Second and third deputation with Abu Talib: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:09, 15 September 2022

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:''This is a sub-article to [[Muhammad before Medina]].''

Following the failed attempt from the [[Mecca]]n polytheists to have those [[Muslim]]s who were part of the [[second migration to Abyssinia]] expelled and handed back to [[Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans|their persecutors]], the Meccans tried to negotiated with Muhammad's protector and uncle [[Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib]], who was still in Mecca with his nephew to have Muhammad [[ostracized]], a significant demand from the Meccans considering that [[social death]] would often result in death or slavery in the [[Pre-Islamic Arabia]]n culture ({{lang-langx|ar|[[Jahiliyyah]]|script=Latn}}).

Historical sources do not give the exact date of these two meetings with Abu Talib. They seem, however more likely to have taken place in {{BH|7|614–615}} with a brief lapse of time in between.<ref name=sunnipath2>[[The Sealed Nectar]] on [http://www.sunnipath.com/Resources/PrintMedia/Books/B0033P0017.aspx sunnipath.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128120537/http://www.sunnipath.com/Resources/PrintMedia/Books/B0033P0017.aspx |date=2006-11-28 }}</ref>

==Second deputation==

[[Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib]] held significant power in Mecca as the head of the [[Banu Hashim]], and this protection made it impossible to have Muhammad silenced or subjected to the kind of [[Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans|torture meted out against the Muslims without protection]].<ref name=sunnipath2/> The [[Polytheism|polytheist]] Meccan leaders approached Abu Talib again and insisted he put a stop to his nephew, Muhammad's preaching of [[monotheism]] ({{lang-langx|ar|[[tawhid]]|script=Latn}}), warning that otherwise he would be faced with severe hostility.<ref name=sunnipath2/>

Their enmity and open threats of a breach between Abu Talib's clan, the [[Banu Hashim]] and the rest of the [[Quraysh (tribe)|Banu Quraish]] distressed Abu Talib who was aware of the cost that his nephew Muhammad had to pay if deserted . Abu Talib sent for Muhammad and told him the news, ''"Spare me and yourself and put not burden on me that I can't bear"''. Muhammad thought that his uncle would let him down and would no longer support him, so he replied: ''"O my uncle! [[by Allah|by God]] if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this course, until God has made me victorious, or I perish therein, I would not abandon it."'' Muhammad got up, and as he turned away, his uncle called back and then said ''"Go and preach what you please, for by God I will never forsake you."''. Abu Talib then recited two lines of verse with meanings of full support to Muhammad.<ref name=sunnipath2/>

==Third deputation==

Realizing that Muhammad would not relent and that Abu Talib was not to forsake his nephew even when his clan was threatened, they tried and arranged for a third deputation. They brought Ammarah ibn Walid ({{lang-langx|ar|عمارة بن وليد}}), the son of the powerful and rich war-clan leader [[Walid ibn al-Mughira]] and brother of the undefeated general [[Khalid ibn al-Walid]] and said:<ref name=sunnipath2/>

{{cquote|

''"O Abu Talib! we have brought you a smart boy still in the bloom of his youth, to make use of his mind and strength and take him as your son in exchange for your nephew, who has run counter to your religion, brought about social discord, found fault with your way of life, so that we kill him and rid you of his endless troubles; just man for man."''<ref name=sunnipath2/>