The Year of Sorrow was the same year in which he emerged from the valley after a three-year-long siege. He, along with the men, women, and children who were with him, had come close to dying of hunger. What pained him most and weighed most heavily on his heart was hearing the children crying from hunger while he was unable to bring them anything good or protect them from harm. Yet the presence of his uncle, guardian, and defender eased some of his suffering, because Abu Talib would console him, comfort him, strengthen his resolve, and give him preference over himself and his own children. He knew that no matter how intense Quraysh's hatred became, they would not be able to achieve what they wanted against him as long as Abu Talib, peace be upon him, remained alive in this world.

He had seen Abu Talib stand by him during the most difficult circumstances he had ever faced. Abu Talib would offer his own sons as sacrifices for him, ordering them to sleep in the Prophet's bed while taking the Prophet by the hand and leading him to their beds, out of fear that someone might assassinate him. If any of the polytheists attempted such an act, Abu Talib was willing to sacrifice his dearest son for his nephew.

Muhammad witnessed all of this, and it eased his suffering and reassured him about the progress of his mission. When he returned home, he found his faithful wife, Khadijah, sincere in her faith and loyalty. She would welcome him with her heart and cheerful disposition, making his hardships easier to bear. In her, he saw a wife who had shared his hardships and suffering and had never wavered, even for a single moment. Rather, she had devoted her considerable wealth and everything she possessed in status and money to the success of his mission.

In the tenth year after the beginning of his mission, which he himself called the Year of Sorrow, and in the month of Ramadan of that year, as a number of historians believe, Abu Talib—who had passed the age of eighty—became ill. The illness began to consume him, and he sensed that his death was near. Yet despite the severity of his illness, he remained concerned about Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. He spent his time thinking about Muhammad rather than about his own pain or declining strength. He realized that after his death, Quraysh would subject Muhammad to things they had been unable to do while he was alive. His pain and suffering therefore did not prevent him from encouraging Quraysh to embrace Islam and calling them toward it when they gathered around him to visit him. He said to them: “You will continue to prosper as long as you listen to Muhammad and follow his commands. Obey him, and you will attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter.” But, as was their custom, they did not listen to him or accept his advice.

They returned to him the following day, when his illness had grown more severe and he was nearing the end of his life. They said, “O Abu Talib, you know our position among our people, and you can see what has befallen you. Put an end to the dispute between us and your nephew. Take something from us on his behalf, and take something from him on our behalf, so that he will leave us alone and we will leave him alone; let him leave us and our religion, and we will leave him and his religion.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him), who was present and remained constantly at his uncle's side, said to them: “Give me one word by which you will gain authority over the Arabs, and by which the non-Arabs will submit to you.” Abu Jahl said, “Yes, by your father! We will give you ten words, not just one.” The Prophet said, “Say: There is no god but Allah, and renounce what you worship besides Him.” They replied, “Do you want to make all the gods into one God?” Then some of them said to one another, “By Allah, this man will not give you anything of what you want.”

Abu Talib's illness became more severe. While the Messenger of Allah had gone out to attend to a matter of his, a messenger came to inform him of Abu Talib's death. He hurried to the house where Abu Talib lay, wiped his uncle's right and left temples, just as Abu Talib used to wipe his own, and then said: “May Allah have mercy on you, my uncle. You raised me when I was young, cared for me when I was an orphan, and supported me when I was grown. May Allah reward you on my behalf and on behalf of Islam with the best reward granted to those who strive and struggle in His way with their wealth, their lives, and everything they possess.” Then he wept, causing those around Abu Talib to weep as well.

The enemies of Muhammad felt a sense of relief at the moment of Abu Talib's death. Until then, they had calculated every possible move against him.

Muhammad wept, and he had every right to do so, because Abu Talib had been a father to him when he lost his own father, and a support and protector when he needed someone to defend him. Abu Talib had shielded him from Quraysh's schemes and all their attempts to accomplish what they wanted against him throughout the ten years preceding his mission. Now, the message that Abu Talib had supported with his words, his hand, his sword, his standing among the people, and everything he possessed had been able, through his support, to climb over the walls and hills of Mecca, spread among the tribes of the Hijaz, and set out from there toward the vast regions of the world. Yet Quraysh had begun plotting against it anew. Who knows what will happen tomorrow after your departure, O Abu Talib?

Muhammad wept and, in those moments, recalled all the occasions on which Abu Talib had stood by him, from the time he was a boy until that stage of his life.

He remembered how, when he was young, Abu Talib had placed him before all his own children. He remembered the day when Muhammad clung to the reins of Abu Talib's camel when Abu Talib wanted to travel on a trading journey to Syria. Muhammad said to him, “To whom will you entrust me when I have neither a father nor a mother to whom I can turn?” Abu Talib replied, with tears streaming from his eyes, “By Allah, I will never entrust you to anyone but myself.” He then extended his hand, pulled Muhammad to his chest, kissed him, and seated him behind him on the camel, swearing that he would never leave him.

He remembered the conversation between the monk and his uncle, and how fear overtook Abu Talib, who preferred to return with Muhammad safely to Mecca, abandoning whatever profit that journey to Syria might have brought him. Then he remembered, and remembered again. He recalled Abu Talib's encounters with the polytheists. One day, when Muhammad came to him covered in filth and blood, Abu Talib immediately took up his sword and, accompanied by his servant boy, went to the Kaaba, where the leaders of Quraysh were sitting beside it. When they saw him, they sensed that trouble was coming. He said to them, “By Allah, if any one of you gets up, I will strike him with my sword.” He then ordered his servant to smear their faces and clothes, one after another, with filth and blood.

He remembered the time when Muhammad was besieged in the valley with the Banu Hashim, and how Abu Talib guarded him day and night, fearing that one of the polytheists might sneak into the valley and assassinate him. He distributed the members of Banu Hashim among the entrances to the valley and fortified its boundaries with them.

He remembered how Abu Talib would put Muhammad in his own bed so that people would see him there sleeping. Then, once everyone had gone to his own bed, retired to his sleeping place, and the valley had become quiet in the stillness of night and sleep, Abu Talib would approach Muhammad, take him by the hand, lead him to another bed, and put one of his own sons in Muhammad's place. He did this so that, if anyone intended harm, Muhammad would not be the one to suffer it.

Memories crowded into Muhammad's mind during those moments as Abu Talib lay before him. He continued to remember him throughout his life, especially whenever Quraysh intensified its hostility toward him. He later said:

“By Allah, Quraysh did not succeed in doing anything to me that I disliked until after the death of Abu Talib.”

Muhammad wept, causing those around him to weep as well, and he went home sorrowful and in tears. There he found the hand that had once wiped away his tears and shared his pain and grief trembling under the weight of illness. She died only a few months—or, according to differing reports, only a few days—after Abu Talib. Within those few months or days, Muhammad (peace be upon him) lost his uncle, who had raised him, supported him, and set the highest example of sacrifice, protection, and care for him throughout forty years or more. He also lost his wife, who had given him her wealth, comforted him through every hardship and calamity, and wished to bear everything on his behalf so that he could devote himself fully to his mission. Muhammad felt that happiness was abandoning him and that the brightness of life was becoming darker and more bleak.

He sat weeping beside her, while those in the household wept with him. His companions gathered around him, trying to ease his pain and sorrow.

These two painful tragedies, occurring within a few months—or even a few days—would each, on its own, have been enough to leave even the strongest of souls wounded and broken. How much more so when both tragedies befell Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a single year, while his opponents were waiting for such moments.

Yet Muhammad (peace be upon him), despite the weight of this calamity and its profound effect on him, continued along his path and carried on with his mission. Quraysh intensified its persecution of him and the abuse of his companions. Among the milder forms of harm inflicted upon him after he lost his uncle was an incident mentioned in al-Tabari's account: one of the foolish men of Quraysh passed by him, scooped up dust and filth with both hands, and threw it onto his face and head. He entered his home with dust covering his face and head. His daughter Fatimah (peace be upon her), the youngest of his daughters, came to him and began washing the dust from his head while crying. She was still young and had only recently witnessed the painful tragedy that her father had endured.

Her crying deeply pained his heart. He turned toward her while tears streamed from her eyes, wiped her head with both hands, and said to her: “Do not cry, my daughter. Surely Allah will protect you and grant victory to His religion and His Messenger over their enemies.”