 They seem, however more likely to have taken place in with a brief lapse of time in between.Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib held significant power in Mecca as the head of the Banu Hashim, and this protection made it impossible to have Muhammad silenced or subjected to the kind of torture meted out against the Muslims without protection.The polytheist Meccan leaders approached Abu Talib again and insisted he put a stop to his nephew, Muhammad's preaching of monotheism (), warning that otherwise he would be faced with severe hostility.