Abu Talib gathers Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib

Abu Talib saw that Quraysh were resolved to break his protection and kill his nephew. He gathered the Banu Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib and called on them to protect his nephew and to stand between him and harm. They answered him, Muslim and unbelieving alike, out of zeal for the Arab bond of protection, except his brother Abu Lahab, who left them and sided with Quraysh ^{1 2 3}.

The book records the events that followed: Quraysh's threat of a fight, the offer of 'Umara ibn al-Walid, so that the Prophet ﷺ might be killed, the seizing of the Prophet by Abu Jahl, the choking of him by 'Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt, and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) coming out with a sword. Abu Talib sensed the smell of evil ^{1 2}. He became convinced that the idolaters had agreed to kill the Prophet openly, and this is alluded to in a verse of Surat al-Zukhruf ².

He stood among the people of his household, from the Banu Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib ibn Abd Manaf, and called on them to protect his nephew. They all answered him except Abu Lahab ².

• The book reads the cited verse as an allusion to an agreement to kill. This is the author's interpretation.