The Year of Sorrow
The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal
way of life but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very
weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the
Prophet (pbuh) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first
person to accept Islam and support him. She had been a
refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-
heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He had loved
her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which
became known as the 'Year of Sorrow'. Soon after this, the
Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also
died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in
Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though he had never
been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (pbuh)
against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the
Prophet (pbuh) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab
custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe
so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle,
the Prophet's protection was gone.
The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a
wife to console and comfort him, and without his uncle to
protect him. They began to treat him worse than ever before.
Even small children insulted him. One young man actually
threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but the Prophet (pbuh)
went home without making anything of it. When one of his
daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her
saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your
father.' Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh
and the Prophet (pbuh) now felt that Islam could make no
further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were
closed against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if
where he hoped to find support. He walked all the way to the
town, which was seventy kilometers away. There he spoke in
all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to
him. He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but
The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal
way of life but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very
weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the
Prophet (pbuh) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first
person to accept Islam and support him. She had been a
refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-
heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He had loved
her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which
became known as the 'Year of Sorrow'. Soon after this, the
Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also
died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in
Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though he had never
been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (pbuh)
against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the
Prophet (pbuh) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab
custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe
so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle,
the Prophet's protection was gone.
The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a
wife to console and comfort him, and without his uncle to
protect him. They began to treat him worse than ever before.
Even small children insulted him. One young man actually
threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but the Prophet (pbuh)
went home without making anything of it. When one of his
daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her
saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your
father.' Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh
and the Prophet (pbuh) now felt that Islam could make no
further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were
closed against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if
where he hoped to find support. He walked all the way to the
town, which was seventy kilometers away. There he spoke in
all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to
him. He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but