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This is a sub-article to Muhammad after the conquest of Mecca.

Battle of Hunayn
Folio from the Tarikhnama by Muhammad Bal'ami with the Battle of Hunayn
Date 630 (8 AH) Location Hunain, near al-Ta'if in south-western Arabia Result Decisive Muslim victory
Belligerents
Muslims, Quraysh, Ansar, Banu Sulaym	Hawazin, Thaqif, Qais Nasr, Jusham, Sa‘d bin Bakr, Bani Hilal, Bani 'Amr bin Amir, Bani 'Awf bin Amir
Commanders and leaders
Muhammad Ali ibn Abi Talib Abu Bakr Umar ibn al-Khattab Uthman ibn Affan Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib Khalid ibn al-Walid, commander of Banu Sulaym advance troop Abu Sufyan ibn Harb; commander of Banu Umayya ranks from Quraish subtribe Zubayr ibn al-Awam; Personal bodyguard of Prophet	Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri
Strength
12,000	20,000
Casualties and losses
Khalid ibn al-Walid(WIA), Several Banu Sulaym riders under Khalid killed	70 killed 6,000 captured 24,000 camels captured as booty.

The Battle of Hunayn (Template:Lang-ar, Ghazwat Hunayn) was fought by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and his followers against the Bedouin tribe of Hawazin and its subsection the Thaqif, in 630 CE, in the Hunayn valley, on the route from Mecca to At-Ta’if. The battle ultimately ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims, who captured enormous spoils. It is mentioned in Surat at-Tawbah of the Qur’an, and is one of the few battles mentioned by name in the Qur’an.

Preparations

Background

The Hawazins had been long-standing enemies of Meccans. They were located north-east of Mecca and their territory sat beside the trade route to Al-Hirah in Iraq. The Hawazins were allied with the Thaqifs, a Hawazin subtribe which had settled in Ta’if, a town south-east of Mecca whose trade routes ran through Hawazin territory. The alliance had engaged in several wars probably concerning trade routes between Ta'if and Mecca. Given this history they saw Muhammad as another powerful Quraishi leader who had come to lead his people. They thought among themselves that a war with Muslims was imminent and that the once-persecuted minority of Muslims had gained the upper hand against their non-Muslim Arab enemies, and they may have wanted to take advantage of the likely chaos in Mecca after the Muslim takeover. Some tribes favoured fighting him and the Muslims. Ahead of these were the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif. According to the Muslim scholar Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri "They thought that they were too mighty to admit or surrender to such a victory". So, they met Malik bin ‘Awf An-Nasri and made up their minds to proceed fighting against the Muslims. Malik persuaded other tribes to fight and gathered them before him. The confederation of tribes consisting of Nasr, Jusham, Sa‘ad bin Bakr, Bani Hilal, Bani 'Amr bin Amir and Bani 'Awf bin Amir gathered at Autas along with the Thaqif and Hawazin.

On that day Muhammad had twelve thousand armed soldiers under his standard. Out of them ten thousand were those, who had accompanied him from Medina and had taken part in the conquest of Mecca, and the other two thousand were from amongst Quraysh, who had embraced Islam recently. The command of this group rested with Abu Sufyan. In those days such an army was hardly found anywhere and this numerical strength of theirs became the cause of their initial defeat. It was because, contrary to the past, they prided themselves on the large number of their soldiers and ignored the military tactics and principles of war. When Muslim soldiers including the new Meccan converts who saw large number of men they said: "We shan't at all be defeated, because our soldiers far outnumber those of the enemy

Spy

The Hawazin and their allies, the Thaqif, began mobilizing their forces when they learned from spies that Muhammad and his army had departed from Medina to begin an assault on Mecca. The confederates apparently hoped to attack the Muslim army while it besieged Mecca. Muhammad, however, uncovered their intentions through his own spies in the camp of the Hawazin, and marched against the Hawazin just two weeks after the conquest of Mecca with a force of 12,000 men. Only four weeks had elapsed since the Muslim forces had left Medina to conquer Mecca.

Course of the battle

On Wednesday night, the tenth of Shawwal, the Muslim army arrived at Hunain. Malik bin ‘Awf, who had previously entered the valley by night, gave orders to his army of four thousand men to hide inside the valley and lurk for the Muslims on roads, entrances, and narrow hiding places. His orders to his men were to hurl stones at Muslims whenever they caught sight of them and then to make one-man attacks against them.

Khalid ibn Walid ambushed

After the Muslims started camping, the prophet instructed Khalid ibn Walid to command advance troop from Banu Sulaym cavalry to check the bottom of the valley. However, before the entire Banu Sulaym has reached the valley, Malik bin 'Awf suddenly gave signal to his army to launch surprise attack which caused panic and disorganization among the ranks of Khalid. the surprise attack were so fierce and fast to the point that Banu Sulaym entire contingent were flee in total rout, leaving only their leader, Khalid ibn Walid to fight alone at the bottom of valley

It is reported that only a few soldiers stayed behind and fought, including Ali bin Abu Talib, the standard bearer,Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Abbas bin Abdullah, Abu Sufyan, Abu Fadl Al-Abbas, Usamah, and Abu Sufyan bin al-Harith

The Prophet withstand

Ibn Kathir writes that according to Ibn Ishaq, Jabir ibn Abdullah, who witnessed the battle, the Muslim army were panicked by a surprise attack from the enemy and many men fled the battlefield. However, a group of Muhajirun stood firmly and defended the Prophet on the battlefield. These men were Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harb along with his son Muawiyah, Fadl ibn Abbas, Rabi' ibn al-Harith, Usama ibn Zayd and Ayman ibn Ubayd. Ayman ibn Ubayd was killed that day whilst defending the Prophet Muhammad. . Abu Sufyan al-Harb particularly were the one who stand closely to the Prophet Muhammad and holding the horse bridle of the Prophet

"Come on, people! I am the Messenger of Allah. I am Muhammad, the son of Abdullah." Then Muhammad said "O, Allah, send down Your Help!", later Muslims’ returned to the battlefield. Muhammad, then picking up a handful of earth, hurled it at their faces while saying: "May your faces be shameful." Their eyes were thick with dust and the enemy began to retreat in utter confusion, according to the Muslim scholar Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri

Counterattack of Zubayr

during this fray, Zubayr ibn al-Awam rode his horse breaking out from his rank and plunging himself onto the enemy column. the entire Muslim army, one by one, both those fleeing and those who stood still along with the Prophet above the valley witnessed Zubayr and immediately inspired by Zubayr reckless courage and immediately followed him to commence counter attack.

As now the Muslim forces vigor has renewed and the entire contingents who fled earlier returned to the battlefield. Witnessing the surge of counterattack from their enemy, Malik ibn 'Awf calmly immediately rearranging his armies. the Thaqif confederation forming new lines under Malik instruction just as the streams of attacks from the returned Sulaym contingent and the Ansar congingents who descent into the valley in succession.

Khalid ibn Walid survived

Shortly after the Muhajireens and some prophet companions managed to stabilize order above the valley. the Prophet ordered his army to go down and check anything left in the bottom of the valley. they have found out Khalid ibn Walid are passed out and heavily wounded while laying on the ground. Many though Khalid were already dead at the time until the Prophet then came to him and personally treat Khalid. Khalid healed shortly and immediately returned to the Muslim ranks

Final phase of the battle

Meanwhile at to bottom of the valley, the returned Sulaym contingent and the Ansar contingents under Abu Talha al-Ansari and 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit who catching up with the leaderless Sulaym contingents since they have lost their commander, Khalid, earlier as they leave him during the first clash. Up to this point the battle was described by eyewitnesses as degraded into bloody phase of war of attrition, as fighters from both sides locked in exhausting melee combats for long time, perhaps hours.

The Thaqif confederation at first still manage to withstand against the Sulaym and the Ansar contingents. This situation continues until two people stands out in critical moment, the first is Abu Talha, who is described by Anas ibn Malik in his own account during the battle that the Ansar leader has killed at least 20 enemies with his own hands while Anas himself and the other Ansar fighters started to feel tired.

The second one who played crucial role was Zubayr who until this moment are described by witnesses are fighting alone in a loose cannon behind enemy ranks, separated very far away from the rest of Muslim armies. Zubayr act caught by the eyes of Malik ibn 'Awf, who in turn slowly withdraw his exhausted soldiers.. The sudden withdrawal of the Confederation army shortly followed by the incoming Muhajireen elites under command of Ali ibn abi Talib along with the Prophet Muhammad himself now catching up to join the frontline after they managed to stabilize the command earlier

Up to this point the tide of battle was completely turned as the Thaqif confederation forces routed and the entire Muslims now chasing them.

Case of Rabia bin Rufay'

As the cavalry of Muslims are chasing down the bulks of retreating enemies that fleeing straightly towards Nakhlah, there are some battalion that chasing after the enemies which scattered to different directions. A young Muslim soldier named Rabi‘a bin Rafi‘ caught up with Duraid bin As-Simmah, personal counselor of Malik bin 'Awf, who separated from his soldiers in the narrow pass during the retreat. Durayd was an important asset of the pagan forces due to his great number of experiences in battle and knowledge of terrain and war tactics . This is mentioned by the Muslim jurist Tabari as follows:

The Messenger of God's cavalry followed those who went to Nakhlah, but not those who took to the narrow passes. Rabia b. Rufay' b. Uhban b. Tha'labah b. Rabi'ah b. Yarbu' b. Sammal119 b. 'Awf b. Imr al- Qays, who was called Ibn Ladh'ah after his mother, overtook Durayd b. al-Simmah and seized his camel by its halter, thinking that he was a woman because he was in a howdah. But lo, it was a man. He made the camel kneel down beside him and the man was very old. He was Durayd b. al-Simmah, the young man did not know him. Durayd asked him what he wanted to do with him. The young man replied that he wanted to kill him. Durayd asked him who he was, and he replied that he was Rabi'ah b. Rufaya al-Sulami. He then struck him with his sword, but to no effect. Thereupon Durayd said, "What a poor weapon your mother has armed you with! Take this sword of mine that is at the rear of the saddle in the howdah and strike me with it above the spine but below the brain, for I used to slay men in that way. Then when you go to your mother, tell her you killed Durayd b. al-Simmah. By God, how many times I protected your women."

After the enemy was defeated. About seventy men of Thaqif alone were killed, and the Muslims captured all their riding camels, weapons and cattle.

According to Muslim scholars exegesis of cause or Asbāb al-nuzūl, The Quran verse 9:25 was also revealed to mention this event :

Assuredly Allah did help you in many battle-fields and on the day of Hunain: Behold! your great numbers elated you, but they availed you naught: the land, for all that it is wide, did constrain you, and ye turned back in retreat.
But Allah did pour His calm on the Messenger and on the Believers, and sent down forces which ye saw not: He punished the Unbelievers; thus doth He reward those without Faith.

Aftermath

Because Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri had brought the families and flocks of the Hawazin along, the Muslims were able to capture huge spoils. 6,000 prisoners taken and 24,000 camels were captured. Some Bedouins fled, and split into two groups. One group went back, resulting in the Battle of Autas, while the larger group found refuge at al-Ta'if, where Muhammad besieged them. William Montgomery Watt states that Muhammad took on the role as the hero of Meccans by facing their Bedouin arch-enemies, the Hawazins and the Thaqifs of the city of al-Ta'if.

Islamic Primary sources

The event is mentioned in the Sunni Hadith collection Sahih Bukhari as follows:

We set out in the company of Allah's Apostle on the day (of the battle) of Hunain. When we faced the enemy, the Muslims retreated and I saw a pagan throwing himself over a Muslim. I turned around and came upon him from behind and hit him on the shoulder with the sword He (i.e. the pagan) came towards me and seized me so violently that I felt as if it were death itself, but death overtook him and he released me. I followed 'Umar bin Al Khattab and asked (him), "What is wrong with the people (fleeing)?" He replied, "This is the Will of Allah," After the people returned, the Prophet sat and said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has a proof of that, will possess his spoils." I got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and then sat down. The Prophet again said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has proof of that, will possess his spoils." I (again) got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and sat down. Then the Prophet said the same for the third time. I again got up, and Allah's Apostle said, "O Abu Qatada! What is your story?" Then I narrated the whole story to him. A man (got up and) said, "O Allah's Apostle! He is speaking the truth, and the spoils of the killed man are with me. So please compensate him on my behalf." On that Abu Bakr As-Siddiq said, "No, by Allah, he (i.e. Allah's Apostle ) will not agree to give you the spoils gained by one of Allah's Lions who fights on the behalf of Allah and His Apostle." The Prophet said, "Abu Bakr has spoken the truth." So, Allah's Apostle gave the spoils to me. I sold that armor (i.e. the spoils) and with its price I bought a garden at Bani Salima, and this was my first property which I gained after my conversion to Islam. Sahih al-Bukhari, 4:53:370

The event is also in Imam Maliks Al-Muwatta as follows:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said that he had heard a man asking ibn Abbas about booty. Ibn Abbas said, "Horses are part of the booty and personal effects are as well."

Then the man repeated his question, and Ibn Abbas repeated his answer. Then the man said, "What are the spoils which He, the Blessed, the Exalted, mentioned in His Book?" He kept on asking until Ibn Abbas was on the verge of being annoyed, then Ibn Abbas said, "Do you know who this man is like? Ibn Sabigh, who was beaten by Umar ibn al-Khattab because he was notorious for asking foolish questions." Yahya said that Malik was asked whether someone who killed one of the enemy could keep the man's effects without the permission of the Imam. He said, "No one can do that without the permission of the Imam. Only the Imam can make ijtihad. I have not heard that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ever said, 'Whoever kills someone can have his effects,' on any other day than the day of Hunayn."

Al-Muwatta, 21 10.19

See also

Template:Misplaced Pages books

• Muhammad as a warrior
• List of expeditions of Muhammad

Bibliography

Notes

1. is said in some accounts after the battle, the reason why Malik turned to retreat was because he aware of Zubayr reputation as a warrior who never defeated in any single combat and lose his nerve as Zubayr slowly reaching his position.

References

1. "Islam Web Question and answer". Islam Web. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
2. ^ Basalamah Lc, Ma,, Dr. Khalid Abdullah Zeed. "Mahmud al Mishri Seerah Nabawi public lecture". Youtube. Khalid Basalamah official channel. Retrieved 29 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. الموقع الرسمي للداعية مصطفى حسني، قصة غزوة حنين، الحلقة الحادية عشر
4. ^ Basalamah, Dr. Khalid Abdullah Zeed. "Mahmud al Mishri Seerah Nabawi public Lecture- Abu Sufyan session". youtube. Khalid Basalamah officila. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
5. ^ Basalamah, Dr, Khalid Abdullah Zeed. "Mahmud al-Mishri seerah Nabawi by Khalid Basalamah; Zubayr session". youtube. Khalid Basalamah official. Retrieved 29 January 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ^ Dawood, Abu; Kathir, Ibn. "Battle of Hunayn". Islam Story. Professor Raghib al Surajanii. Retrieved 29 January 2020. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
7. ^ The Sealed Nectar. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
8. ^ The Life of Mahomet and History of Islam to the Era of the Hegira. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
9. Quran 9:25–27
10. ^ Lammens, H. and Abd al-Hafez Kamal. "Hunayn". In P.J. Bearman; Th. Bianquis; C.E. Bosworth; E. van Donzel; W.P. Heinrichs (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online Edition. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
11. "When The Moon Split". Darussalam. 1 July 1998 – via Google Books.
12. The sealed nectar, By S.R. Al-Mubarakpuri, Pg356
13. Najibabadi, Akbar S. K. HISTORY OF ISLAM - Tr. Atiqur Rehman (3 Vols. Set). Adam Publishers & Distributors. ISBN 9788174354679.
14. IslamKotob. Tafsir Ibn Kathir all 10 volumes. IslamKotob.
15. Sha'rani, Ahmad Abdul Wahab Bin Ahmad (2006), alkitab.com-Source for Arabic Books: Tabaqat al-Kubra - Sha'rani - الطبقات الكبرى: History - Islamic - Sufi Studies: By Sha'rani, Ahmad Abdul Wahab Bin Ahmad, DKI, Beirut
16. "Reconnoitering the Enemy's Weapons". www.witness-pioneer.org.
17. "Revelation and Empire".
18. "Muhammad: Victory". www.alislam.org.
19. Akramulla Syed. "The battle of Hunayn, Battle at Hunain, Military History of Islam, Khalid bin Al-Waleed". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
20. ln Mughazi, vol. III, page 602
21. Ibn Kathir, The Battles of the Prophet, p. 175-176
22. ^ "Battle of Hunayn, Witness-Pioneer.com".
23. ^ Basalamah Lc, M.A,, Khalid Abdullah Zeed. "Seerah Sahaba public lecture & book commentary". youtube. Khalid Basalamah official channel. Retrieved 2 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
24. Safiur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (2005), The Sealed Nectar, Darussalam Publications, p. 262
25. Tabari, Al (25 September 1990), The last years of the Prophet (translated by Isma'il Qurban Husayn), State University of New York Press, p. 16, ISBN 978-0-88706-691-7

External links

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• The Battle Of Hunayn

22°58′24″N 38°49′11″E / 22.9733°N 38.8197°E / 22.9733; 38.8197

• Battles of Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah
• Campaigns led by Muhammad
• Battles of Khalid ibn Walid
• 630s conflicts
• 630
• Qays