Battle of Hunain

From the book · p. 64

In brief· the site’s own summary, not the book’s words

After the conquest of Makkah many Arabs accepted Islaam, but the Hawaazin and Thaqeef tribes prepared to fight. Nabi ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) left Makkah on the 6th of Shawwaal with twelve thousand men, and in the valley of Hunain the enemy ambushed them from every side, so the front of the army scattered. The book explains that the real cause, as the Qur'aan says, was that some Muslims had trusted in their large numbers, and Allah ﷻ (exalted is His majesty) let this happen to show that victory comes only from His help. Nabi ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), wearing double armour on his white mule Duldul, told Abbaas رضي الله عنه (may Allah be pleased with him) to call the Muslims back, and the fighting began again.

Context (the site’s note) · Hunain is a valley on the road from Makkah to Taa-if; the battle was fought in 630 CE.

After the conquest of Makkah, the Arabs began entering into Islaam in large numbers. Many of them had conviction in the truthfulness of Islaam but had not previously accepted due to fear of the Quraish. The Quraish were now defeated and this obstacle was removed. This is why many now accepted Islaam.

Those Arabs who did not accept Islaam did not have the strength to oppose the Muslims. However, there were two tribes, the Hawaazin and Thaqeef who could not tolerate the rise of Islaam. They prepared to wage war against the Muslims and set out towards Makkah.

When the news reached ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him), he gathered an army of twelve thousand رضي الله عنهم (may Allah be pleased with them) to fight them. The army consisted of ten thousand and and two thousand who accepted Islaam at the conquest of Makkah.

On the 6th this army left Makkah. When they reached the valley of Hunain, the enemy who were prepared and waiting in ambush attacked the Muslims from all directions. The front section of the Muslim army scattered since there was no preparation for battle as yet. This seemed to be the apparent cause. However the Qur’aan mentions that the real cause for this was that some of the Muslims placed their confidence in their large numbers. The initial setback was an admonition and a rebuke from Allah Ta’ala.

Allah ﷻ (exalted is His majesty) in order to warn them, allowed this to occur so that the Muslims would realise that victory and defeat is not based on strength and number, but only on the assistance of Allah ﷻ (exalted is His majesty).

This is why the Muslims were victorious in Badr despite their lack of means yet suffered this setback in Hunain despite their strength and numbers.

ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) wore a double layer of armour and rode a white mule called Duldul. Seeing the condition of the Muslim army, Nabi ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Abbaas رضي الله عنه (may Allah be pleased with him) to summon the Muslims. His inspiring call gave courage to the Muslims and once again the battle ensued between the disbelievers and Muslims.

In brief· the site’s own summary, not the book’s words

After the conquest of Makkah many Arabs accepted Islaam, but the Hawaazin and Thaqeef tribes prepared to fight. Nabi ﷺ left Makkah on the 6th of Shawwaal with twelve thousand men, and in the valley of Hunain the enemy ambushed them from every side, so the front of the army scattered. The book explains that the real cause, as the Qur'aan says, was that some Muslims had trusted in their large numbers, and Allah ﷻ let this happen to show that victory comes only from His help. Nabi ﷺ, wearing double armour on his white mule Duldul, told Abbaas رضي الله عنه to call the Muslims back, and the fighting began again.

The book’s text

The book’s text