should be called back into the city. While they were talking, Prophet Muhammad’s Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) uncle, Abu Talib, arrived and said to the boycotters, “O people of Quraish! My nephew Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) has informed me that the covenant you wrote and hung on the Kaaba has been eaten away by termites. Only the name of Allah remains. Now, bring the covenant and see. If what Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) said is true, you should end the boycott. If not, I will hand Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) over to you.”

The disbelievers agreed to Abu Talib’s proposal. They brought the covenant and saw that what the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) had said was correct. In this way, the covenant was ended, and the Muslims came out of the Shib of Abu Talib.

A short time later, the Muslims were struck by a great tragedy. The Prophet’s kind uncle, Abu Talib, passed away. اِنَّا لِلّٰہِ وَاِنَّآ اِلَیْہِ رَاجِعُوْنَ Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (“Indeed we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”)

Abu Talib had raised Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace Be Upon Him) from childhood and supported him at every stage of his life. The sorrow of Abu Talib’s death had not yet subsided when Bibi Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) also passed away. For this reason, that year was named ‘Aam al-Huzn’ (The Year of Sorrow).