After the loss of his protectors, the Prophet ﷺ began actively performing talab al-nusra (طلب النصرة). That is, he ﷺ sought physical support. His first attempt with Banu Thaqif had failed, but he ﷺ remained persistent in visiting tribes that might grant him nusra. During the months of pilgrimage, he went along the markets of 'Ukaz, Majanna and Dhu al-Majaz, where the Arab tribes pitched their camps. He visited their leaders, addressed them, and sought a tribe that would protect and support him. Not for personal protection, but to be able to convey the risalah (message) of Islam. In his conversations, he made clear that this mission was universal and not limited to Makkah or the Arabs. It was intended to elevate and spread Islam, even to the superpowers of the time such as the Persians and Romans. Who were these tribes and individuals from whom he sought nusra?
Banu Kalb
One of the first tribes he visited was Banu Kalb, and within them the branch Banu 'Abd Allah. The Prophet ﷺ approached their tents at their manazil, their seasonal encampment near Makkah, and addressed them:
“O Banu 'Abd Allah, Allah has given your forefather a beautiful name.”
With these words he reminded them of the meaning of their name, servants of Allah, and called upon them to truly be servants of Allah by worshipping Him alone and associating nothing with Him. He then offered himself under their protection, so that he could proclaim the message of Islam unhindered.
Yet they rejected his call. No discussion or hostility is mentioned, only silence and rejection. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ moved on, searching for others who were willing to carry his cause.
Banu Kindah
After his visit to Banu Kalb, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the tribe of Banu Kindah, an influential tribe descended from the royal tribes of Yemen. They too were staying with their people and leaders at their manazil near Makkah during the pilgrimage seasons.
Among those present from Banu Kindah was their leader, Mulayh. The Prophet ﷺ visited their camp, greeted them and called them to tawhid, the worship of Allah alone, and to belief in the revelation entrusted to him. He then offered himself and asked them for nusra so that he could spread the message of Allah.
During this conversation, the men of Kindah asked him:
“If you achieve victory, will the rule then pass to us after you?”
It was not a hostile question, but a political consideration: Kindah had historically been connected to power and kingship in South Arabia. They wanted assurance that their support would lead to worldly leadership.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered calmly and on principle:
“The rule belongs to Allah; He gives it to whom He wills.”
When they heard this answer, they rejected his invitation. The sources mention that Abu Lahab in that same period followed behind the Prophet ﷺ during the pilgrimage seasons and warned the tribes not to listen to him. Where the Prophet ﷺ spoke with sincerity and wisdom, Abu Lahab tried to undermine him by saying: “Do not listen to him, he has abandoned the religion of his forefathers.”
Yet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ continued tirelessly. He did not let himself be discouraged by rejection, nor by mockery. The encounter with Banu Kindah shows that his search for support was not driven by power, but by mission. Where others sought power, he sought only permission to proclaim the truth of Allah.
Banu Hanifah
After his meeting with Banu Kindah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to Banu Hanifah, a tribe from al-Yamamah in Central Arabia, known for their prosperity and their resolute character. They too were at their manazil during the pilgrimage season near Makkah.
As with the other tribes, the Prophet ﷺ approached them with gentleness and dignity. He invited them to Allah, to testifying La ilaha illa Allah and to abandoning idolatry. He asked them for protection, so that he could convey the message of his Lord without opposition from Quraysh.
The narration says simply but tellingly:
“He called them to Allah and offered himself to them, but no tribe was uglier in its response than they.”
Banu Hanifah not only rejected his call, but did so in a harsh and mocking manner. The seerah describes their response as the most unpleasant of all the tribes he visited in that period. It is not mentioned what they literally said, but the tone of their rejection was sharp and disrespectful.
Ironically, it was precisely from this tribe that decades later the notorious Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab would arise. The man who, after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ, falsely claimed prophethood for himself.
Their harsh response during talab al-nusra thus seems a foreshadowing of the arrogance that would later become visible in their history.
Despite their rejection, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remained calm. He did not turn away in resentment, but went on from tent to tent, from tribe to tribe, searching for a people willing to carry his cause.
Banu 'Amir bin Sa’sa’ah
After the rejection by Banu Hanifah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the tribe of Banu 'Amir ibn Sa’sa’ah, a proud and influential tribe from the region of Najd. They too were staying at their manazil near Makkah during the pilgrimage season. The Prophet ﷺ visited their leaders and called them, just like the other tribes, to Allah and to the protection of the Prophetic Mission.
During this meeting, among them was a man named Buhayra ibn Firas, an eloquent and thoughtful man who represented his people in conversations with visitors. After the Prophet ﷺ had explained his message, the worship of Allah alone, the abandoning of idols, and the granting of protection so that he could proclaim the revelation, Buhayra asked him:
“What happens if we follow you in your cause, Allah grants you victory, and you come to rule over your people? Will the leadership then pass to us?”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered with the same principled clarity he had shown with Banu Kindah:
“Authority belongs to Allah; He places it where He wills.”
When Buhayra heard this, he turned to his tribesmen and said something that summarised their attitude:
“If we follow this man, and Allah grants him victory, and then the leadership does not come to us, that will mean that we have sacrificed our people for another nation. We have no need for that.”
They rejected his call and returned to their tents.
Yet the impression of this meeting was not without consequence. When the pilgrimage was over and the people returned home, the elder men of Banu 'Amir spoke among themselves. One of them said:
“What remarkable words that young man from Quraysh spoke. Had my people followed me in what he said, then today we would have had leadership over the Arabs.”
He regretted that they had let the opportunity slip to support the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
This encounter is thereby one of the most telling examples of how tribes during talab al-nusra rejected the Prophet ﷺ not out of disbelief, but out of worldly considerations. They wanted power, while he sought only obedience to Allah.
Banu Shayban ibn Tha’labah
After his meeting with Banu 'Amir ibn Sa’sa’ah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the powerful tribe of Banu Shayban ibn Tha’labah, one of the most renowned tribes of Banu Bakr ibn Wa’il. Their camp was on the eastern side of Makkah, where they had pitched their tents during the pilgrimage season. Banu Shayban was known throughout Arabia for their courage, their martial tradition and their faithfulness to treaties. They moreover maintained a political alliance with the Persian Empire, which further strengthened their status in the region.
The Prophet ﷺ was this time accompanied by Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ﵁, who was known as an expert on the genealogies of the Arab tribes, and by Ali ibn Abi Talib ﵁. When they arrived at the council of Banu Shayban, several of their prominent leaders were seated there: Mufriq ibn 'Amr, Hani ibn Qubaysah, Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah, and Al-Nu’man ibn Sharik.
Abu Bakr began the conversation and asked:
“From which tribe are you?”
They answered:
“We are of Rabi’ah.”
He asked further:
“From which branch of Rabi’ah, from her foremost or her offshoots?”
They said:
“From Dhuhl al-Akbar.”
Abu Bakr smiled and continued:
“May Allah bless you. You belong to a tribe of honour. Tell me, how great are your numbers?”
They answered:
“We are more than a thousand, and a thousand men no one can defeat.”
He asked:
“How is your battle against the enemy?”
They said:
“We are most steadfast when we are angry, and fiercest when we engage in battle. Sometimes we prevail, sometimes we are overcome. We place our horses above our children, and our weapons above our possessions.”
Abu Bakr then said softly to the Prophet ﷺ:
“By Allah, this is a tribe of honour and strength.”
Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself took the floor. He praised Allah and said:
“I call upon you to testify that there is no god but Allah, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. I ask you to protect me, so that I can convey the message of my Lord, for Quraysh has prevented me from spreading the word of Allah.”
They asked:
“What do you call to, O brother of Quraysh?”
The Prophet ﷺ then recited the words of Allah:
“Say: come, I will recite to you what your Lord has forbidden you: that you worship nothing besides Him…” (Surah al-An’am, 6:151)
And he also recited:
“Indeed, Allah commands justice, goodness and generosity towards relatives, and He forbids indecency, bad conduct and oppression.” (Surah an-Nahl, 16:90)
Mufriq ibn 'Amr then said, impressed:
“By Allah, brother of Quraysh, these are not the words of the people of this earth. If they were of human origin, we would recognise them.”
Then Hani ibn Qubaysah spoke:
“We have heard your words and understood your message. Our people, however, are not present here, and we cannot form an alliance without consulting them. What you say is great and worthy of reflection.”
Then Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah, their military commander, took the floor:
“We stand between two powers: on one side the Arabs, on the other the Persians. With the king of the Persians we have a covenant that we may not break or renew without his permission. If you want us to protect you from the Arabs, we will do so. But against the Persians, we cannot help you.”
The Prophet ﷺ answered with dignity:
“Your words are wise and just. The religion of Allah, however, will only be carried by those who surround it in all its aspects.”
With that he concluded the conversation. When he stood up, he said to Abu Bakr ﵁:
“What a noble people this is. Their words bear witness to intelligence and their bearing to honour.”
The meeting with Banu Shayban is considered in the seerah as one of the most honourable moments of talab al-nusra. Although they could not protect the Prophet ﷺ, they addressed him with respect, listened attentively to the Quran and answered with wisdom. Their rejection did not stem from disbelief, but from the political reality of their time.
Their leader Al-Muthanna ibn Harithah would later, after the coming of Islam, become one of the famous commanders of the Muslims in the conquests of Iraq. The meeting with Banu Shayban shows how the Prophet ﷺ, even among proud and powerful tribes, was able to inspire respect and admiration through his dignity, his knowledge and his steadfastness.