Accompanying the Holy Prophet (sa) in Shi’b Abi Talib
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) also accompanied the Holy Prophet (sa) in Shi‘b Abi Talib. After meeting with failure in every possible effort to curb the spread of the message of the unity of God, the Quraish decided to boycott Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib as a practical measure. Regarding this, in his book, The Life and Character of the Seal of the Prophets (sa), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) writes:
“Therefore, as a practical endeavour, through mutual deliberation they decided that all relationships with the Holy Prophet (sa), and all the members of the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib be severed, and if they refused to relinquish their protection of the Holy Prophet (sa), they should be besieged in one place and destroyed. Therefore, in Muharram of 7 Nabawi, a proper agreement was drafted that no individual would marry any member of the Banu Hashim or Banu Muttalib dynasty. No one would sell anything to them or purchase anything from them, nor would they let any food or drink reach them. They shall not keep any relations with them”.
These days, certain Ahmadis in some places are also treated in this manner. In any case it further states:
“They would not keep any relations with them until they separated themselves from Muhammad (sa) and handed him over to them. This agreement in which the Banu Kinanah were also included, along with the Quraish, 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 Prophet (sa) and all of the Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib, whether Muslim or disbeliever”, except Abu Lahab the paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet (sa), who, in the infatuation of his animosity, sided with the Quraish, “were besieged in a mountainous valley called the Valley of Abu Talib. 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 Valley of Abu Talib, which was a valley belonging to the Banu Hashim. The very few other Muslims who still resided in Mecca were also with the Holy Prophet (sa).”
(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 166)
Even in these extremely difficult circumstances, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) did not leave the Holy Prophet (sa).
Hazrat Shah Walliullah (rh) states:
“When the Quraish unanimously agreed upon afflicting harm to the Holy Prophet (sa) and they wrote a formal document, Hazrat [Abu Bakr] Siddiq (ra) remained with the Holy Prophet (sa). In relation to this incident, Abu Talib uttered the following couplet:
هُمْ رَجَعُوْا سَهْلَ ابْنَ بَيْضَاءَ رَاضِيًا فَسُرَّ أَبُوْ بَكْرٍ بِهَا وَمُحَمَّدُ
“‘When they happily sent back Sahl bin Baida, Abu Bakr (ra) and Muhammad (sa) expressed their delight.’”
(Shah Waliullah, Izalat al-Ikhfa – Urdu Translation, Ishtiaq Ahmad Deobandi, Vol. 3, pp. 39-40, Qadimi Kutub Khana Aram Bagh, Karachi) (Sayyiduna Siddiq Akbar (ra) ke Shabb aw Roz, p. 30)
In other words, when the Quraish of Mecca ended this boycott, Abu Talib recited some couplets, one of which was the aforementioned couplet in that the Holy Prophet (sa) and Abu Bakr (ra) expressed their happiness when the boycott came to an end.