Between the Siege of the Valley and the Siege of Gaza

At the end of the seventh year of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mission, the Quraysh imposed a harsh social and economic siege upon him and his followers that lasted for three years. Their condition for lifting the siege was that the Prophet (peace be upon him) be handed over to them so they could kill him. They documented this demand in a written pact, sealed it with eighty seals, and hung it inside the Kaaba to emphasize its sanctity and discourage any thought of breaking it.

The siege became so severe that both Abu Talib and the Prophet (peace be upon him) spent all their wealth, and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) spent her great fortune as well in support during this oppressive blockade. The situation worsened to the point that they resorted to eating tree leaves due to extreme hunger. The cries of starving children could be heard from afar, and one of them, after relieving himself, would do so like a camel due to the effects of malnutrition. Some narrations mention that one companion, driven by hunger one night, felt something beneath him on the ground. He picked it up and found it was a piece of camel hide. From the severity of his hunger, he washed it with water, burned it, crushed it, and then drank it mixed with water.

No food or drink reached them except what was smuggled in secretly by a few sympathizers over the prolonged duration of the siege.

The siege continued until a sense of honor and humanity stirred in the heart of Hisham ibn ‘Amr al-Hashimi. He gathered five leaders of Quraysh and convinced them of the necessity to end this unjust blockade, despite the difficulty and seeming impossibility of the task. One of the five, Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah, then circumambulated the Kaaba seven times, turned to the people, and said: “O people of Mecca! Shall we eat food and wear clothes while the sons of Hashim are perishing—neither buying nor selling? By Allah, I will not rest until this cruel, severing document is torn apart.” Dialogues and efforts continued until, at last, the unjust siege imposed on the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions came to an end.

Paradoxes Between the Two Sieges

This ancient siege reminds us of the modern-day siege imposed on Gaza. In fact, the siege of the people of Gaza is far harsher and more unjust than the siege of pre-Islamic times, and this is evident in several key aspects. First, the duration: the siege of Gaza has lasted 18 years of blockade and starvation, along with 18 months of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement from their land—compared to just three years of the Valley Siege. Second, the nature of the siege: the Valley Siege did not involve war or active combat, unlike the siege of Gaza, which includes ongoing military aggression. It was limited to social and economic isolation.

Third, during the Valley Siege, there were no media outlets to expose Quraysh’s crimes and deter them from their actions. In contrast, the whole world today watches—east and west—in real-time, the ongoing massacres and unjust slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Gaza. Fourth, the number of those besieged: in the Valley, they were only around one or two hundred people, whereas in Gaza, more than two million are trapped.

Fifth, during the Valley Siege, honor and dignity stirred the hearts of five men who, through their sincerity and determination, managed to break the siege. Yet today, the world stands helpless, unable to form even a humanitarian coalition to bring food and medicine into Gaza or to stop the unjust war of extermination. Finally, the cruelty and loss of humanity in today's world appear far greater than that of the pre-Islamic era. What comparison can there be between the tragic image of a father in Gaza praying the funeral prayer over his six murdered children and the weeping of hungry children during the Valley Siege?

This unjust siege on the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions in the Valley of Abu Talib—when compared to the siege and war on the people of Gaza today—offers us many profound messages and lessons, the most important of which are:

Read also: Gaza in Ramadan... A battle for survival under a suffocating siege and worsening hunger.

- Relief and Support: Between the Individual and the Collective

The events in Gaza today compel all of us to act swiftly and sustainably to provide relief and support—especially Muslims in Europe. When hardships intensify for Muslims in one region, eyes naturally turn to their brothers and sisters who enjoy relative freedom, looking to see what actions they will take. We need to combine individual efforts—required from each one of us—with organized, collective work. When each person feels a sense of Islamic and humanitarian responsibility toward their brothers and sisters, it should drive them to take personal initiative to mobilize their communities and inspire action in support of the oppressed in Gaza.

If honor, dignity, and basic human conscience do not move us, then let us be moved by the guidance of our religion. After all, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “He is not a believer who sleeps with a full stomach while his neighbor beside him goes hungry, and he knows it.” (Al-Bayhaqi, with an authentic chain of narration).

The importance of individual initiatives:

Hisham bin Amr moved to lift the siege of Al-Sha'b and succeeded. So where are the likes of Hisham in our world today? The importance of Hisham's action lies in his initiative, perseverance, and effective planning. He made a wise choice in selecting the five individuals carefully for the task of dismantling the siege, exposing the actions of Quraysh, and revealing the horror of their deeds among the tribes. We need to think about renewing the forms of initiatives and activities that can motivate people and pull them out of the state of apathy that has affected them due to the prolonged war. Perhaps a seemingly simple idea, like a drawing, an image, a poem, or a position, could inspire people and awaken their consciences, just as the Moroccan Ibthal Abu al-Saad did, and as Abu Talib succeeded in creating a political earthquake in Mecca with his famous Lamiyah poem, the opening lines of which are:

And when I saw the people, there was no loyalty left among them,
And they had severed every bond and means.

And they allied with a people against us, full of hatred,
Clenching their fists behind us in fury.

Mobilizing non-Muslims for support and rewarding them:

One of the important duties of Muslims in the West is to awaken humanity in the hearts of Europeans and motivate them to aid the people of Gaza and support them, as well as to reward those among them who have done good and taken the initiative, and they are many. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did the same with those who sheltered and supported him during the period of siege or who took action to alleviate it. He said about his uncle Abu Talib: Yes, he is in a shallow place of Fire. Were it not for me, he would have been in the bottom-most depth of the Fire. 

As for Hisham bin Amr, he embraced Islam, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave him from the spoils of the Battle of Hunayn, less than one hundred camels. As for Abu Bakhtari, he was among the ranks of the polytheists on the day of Badr, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade killing him. As for Al-Mut'im bin 'Adiyy, the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke about the captives of Badr from the polytheists: If al-Mut‘im b. ‘Adi* had been alive and spoken to me about these filthy ones, I would have left them for him. (
Bukhari)

The necessity of patience and steadfastness to achieve great goals:

Allah Almighty has commanded His believing servants to be patient and steadfast so that they may achieve empowerment and win Paradise, as He said: (Do you think you will be admitted into Paradise without being tested like those before you? They were afflicted with suffering and adversity and were so ˹violently˺ shaken that ˹even˺ the Messenger and the believers with him cried out, “When will Allah’s help come?” Indeed, Allah’s help is ˹always˺ near.) (Al-Baqarah:214) And he said: (Do you think you will enter Paradise without Allah proving which of you ˹truly˺ struggled ˹for His cause˺ and patiently endured?) (Ali 'Imran:142) As the result of patience and steadfastness during the siege of Ash-Shi'b was good, news of the siege spread during the pilgrimage season, and the tribes sympathized with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions. After the siege ended, people embraced Islam, marking an important milestone for the great good of the Islamic call during this period. Likewise, the steadfastness and patience of the people of Gaza, despite the severity and the high cost paid, will ultimately lead to great good, God willing, provided there is awareness and effort. And Almighty Allah is truthful when He said: (Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you and like something which is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know.) (Al-Baqarah:216)

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