The Bani Hashim clan and the faithful followers of The Honourable Prophet (m.p.h.) suffered extraordinarily under the isolation act taken by the Kurish. As narrated by Sa’ad bin Waqqash from his nasty experience. “One night I walked out of the barren and dry valley in a state of completely devoid of energy. I then noticed a dry camel skin. I took it, cleansed it properly, roasted it and shredded   it into many pieces for distribution as food among the victims”. 

The Kurish secret police were constantly monitoring this isolation valley, such that the Bani Hashim Clan were not able to receive any outside help. However, there were occasions that  Khadijah”s nephews, Hakim bin Hizam, Abul Ash bin Rabi and Hisyam  bin Umar secretly brought wheat and dates to this valley of torture for The Honourable Prophet (m.p.h.) and his followers. These were done at night using camels which they released in the direction of the valley. Unfortunately, the enemies knew about this. The enemy leader, Abu Jahal once met and caught these people who brought in the supplies. They were then sentenced, imprisoned, tortured and humiliated. 

The cruelties that the Kurish imposed on the victims were extremely inhumane. The cries for hunger and thirst from babies and young children became worst.  Many became ill and died. These atrocities imposed on the Bani Hashim clan continued for 3 years.  

You can imagine how one felt when deprived of food and water for 3 years. Their bodies would be extremely thin where skeletons were apparently just wrapped in bags of skins without any vigour. Their  situation was worse that  the sufferings that the Bosnian experienced in their prison camps and the Kosovo refugees in their camps organised by United Nations and other voluntary organisations. The Bani Hashim clan did not have camps. They were just left in the barren and arid dessert and faced complete isolation by the Kurish. 

A Bani Hashim clan member, Hisyam bin Umar once asked a Kurish, Zuhair bin Abi Umayah . “Is it fair for you to eat those delicious foods and wear those beautiful clothes when the other members of your family are hungry and naked?” 

Awareness of the cruelties imposed by the Kurish soon grew among the comman public. The comman man soon rose against these inhumane treatments. They could no longer stand by and watched theses atrocities imposed on the Bani Hashim clan continuing. Their silent protests soon became public outcry. They gathered in groups to organise meetings, make decisions and publicly declared that the cruel isolation be stopped. It has taken too many of their family members lives from the Bani Hashim clan.  

Abu Jahal tried to counteract these public demonstrations, but he could not stop it. This peaceful demonstration led by Zuhair and his friends were slowly influencing the minds of many Kurish members. The appeal by Zuhair for the agreement to isolate the Bani Hashim clan be annulled was agreed by the public majority. Many members from the Kurish clan declared that the agreement to isolate be stopped immediately. 

Abu Jahal and the Kurish Leaders could no longer take the public pressures and protests that came from all angles within the Kurish clan itself. As a result Mut’am and his men seized the opportunity to go to the Ka’abah to fine the written agreement. The agreement however has been eaten by termites with the only remaining part left as “in the name of Allah”, which showed the introductory part of the agreement. Allah has destroyed the agreement.  Mut’am immediately tore the agreement with the approval and support from the public. 

This episode was conveyed to The Honourable Prophet (m.p.h.) by Abu Talib. The isolation has legitimately ended and the Bani Hashim clan then returned to their homes in a very sorry state. Many were either ill or have since died. “From Allah we came and to Allah we return.”

 (To be continued)

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