THE STORY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD - Year of Grief (‘Aamul Huzni), Death of Abu Talib and Khadijah

Abu Talib, the Uncle of Prophet Muhammad who always protected him, began to experience increasingly severe pain. Finally he died in the month of Rajab in 10 years, after six months from the cancellation of the boycott. At that time Abu Talib was over eighty years old. After Quraysh learned that he was sick, which might be the end of his life, they were worried about what would happen between them and Prophet Muhammad and his companions. Especially on the Muslim side there were Hamzah and Umar. So the Quraysh intended to meet Abu Talib so that they would be left with their own religion and  Prophet Muhammad also with his religion. But Prophet Muhammad also came in the hope that Abu Talib would convert to Islam at the end of his life.

In the saheeh history (Bukhari narrated from Al-Musayyab), it is explained that the Prophet came to Abu Talib who was dying. Likewise Abu Jahal was already by Abu Talib's side.

Rasulullah said, "O my uncle, say: Laa Ilaaha Illallah, the sentence that I use to defend you by Allah".

Abu Jahal and Abdullah bin Abi Umayyah said, "O Abu Talib, do you hate the religion of Abdul Muttalib?".

They said it repeatedly, until finally Abu Talib said, "I remain in the religion of Abdul Muttalib".

So Rasulullah said, "I will ask forgiveness for you, while I am not forbidden in that matter".

Then comes the word of Allah SWT in surah At-Tawbah verse 113:

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَن يَسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ لِلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ وَلَوۡ كَانُوٓاْ أُوْلِي قُرۡبَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمۡ أَنَّهُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡجَحِيمِ  ١١٣

113.  It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire.

Also comes surah Al-Qashash verse 56:

إِنَّكَ لَا تَهۡدِي مَنۡ أَحۡبَبۡتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ  ٥٦

56.  Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

Thus, Abu Talib remained in disbelief until his death, although during his lifetime he always defended and protected Rasulullah in various circumstances. With his protection, Islamic teachings can be spread and cannot be stopped by the polytheists. In the Sahih Bukhari, a narrative from Al-Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib who said to Rasulullah, "Can you not help your uncle? He always protects you and defends you ".

Rasulullah replied, "He is at the end of the fire of hell, if not because me, it is certainly in the bottom layer of hell fire".

From Abu Said Al-Khudri, related that he heard Rasulullah say about Abu Talib, his words were, "May my intercession help him on the Day of Judgment, he will be put at the end of the fire until it burns his two heels".

Only two or three months after Abu Talib's death, Rasulullah was also left by the person he loved so much. Ummul Mu'minin, Khadijah Al-Kubro radhiallahuanha, died in the 10th year of prophecy at the age of 65, while Rasulullah was 50 years old at that time.

Khadijah is a wife who always accompanies Rasulullah in the toughest times of his preaching. Khadijah who always gave wealth and sacrificed everything to help preach the teachings of Islam brought by Rasulullah. Khadijah has devoted all his love and loyalty to Rasulullah with a good feeling, a clean heart, and the power of faith that is in her. Khadijah always entertained Rasulullah when he was in sadness, eliminating his fear of himself. Khadijah always believed in the honesty of Rasulullah.

Prophet Muhammad had his own view of Khadija, "She believed in me when the Kufr people not believe me, she justified me when people denied me, she gave his wealth to me when people prevented his wealth for me, and God gave me descent through her, while others did not get it ".

The two events of suffering were very influential on Prophet Muhammad because these two people had a big role in their lives, both before becoming a Prophet and as a Messenger of Allah. Meanwhile, the pressure and disturbance of the infidels was getting heavier because there was no Abu Talib who always protected him.

Ibn Ishaq said that Hisham bin Urwah said to me from his father, Urwah bin Az-Zubair who said, "After the insane person of the Quraysh sprinkled the land on the head of Rasulullah Shallallaahu Alaihi wa Sallam, he entered the house while the land was still in his head. One of his daughters stood up to clean his head from the ground while crying. Rasulullah Shallallaahu Alaihi wa Sallam said to her, ‘Don't cry my child, because in fact Allah always protects your father. 'He also said,' The Quraysh people never succeeded in doing something I did not like me until Abu Talib passed away '.

Therefore, this year in the history of the Prophet's life is also called the Year of Grief (‘Aamul Huzni).

Reference:

·         Mubarakfuri, Syekh Shafiyyur-Rahman, and Haidir, Abdullah (Translator). 2005. Sejarah Hidup dan Perjuangan Rasulullah. Riyadh: Kantor Dakwah dan Bimbingan bagi Pendatang Al-Sulay.

·         Haekal, Muhammad Husain, and Audah, Ali (Translator). Sejarah Hidup Muhammad.

·         Al-Mubarakfuriyy, Syeikh Safy Al-Rahman. Seerah Nabawiyyah, Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum.

·         Abu Muhammad Abdul Malik bin Hisyam Al-Muafiri. Sirah Nabawiyah Ibnu Hisyam. 2000. Jakarta Timur: Darul Falah.