Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) part 11 :

Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) part 11 :

A) Abu Talib protects his Nephew, the Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) :

The Quraish again attempted in vain to cause Abu Talib to abandon his nephew. The venerable chief declared his intention to protect his nephew against any menace or violence. He appealed to the sense of honor of the two families of the Bani Hashim and the Bani Muttalib, both families being kinsmen of the Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), to protect their member from falling a victim to the hatred of rival parties. All the members of the two families nobly responded to the appeal of Abu Talib except Abu Lahab, one of the Prophet's (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) uncles, who took part with the persecutors.

B) Umar Al-Khattab(radhi Allahu anhu) submits to Islam :

During this period, 'Umar Al-Khattab adopted Islam. In him the new faith gained a valuable adherent and an important factor in the future development and propagation of Islam. Previously he(radhi Allahu anhu) had been a violent opponent of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and a bitter enemy of Islam. His conversion is said to have been worked by the miraculous effect on his mind of a Surah of the Quran which his sister was reading in her house, where he had gone with the intention of killing her for adopting Islam.

Thus the party of the Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) had been strengthened by the conversion by his uncle Hamza(radhi Allahu anhu), a man of great valor and merit; and of Abu Bakr(radhi Allahu anhu) and 'Umar(radhi Allahu anhu), both men of great energy and reputation. The Muslims now ventured to perform their devotions in public.

C) Quraish divided into two fractions :

Alarmed at the bold part which the Prophet(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and his followers were not able to assume, and roused by the return of the deputies from Abyssinia and the announcement of their unsuccessful mission, the Quraish determined to check by a decisive blow any further progress of Islam. Towards this end, in the seventh year of the mission, they made a solemn covenant against the descendants of Hashim and Muttalib, engaging themselves to contract no marriage with any of them and to have no communication with them. Upon this, the Quraish became divided into two fractions, and the two families of Hashim and Muttalib all repaired to Abu Talib as their chief.

D) Abu Lahab's hatred of Islam :

Abu Lahab, the Prophet's(sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) uncle, however, out of his deep-rooted hatred of his nephew and his doctrine, went over to the opposite party, whose chief was Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb, of the family of Umayya. The persecuted party, Muslims as well as idolaters betook themselves to a defile on the eastern skirts of Mecca. They lived in this defensive position for three years. The provisions, which they had carried with them, were soon exhausted. Probably they would have entirely perished but for the sympathy and occasional help received from less partial countrymen.

In sha Allah , to be continued.

Reference : Stories of prophets by Ibn kathir(rahimahullah).