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 they would not
listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they
laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and pelt him with
stones.
Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near a
wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to
Allah in these words: “ O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness,
helplessness and lowliness before men. 0 Most Merciful, Thou art the
Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave
my fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast
given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what
happens to me. Thy favor alone is my objective. I take refuge in the Light
of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on which this
world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me or Thy
wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou art well
pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee.” The wall
near which the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by
two brothers. When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him
and sent one of their slaves to him with a dish filled with grapes. Before
he began to eat, the Prophet (pbuh) said 'Bismillah'-'In the Name of
Allah.' The servant, whose name was „Addas, was very surprised at these
words, which he had never heard before. 'By Allah', said „Addas, 'this is
not the way the people of this country speak.' 'Then from what country do
you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet (pbuh). 'I
am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he replied. 'From the
town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added the Prophet 'How do
you know about him?' asked „Addas. 'He is my brother-he was a Prophet
and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). „Addas
bent down and kissed the Prophet's head, his hands and his feet, because
now he saw that he was truly a Prophet. The Prophet (pbuh) then walked
back to Mecca. He was now able to put up with everything patiently for
he knew that Allah would never leave him. His journey to Ta'if had not
been in vain for „Addas, the Christian, had become a Muslim, and this
was to he the beginning of great changes.
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 they would not
listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they
laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and pelt him with
stones.
Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near a
wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to
Allah in these words: “ O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness,
helplessness and lowliness before men. 0 Most Merciful, Thou art the
Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave
my fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast
given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what
happens to me. Thy favor alone is my objective. I take refuge in the Light
of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on which this
world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me or Thy
wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou art well
pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee.” The wall
near which the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by
two brothers. When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him
and sent one of their slaves to him with a dish filled with grapes. Before
he began to eat, the Prophet (pbuh) said 'Bismillah'-'In the Name of
Allah.' The servant, whose name was „Addas, was very surprised at these
words, which he had never heard before. 'By Allah', said „Addas, 'this is
not the way the people of this country speak.' 'Then from what country do
you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet (pbuh). 'I
am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he replied. 'From the
town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added the Prophet 'How do
you know about him?' asked „Addas. 'He is my brother-he was a Prophet
and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). „Addas
bent down and kissed the Prophet's head, his hands and his feet, because
now he saw that he was truly a Prophet. The Prophet (pbuh) then walked
back to Mecca. He was now able to put up with everything patiently for
he knew that Allah would never leave him. His journey to Ta'if had not
been in vain for „Addas, the Christian, had become a Muslim, and this
was to he the beginning of great changes.
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