The Year of Sorrow ('Am al-Huzn)
'Am al-Huzn; the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah, c. 619 CE.
Hijri c. BH 3 (10th year of the da'wah) CE c. 619 CE
The year — the 10th of the da’wah, ~2½ years before the Hijra — in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lost, within weeks, his two greatest supporters: Abu Talib and Khadijah (rha). The lowest, most painful stretch of the Meccan seerah.
Death of Abu Talib (EP 019)
Weeks after the Boycott ended, Abu Talib fell ill. On his deathbed the Prophet ﷺ begged him to say “la ilaha illa Allah,” but with Abu Jahal and Abdullah ibn Abi Umayya pressing him — “will you leave the religion of Abd al-Muttalib?” — he died on the creed of his forefathers, uttering the kalimah with his heart’s knowledge but not his tongue.
- The “phenomenon of Abu Talib”: the man the Prophet ﷺ loved most, who protected him, was not allowed to die a Muslim — teaching that guidance belongs to Allah alone (Quran 28:56) and that his protection depended on his remaining a respected pagan chief. The Prophet’s ﷺ pleas of forgiveness were then stopped by Quran 9:113.
- By the Prophet’s ﷺ intercession, Abu Talib has the lightest punishment of Hell’s people (Sahih Muslim) — yet he is not in Paradise. His death is proof that iman is submission, not mere acknowledgement of truth.
Death of Khadijah (EP 019)
Khadijah (rha) died soon after (the transcript places her death on 10 Ramadan, “less than 40 days” apart — the precise order and interval are disputed). Salah was not yet obligatory, so no janazah was prayed; the Prophet ﷺ buried her himself and did not smile for months. Years later he still honoured her: “She believed in me when none did… Allah gave me children through her.”
Aftermath
With Abu Talib gone, Abu Lahab briefly protected the Prophet ﷺ then withdrew it — leaving him exposed and pushing him to seek refuge in Ta’if, and ultimately toward the Hijra.
Cross-references
Abu Talib · Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (rha) · Muhammad ﷺ · Abu Lahab (Abd al-Uzza ibn Abd al-Muttalib) · Abu Jahal (Amr ibn Hisham) · The Boycott of Banu Hashim · The Incident of Ta'if
Sources
- S004 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 019 (deaths of Abu Talib & Khadijah).