Makkan PeriodTrial
The Year of Sorrow
The deaths of Khadījah and Abū Ṭālib within months.
When (CE)
619 CE
Where
Makkah
Prophet's age
≈ 49–50
Within a short span the Prophet ﷺ lost his beloved wife Khadījah, his constant support, and his uncle Abū Ṭālib, his worldly protector — a year of deep grief.
Seeking new ground for the message, he travelled to Ṭāʾif, where he was rejected and harmed, yet responded with mercy rather than vengeance.
Key figures
Khadījah (ra)Abū Ṭālib
Reflections
- Mercy even toward those who harm you; reliance on Allah in loss.
Source & authenticity · Compiled from standard Seerah works, principally Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) by S. al-Mubarakpuri. Editorial summaries in our own words; dates per traditional sources. Long-form detail is expanded from vetted sources and under scholarly review.