13 - The Year of Sorrow

Editor

In the tenth year of Prophethood, the Prophet’s uncle Abu Talib, who had given him constant support, and his wife Khadija, with whom he had shared a happy life for twenty-five years, passed away only three days apart from one another (10 Ramadan/19 April 620). Their demise deeply saddened the Prophet and the Muslims. Thus, this year came to be known as the Year of Sorrow. Becoming the leader of the Banu Hashim with the death of Abu Talib, Abu Lahab who had not accepted the Prophethood of Muhammad consented to take the Prophet under his protection due to the insistence if his sisters. However, some time later he changed his mind having been spurred on by 'Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ayt and Abu Jahl. For this reason, the Prophet is later only able to reenter Makka under the protection of another Qurayshi on his return from Ta’if.