在不到四周的时间里,发生了四件具有特殊意义的大事:哈姆扎的皈依、欧麦尔的皈依、穆罕默德(ﷺ)拒绝任何形式的妥协,以及穆塔利卜家族与哈希姆家族订立的盟约,以保护穆罕默德(ﷺ),使他免受任何暗中谋杀的图谋。多神教徒们感到困惑,不知道该采取什么办法,才能摆脱这个顽固而执着的障碍。这个障碍似乎要粉碎他们整个的生活传统。他们早已明白,如果杀害穆罕默德(ﷺ),麦加的山谷里必将血流成河,他们自己也必定被灭绝。考虑到这一可怕的后果,他们不情愿地转而采取另一种不必杀人、却同样邪恶的手段。

Four events of special significance occurred within less than four weeks — the conversion of Hamzah, the conversion of ‘Umar, Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) refusal to negotiate any sort of compromise and then the pact drawn up between Banu Muttalib and Banu Hashim to immunize Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and shield him against any treacherous attempt to kill him. The polytheists were baffled and at a loss as to what course they would follow to rid themselves of this obstinate and relentless obstacle that had appeared to shatter to pieces their whole tradition of life. They had already been aware that if they killed Muhammad (Peace be upon him) theblood would surely flow profusely in the valleys of Makkah and they would certainly be exterminated. Taking this dreadful prospect into consideration, they grudgingly resorted to a different iniquitous course that would not imply murder.

古莱什的多神教徒在一个名叫瓦迪·穆哈萨卜的地方举行集会,结成联盟,敌视哈希姆家族和穆塔利卜家族。他们决定不与这两个家族进行任何商业往来,也不与其通婚。他们还决定中断与穆罕默德ﷺ及其支持者的一切社会交往、互访,甚至言语上的接触,直到先知ﷺ被交给他们处死为止。他们的宣言条款对哈希姆家族施以残酷的措施,由一名多神教徒巴吉德·本·阿米尔·本·哈希姆书写成文,随后悬挂于天房之中。先知ﷺ为此向安拉祈求诅咒巴吉德,此后他的手便瘫痪了。

The pagans of Makkah held a meeting in a place called Wadi Al-Muhassab, and formed a confederation hostile to both Bani Hashim and Bani Al-Muttalib. They decided not to have any business dealings with them nor any sort of inter-marriage. Social relations, visits and even verbal contacts with Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his supporters would discontinue until the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was given up to them to be killed. The articles of their proclamation, which had provided for merciless measures against Bani Hashim, were committed to writing by an idolater, Bagheed bin ‘Amir bin Hashim and then suspended in Al-Ka‘bah. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) invoked Allâh’s imprecations upon Bagheed, whose hand was later paralysed.

阿布·塔利卜明智而静默地审度了形势，决定退居麦加东郊的一处山谷。随之而来的ban·哈希姆部族与ban·穆塔立卜部族，便这样被困于一条狭窄的峡谷之中（阿布·塔利卜峡谷），时间从穆罕默德使命第七年的穆哈兰月初，直到第十年，共计三年。这是一场令人窒息的围困。食物供应几乎断绝，被困之人承受着极大的苦难。多神教徒买下所有运入麦加的食物，以免这些物资流入峡谷中的人手中。那些人已被逼到极限，不得不以树叶和兽皮充饥。饥饿的幼童的哭声清晰可闻。除了少数几次，一些富有同情心的麦加人偷偷送进了少量的粮食，被困者几乎别无所食。在“禁战月”期间——按传统，此时战事停止——他们便会离开被围之地，到麦加以外购买食物。即便如此，食物的价格也被不公正地抬高，以致他们的财力难以获取。

Abu Talib wisely and quietly took stock of the situation and decided to withdraw to a valley on the eastern outskirts of Makkah. Banu Hashim and Banu Al-Muttalib, who followed suit, were thus confined within a narrow pass (Shi‘b of Abu Talib), from the beginning of Muharram, the seventh year of Muhammad’s mission till the tenth year, viz., a period of three years. It was a stifling siege. The supply of food was almost stopped and the people in confinement faced great hardships. The idolaters used to buy whatever food commodities entered Makkah lest they should leak to the people in Ash-Shi‘b, who were so overstrained that they had to eat leaves of trees and skins of animals. Cries of little children suffering from hunger used to be heard clearly. Nothing to eat reached them except, on few occasions, some meagre quantities of food were smuggled by some compassionate Makkans. During ‘the prohibited months’ — when hostilities traditionally ceased, they would leave their confinement and buy food coming from outside Makkah. Even then, the food stuff was unjustly overpriced so that their financial situation would fall short of finding access to it.

哈基姆·本·希扎姆曾经在去给他的姑妈赫底哲（愿安拉喜悦她）偷运小麦的路上，被阿布·杰赫勒拦住，想要阻止他。直到布赫图里出面干预，哈基姆才得以到达目的地。阿布·talib 非常担心他侄子的人身安全。每当人们准备入睡时，他就会请先知ﷺ躺在他的位置上，而当其他人都睡着后，他又会让先知ﷺ换个地方，另选一处躺下，这一切都是为了迷惑可能潜在的刺客。

Hakeem bin Hizam was once on his way to smuggle some wheat to his aunt Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) when Abu Jahl intercepted and wanted to debar him. Only when Al-Bukhtari intervened, did Hakeem manage to reach his destination. Abu Talib was so much concerned about the personal safety of his nephew. Whenever people retired to sleep, he would ask the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to lie in his place, but when all the others fell asleep, he would order him to change his place and take another, all of which in an attempt to trick a potential assassin.