—all of them, believers and unbelievers alike: the believers out of religious conviction and the unbelievers out of clan loyalty. They were confined in the ravine of Abū Tālib, isolated and shunned, except for Abū Lahab and his children, who sided with Quraysh against their own people. They remained in this condition for three years, until Allah united the hearts of some men of Quraysh in a resolve to annul the pact Quraysh had made against Banū Hāshim, of Banū al-Muttalib, descendants of ‘Abd Manāf.
The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, informed his uncle Abū Tālib that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, had sent termites upon their document. They had eaten away every covenant and pledge it contained, together with Allah’s name, leaving only what concerned polytheism, injustice, or the severing of kinship ties. Another account states that he informed his uncle Abū Tālib that the termites had eaten away the provisions concerning their polytheism and injustice, leaving only the name of Allah Most High.
When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told Abū Tālib what Allah had disclosed to him, Abū Tālib said, “No, by the shining stars, you have not lied to me!” He then set out with a group from Banū ‘Abd al-Muttalib. They came to the Sacred Mosque, fearful of Quraysh. When Quraysh saw them together, they found this unusual and assumed that the severity of their suffering had driven them out to hand the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, over to them outright.
Abū Tālib spoke: “Things have happened between us and you. Bring the document containing your pledges; perhaps we can reach a settlement.” He said this only because he feared they might inspect the document before bringing it. They brought it, pleased with themselves and certain that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would be handed over to them. They placed it before the group and said to Abū Tālib, “The time has come for you to abandon what you have brought upon us and yourselves.”
Abū Tālib replied, “I have come to you only with a proposal that is fair to both sides. My nephew has informed me—and he has not lied to me—that Allah has sent a creature upon this document in your hands, which has eaten away such-and-such from it and left only such-and-such. If things are as he says, then stand firm; by Allah, I will not surrender him until every last one of us has died. But if what he says is false, we will hand our companion over to you, and you may kill him or spare his life.”
They said, “We agree to what you propose.” They opened the document and found that the truthful one, whose word is confirmed, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had reported its condition before it was opened. When Quraysh saw that what Abū Tālib had conveyed from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was true, they said, “This is your nephew’s sorcery!” It only increased their oppression and aggression. Some among them, however, reproached one another, saying, “This is oppression on our part against our own people.” They worked to annul the document until they succeeded.