In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The Alliance of Disbelief Initiated By The Quraish Polytheists to Boycott The Prophet and His Clan

Abu Hurairah [may Allaah be pleased with him] reported: On the Day of Nahr at Mina, the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Tomorrow we shall stay at Khaif Bani Kinana where the pagans had taken the oath of disbelief.” He meant (by that place) Al-Muhassab where the Quraish tribe and Banu Kinaanah concluded a contract against Banu Haashim and Banu Abdul-Muttalib or Banu Al-Muttalib that they would not intermarry with them or deal with them in business until they handed over the Prophet to them. [Saheeh al-Bukhaari. Hadeeth Number 1590]

Usaamah Bin Zayd [may Allaah be pleased with him] said, “I asked the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] during his Hajj, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Where will you stay tomorrow?’ He said, ‘Has Aqeel left for us any house?’ He then added, ‘Tomorrow we will stay at Khaif Bani Kinana, i.e. Al-Muhassab, where Quraihs (polytheists) took an oath of disbelief in that Banu Kinaanah allied with Quraish against Banu Hashim on the terms that they would not deal with the members of the tribe or give them shelter.” [Al-Bukhaari. Hadeeth Number 3058]

The incident mentioned in the above narrations took place when the Makkan polytheists had a meeting at a place called the valley of Al-Muhassab, where they established an alliance against Banu Haashim and Banu Al-Muttalib. They agreed not to have any business transactions with them, no marriage ties, no visits and no verbal communication with the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] and those who aided him. So, Abu Taalib – the Prophet’s uncle who stood by him at the time – decided to move to a valley on the eastern suburbs of Makkah, then Banu Haashim and Banu Al-Muttalib also moved and they were all confined to a narrow passage. They remained in that situation for three years- from the 7th year of the Prophet’s Prophethood until 10th year. It was a very repressive embargo that brought extreme hardship, and in addition to this, the vile polytheists bought everything that reached Makkah in order that nothing reached Banu Al-Mutallib and Banu Haashim. The situation became so bad that they had to eat the leaves of trees and animal skins, and children constantly cried due to hunger. They had nothing besides very little provision that was sometimes delivered secretly by some people in Makkah who sympathised with them. During the sacred months when fighting was not permitted, they used to go and buy provisions, but the prices of goods were inflated so that they would not be able to afford it. However, this great hardship never stopped the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] from calling to the truth, rather he used to go to the Ka‘bah and call people to Islam. By the grace of Allaah, the agreement between the polytheists ended in the 10th year of the Prophet’s Prophethood, because some of them could no longer bear to see their relatives in that situation. (1)

The Great Siege- The Disbelievers Laid Great Siege Against the Muslims During the Battle of The Confederates

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

إِذۡ جَآءُوكُم مِّن فَوۡقِكُمۡ وَمِنۡ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡ وَإِذۡ زَاغَتِ ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرُ وَبَلَغَتِ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلۡحَنَاجِرَ وَتَظُنُّونَ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلظُّنُونَا۟
هُنَالِكَ ٱبۡتُلِىَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَزُلۡزِلُواْ زِلۡزَالاً۬ شَدِيدً۬ا

When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allah. There, the believers were tried and shaken with a mighty shaking. [Surah Al-Ahzaab. Aayah 10]

Look at the severity of this military siege and its severe effects on the Muslims, in addition to the fact that they were politically and economically cut off by all the people of the earth at that time! So, after being aware of this, you should know that the remedy for this great affair that put an end to this great difficulty is what Allaah stated in Soorah Al-Ahzaab, as follows:

[وَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُو نَ ٱلۡأَحۡزَابَ قَالُواْ هَـٰذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥ وَصَدَقَ ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ ۥ‌ۚ وَمَا زَادَهُمۡ إِلَّآ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا وَتَسۡلِيمً۬ا – And when the believers saw Al-Ahzab (the Confederates), they said: “This is what Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) had spoken the truth, and it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness (to Allah)].

This perfect faith in Allaah, great Submission to Him, and dependence and reliance on Him was the reason that put an end to that great difficulty. And indeed Allaah clarified the fruits of this remedy, saying:

وَرَدَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِغَيۡظِهِمۡ لَمۡ يَنَالُواْ خَيۡرً۬ا‌ۚ وَكَفَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٱلۡقِتَالَ‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ قَوِيًّا عَزِيزً۬ا
وَأَنزَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَـٰهَرُوهُم مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِن صَيَاصِيهِمۡ وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلرُّعۡبَ فَرِيقً۬ا تَقۡتُلُونَ وَتَأۡسِرُونَ فَرِيقً۬ا
وَأَوۡرَثَكُمۡ أَرۡضَہُمۡ وَدِيَـٰرَهُمۡ وَأَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ وَأَرۡضً۬ا لَّمۡ تَطَـُٔوهَا‌ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ ڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرً۬ا

And Allah drove back those who disbelieved in their rage; they gained no advantage (booty, etc.). Allah sufficed for the believers in the fighting (by sending against the disbelievers a severe wind and troops of angels). And Allah is Ever All-Strong, All-Mighty. And those of the people of the Scripture who backed them [the disbelievers] Allah brought them down from their forts and cast terror into their hearts, (so that) a group (of them) you killed, and a group (of them) you made captives. And He caused you to inherit their lands, and their houses, and their riches, and a land which you had not trodden (before). And Allah is Able to do all things. [Surah Al-Ahzaab. Aayaat 25-27]
This is what Allaah aided them with against their enemies. They had no idea nor were they aware that they were aided with the angels and the wind. Allaah [The Most High] said:

[يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱذۡكُرُواْ نِعۡمَةَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِذۡ جَآءَتۡكُمۡ جُنُودٌ۬ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمۡ رِيحً۬ا وَجُنُودً۬ا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا‌ۚ وَڪَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرًا – O you who believe! Remember Allah’s Favour to you, when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a wind and forces that you saw not [i.e. troops of angels during the battle of Al-Ahzab (the Confederates). And Allah is Ever All-Seer of what you do]. (2)

[Ref 1: This incident is related both in Zaadul Ma’aadh 3/31 and Seerah Ibn Hishaam 1/350]

[Ref 2: An Excerpt from ‘Adwaa Al-Bayaan Vol 3. pages 301-302’. slightly paraphrased]