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Delegation of the Quraysh met Abu Taalib

Some of the disbelievers among the Quraysh were peace-loving and wanted to settle the matter through negotiations. Therefore, some respected and rich individuals from the Quraysh came to Abu Taalib and complained him about the speeches made by the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمon invitation to Islam and condemnation of idol-worship. Abu Taalib talked to them very gently, so they left. On the other hand, following the Divine commandment‘فَاصۡدَعۡ بِمَا تُؤۡمَـرُ’1 , the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمcontinued to make speeches in public on the Oneness of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and condemnation of polytheism and idol-worship. This made the Quraysh angry once again. Therefore, all the leaders of the Quraysh including ‘Utbah, Shaybah, Abu Sufyan, ‘Aas Bin Hishaam, Abu Jahl, Waleed Bin Mugheerah and ‘Aas Bin Waa’il, etc. came to Abu Taalib in the form of a group and said, ‘Your nephew blasphemes [i.e. insults] our gods. You either dissociate yourself from this matter and hand him over to us or get prepared to fight against us.’ Observing the threatening tone and aggressive manner of the Quraysh, Abu Taalib realized that it was a very crucial and dangerous situation. The disbelievers could no longer bear it and he was not strong enough to face the entire Quraysh alone. Hence Abu Taalib said to the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمin a very sincere and sympathetic tone, ‘O my dear nephew! Have mercy on the white beard of your old uncle. Do not place the burden on me in old age that I cannot bear. Each and every child of the Quraysh used to treat me with great respect, but today the leaders of the Quraysh has talked to me so aggressively and angrily that they would now draw swords against me and you. Hence I suggest that you stop invitation to Islam for a few days.’ Until then, Abu Taalib was the only apparent supporter of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. When the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمnoticed that even Abu Taalib was not in a position to continue to support him, he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمsaid in an emotional tone, ‘Dear uncle! By Almighty! If the Quraysh placed the moon on my one hand and the sun on the other, even then I would not give up fulfilling my obligation. Either the Almighty would enable me to achieve it or I would sacrifice my life for Islam.’ Listening to these emotionally expressed words of his nephew, Abu Taalib’s heart melted and he was extremely impressed. Full of affection for his nephew, he said with absolute determination, ‘Dear nephew! I am with you. As long as I am alive, nobody can do you any harm.’2


1Therefore publicly announce what you are commanded.
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 14, Surah Al-Hijr, Ayah 94)
2As-Seerat-un-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hishaam, pp. 103, 104; summarised

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