The Year of Sorrow

In the tenth year of the prophethood, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle and protector, died. Two or three months later Khadija died. The Prophet named that year "the Year of Sorrow", and by this title it became known in history ^{1 2 3}.

When Abu Talib died, Quraysh inflicted on the Prophet what they had not dared to inflict while Abu Talib was alive. They openly moved against him with punishment and harm, until he went out to al-Ta'if hoping that they would respond to him, or shelter him and support him against his people. He found no one who would give him shelter, and they harmed him most severely ³. The Prophet said, as Ibn Ishaq relates: "Quraysh did not reach me with anything I disliked until Abu Talib died" ³.

The pressure also mounted on the Prophet's companions. Abu Bakr resolved to emigrate from Mecca and reached Barak al-Ghimad on his way to Abyssinia, but Ibn al-Dughunna brought him back under his protection ^{3 4}.

• The book notes that most sources agree the siege lasted three years, and that the siege began on the night of the new moon of Muharram in the seventh year of the prophethood ¹.