Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib

Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib (Arabic: أَبُو طَالِب بن عَبْد ٱلْمُطَّلِب, romanized: ʾAbū Ṭālib bin ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib; c. 535 – 619) was the leader of Banu Hashim, a clan of the Qurayshi tribe of Mecca in the Hejazi region of the Arabian Peninsula.

[8] Although Abu Talib was responsible for providing Siqaya and Rifada (Food and Beverages) of Hajj pilgrims, he lived in poverty.

[10] Abu Talib is remembered as a gifted poet, and many poetic verses in support of Muhammad are attributed to him.

"[12] Later in life, as an adult, Muhammad saw that Abu Talib was struggling financially after a severe drought.

After Muhammad began preaching the message of Islam, members of the other Qurayshite clans increasingly came to feel threatened by Muḥammad.

Despite these pressures, Abu Talib maintained his support of Muḥammad, defending him from the other leaders of the Quraysh.

Abu Talib brushed them off and continued to support Muhammad even when it put a rift between him and the Quraysh.

[18][20][21] When this also failed, the Quraysh elicited the support of other tribes to boycott trading with or marrying members of the Banu Hashim lineage.

[22] For the sake of security, many members of the Banu Hashim moved near to Abu Talib, and the place became like a ghetto.

[25] Protecting Muhammad put considerable pressure on Abu Talib and the Banu Hashim.

In one instance Abu Talib exclaimed to Muhammad, "Save me and yourself, and do not put a greater burden on me than I cannot bear."