The Boycott of Banu Hashim
حصار شعب أبي طالب
Summary
The Quraysh imposed a total social and economic boycott on Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib, drafting a document that forbade marriage, trade, or any dealings with them. The boycott lasted approximately three years, during which the Muslims suffered severe hardship in the valley (Shi'b) of Abu Talib.
Details
The boycott document was hung inside the Ka'bah. The Muslims were reduced to eating leaves and animal hides. The sounds of children crying from hunger could be heard outside the valley. Some sympathetic Quraysh secretly sent food. Eventually, the Prophet informed Abu Talib that Allah had sent termites to eat the document, leaving only the name of Allah. When this was confirmed, several Qurayshi leaders — including Hisham ibn Amr, Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah, and Mut'im ibn Adi — worked to annul the boycott.