The constant failures of the Quraish had greatly infuriated them. Firstly and foremost they were compelled to face humiliation in the matter of Abū Ṭālib and they failed to separate the Banū Hāshim from the Muslims. After this, by subjecting the Muslims to countless hardships and torture, they witnessed that this rock is not about to move from its place. After this, the acceptance of Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzahra and Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra opened their eyes to the actuality that, despite remaining in opposition from the start, even eminent people are not safe from merging into the flow of Islām. After this, the delegation to Abyssinia returned from the royal court of the Negus in loss and failure, and the Quraish were confronted with severe humiliation in this matter. Now they had failed profusely in their direct negotiation with the Holy Prophetsa. These continuous failures and humiliations had set the Quraish aflame. Therefore, as a practical endeavour, through mutual deliberation they decided that all relationships with the Holy Prophetsa, and all the members of the Banū Hāshim and Banū Muṭṭalib be severed, and if they refuse to relinquish their protection of the Holy Prophetsa, they should be besieged in one place and destroyed. Therefore, in Muḥarram of 7 Nabawī1 a proper agreement was drafted that no individual shall marry any member of the Banū Hāshim or Banū Muṭṭalib dynasty. None shall sell anything to them or purchase anything from them, nor shall they let any food or drink reach them. They shall not keep any relations with them until they separate themselves from Muḥammad[sa] and hand him over to them.2 This agreement in which the Banū Kinānah were also included, along with the Quraish3, was formally written and signed by the main chieftains of the Quraish and hung to the wall of the Ka‘bah in the form of a significant national testament. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa and all of the Banū Hāshim and Banū Muṭṭalib, whether Muslim or disbeliever (except Abū Lahab the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophetsa, who in the infatuation of his animosity sided with the Quraish), were besieged in a mountainous valley called the The Valley of Abū Ṭālib. In this way two large tribes of the Quraish were completely cut off from the social life of Makkah and were imprisoned under close watch, in the The Valley of Abū Ṭālib, which was a valley belonging to the Banū Hāshim.4 The very few other Muslims who still resided in Makkah were also with the Holy Prophetsa.
To read about the difficulties and hardships that these detainees were compelled to bear makes the body tremble. Companions of the Holy Prophetsa narrate that sometimes, like animals, they survived by eating the leaves of wild trees.5 Sa‘d bin Abī Waqqāṣra states that once, during the night, his foot fell upon something that seemed to be moist and soft (perhaps it was the piece of a date). At that time, he was in such a state of hunger that he immediately picked it up and swallowed it. He states that until this day I do not know what that thing was. On another occasion, due to extreme hunger, when he found a dry piece of skin on the ground, he took it, softened it and cleaned it with water, cooked it, and ate it. He spent three days in this state of divine hospitality.6 As far as the children were concerned, the sounds of their crying and screaming could be heard outside the encampment, and this would please the Quraish.7 However, all the enemies of Islām were not the same. When some witnessed these grievous sights, their hearts would develop emotions of mercy. Hence, Ḥakīm bin Ḥizāmra would sometimes secretly take food for his paternal aunt Ḥaḍrat Khadījahra. However, once Abū Jahl learnt of this and this ill-fated man strictly forbade him on the way, and the situation escalated to a physical confrontation.8 This tribulation remained for approximately two and a half to three years. During this time Muslims could not come out, except during the season of Ḥajj, when there was peace due to the sacred months.9
1 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 100, Bābu Dhikri Ḥaṣri Quraisha Rasūlillāhisa wa Banī Hāshim fish-Sha‘bi, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
2 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 256, Bābu Khabriṣ-Ṣaḥīfah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, Volume 1, p. 100, By Ibni Sa‘d, Bābu Dhikri Ḥaṣri Quraisha Rasūlillāhisa wa Banī Hāshim fish-Sha‘bi, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, pp. 236-237, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābul-Ḥajj, Bābu Nuzūlin-Nabīsa Makkah, Ḥadīth No. 1590
4 * Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, pp. 236-237, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
* Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 100, Bābu Dhikri Ḥaṣri Quraisha Rasūlillāhisa wa Banī Hāshim fish-Sha‘bi, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
* As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 256, Bābu Khabriṣ-Ṣaḥīfah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
5 Ar-Rauḍul-Anf, By Imām Abul-Qāsim ‘Abdur-Raḥmān Suhailī, Volume 2, p. 161, Bābun ‘Anish-Sha‘bi wa Naqdiṣ-Ṣaḥīfah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
6 Ar-Rauḍul-Anf, By Imām Abul-Qāsim ‘Abdur-Raḥmān Suhailī, Volume 2, p. 161, Bābun ‘Anish-Sha‘bi wa Naqdiṣ-Ṣaḥīfah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
7 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 100, Bābu Dhikri Ḥaṣri Quraisha Rasūlillāhisa wa Banī Hāshim fish-Sha‘bi, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
8 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 259, Bābu Khabriṣ-Ṣaḥīfah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
9 Aṭ-Ṭabaqātul-Kubrā, By Muḥammad bin Sa‘d, Volume 1, p. 100, Bābu Dhikri Ḥaṣri Quraisha Rasūlillāhisa wa Banī Hāshim fish-Sha‘bi, Dārul-Iḥyā’it-Turāthil-‘Arabī, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)