approached the hosts of people there and rebuked them for indulging in the amenities of life whereas  their kith and kin of Bani Hashim were perishing on account of starvation and economic boycott. They  swore they would never relent until the parchment of boycott was torn to piece and the pact broken at  once. Abu Jahl, standing nearby, retorted that it would never be torn. Zam‘a was infuriated and  accused Abu Jahl of telling lies, adding that the pact was established and the parchment was written  without seeking their approval. Al-Bukhtari intervened and backed Zam‘a. Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and
Hisham bin ‘Amr attested to the truthfulness of their two companions. Abu Jahl, with a cunning  attempt  to liquidate the hot argument that was running counter to his malicious goals, answered that the issue  had already been resolved sometime and somewhere before.
Abu Talib meanwhile was sitting in a corner of the Mosque. He came to communicate to them that a
Revelation had been sent to his nephew, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to the effect that ants had  eaten away all their proclamation that smacked of injustice and aggression except those parts that  bore  the Name of Allâh. He contended that he would be ready to give Muhammad (Peace be upon him) up  to  them if his words proved untrue, otherwise, they would have to recant and repeal their boycott. The
Makkans agreed to the soundness of his proposition. Al-Mut‘im went to see the parchment and there  he  did discover that it was eaten away by ants and nothing was left save the part bearing (in the Name of
Allâh).
The proclamation was thus abrogated, and Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and the other people  were  permitted to leave Ash-Sh‘ib and return home. In the context of this trial to which the Muslims were  subjected, the polytheists had a golden opportunity to experience a striking sign of Muhammad’s
Prophethood (the white ants eating away the parchment) but to their miserable lot they desisted and  augmented in disbelief:
“But if they see a Sign, they turn away, and say ‘This is continuous magic.” 54:2