The Prophet in Makkah

THE PROPHET IN MAKKAH heard about what had happened to him in Ta’if. If they had, it would have made them even more audacious.130 The Prophet was unable to live within the city. He stayed outside and sent messages to various people, asking them to take him under their protection so that he could return to the city. Eventually, Mut’im ibn ‘Adi agreed to extend protection to the Prophet, who, shielded by the swords of Mut’im’s sons, once again entered the city walls. Fairs, attended by tribes from all over Arabia, used to be held in various places in those days. The Prophet would go along and speak to different tribes hoping that one of them would agree to extend him protection. He explained his plight to his uncle ‘Abbas. “I am not safe here with you and your relatives. Will you take me to the fair tomorrow so that we can visit people in their tents and talk to them?” he said to him.131 The Prophet would then go into people’s tents and, presenting himself before them, would enquire what protection they could afford him. He would tell them that his people had rejected him and expelled him. “Protect me and grant me refuge so I can continue to preach the faith God has revealed to me.” Historians have mentioned the names of fifteen tribes the Prophet approached individually, only to meet with one refusal after another. Although it was considered a shameful matter for someone to seek refuge from a tribe, and his request not be granted—in fact, this was the first notable example in Arab history of a person spending several years looking for a tribe to take him in—