Battle of Hunayn: Difference between revisions

The'''battle of Hunayn''' (Arabic: غَزوة حُنَین) occurred after the [[conquest of Mecca]] in [[8]] A.H. (630) in the area of [[Hunayn]] between Muslims under the commandership of [[the Prophet (s)]] and the tribes of [[Hawazin]] and [[Thaqif]] who resided in the area of [[Ta'if]]. At the beginning of the battle, the Islamic army was unstable because of the polytheists' camisado and the presence of some soldiers from [[Mecca]], who were recent Muslim converts, such that the Prophet (s)'s life was in danger, but the Muslims could finally win the war and gain a lot of booties.

When [[the Prophet (s)]] and his army conquered [[Mecca]] on Friday, 10 days to the end of the [[Ramadan]] month of [[8]] A.H. (November, 12, 630), he stayed in Mecca for 15 nights, and then on Saturday, 6 of [[Shawwal]] (November, 28, 630), they headed to the area of [[Hunayn]] in the northeast of Mecca.

The battle is called '''Yawm Hunayn''' (Arabic: یوم حنین, the day of Hunayn), '''Waq'a Hunayn''' (Arabic: وَقعة حنین, The event of Hunayn), '''Ghaza Hunayn''' (Arabic: غَزاة حنین), '''Ghazwa Hawazin''' (Arabic: غزوة هَوازِن, the battle of Hawazin), and '''Waq'a Hawazin''' (Arabic: وقعة هوازن, The event of Hawazin).

According to one account, the noblemen of the tribes of [[Hawazin]] and [[Thaqif]] anticipated the Muslims' attack after the [[conquest of Mecca]], and so they decided to forestall and start the fight against Muslims. According to another account, when [[the Prophet (s)]] and his army departed from [[Medina]] to [[Mecca]] in order to conquer Mecca, these tribes thought that the Prophet (s) intends to fight with them. This is why they camped in [[Hunayn]] after the conquest of Mecca, and decided to fight with the Islamic army.

Most clans of the [[Hawazin]] tribe, including Nasr, Jusham, Sa'd b. Bakr and some people from Banu Hilal under the leadership of Malik b. 'Awf al-Nasri were mobilized to fight the Muslims, but some well-known clans of Hawazin, such as Ka'b, Kilab and Banu Numayr, did not join them. All the tribes allied to [[Thaqif]] joined under the leadership of Qarib b. Aswad and Dhu al-Khimar Subay' b. Harith and his brother Ahmar b. Harith from Banu Malik.

When Malik b. 'Awf decided to depart to fight with [[the Prophet (s)]], he took with the army the properties, women and children in order to encourage its men to defend them. When they arrived in Awtas—a rough and uneven field for horses—Durayd b. Simma, a blind old man from Jusham, who was experienced with wars, told Malik b. 'Awf that if this battle were honorable, the brave men of Ka'b and Kilab would attend it. Thus he asked Malik to go to the battle only with his men, so that he can be joined by others in case he wins, but if he is defeated, then the children and women would be safe. However, Malik b. 'Awf ignored his remarks and ridiculed him.

In Awtas, they received aids from different areas. When [[the Prophet (s)]] heard about this, he sent [['Abd Allah b. Abi Hadrad al-Aslami]] to go among them anonymously and get more information. He confirmed that all polytheists had been allied to fight the Muslims.

Ibn Is'haq has narrated a [[hadith]] from [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]] according to which when the Prophet (s) decided to go to the battle of Hawazin, he sent someone to Safwan b. Umayya (a head of [[Quraysh]] who was still a polytheist at that time), asking him to lend armors and weapons to him and the Muslims (with the guarantee that they will return them to him). Safwan accepted this and lent 100 armors to them.

Together with 10,000 of his followers, who had helped him in the [[conquest of Mecca]] and 2,000 new converts to Islam from [[Mecca]], [[the Prophet (s)]] departed from Mecca to fight the [[Hawazin]]. Some of these new converts only wanted to see who will win in order to seize booties, and they may have as well hoped that the Prophet (s) and Muslims would be defeated in this battle. The Prophet (s), Muslims, and some men from [[Quraysh]], some of whom were still polytheists, arrived in [[Hunayn]] in the evening of Tuesday, 10 of [[Shawwal]], [[8]] A.H. (December 2, 630).

Malik b. 'Awf sent three people to spy on Muslims. The spies were overwhelmed by seeing the Islamic army. However, Malik b. 'Awf situated his soldiers in Hunayn at night in order to organize an overnight surprise attack. At dawn, [[the Prophet (s)]] organized his soldiers and gave the flags to their holders.

The [[Hawazin]] and [[Thaqif]] polytheists, who were ambushed in the valley, launched a surprise attack on Muslims. The heads of Banu Sulaym, people of [[Mecca]] and then other people escaped.

The Prophet (s) called his army to stay with him, reminding them that he is the messenger of [[God]], [[Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah (s)]], but only a few people stayed with him.

There are different accounts of who stayed with, and supported, the Prophet (s). Some [[hadith]]s have mentioned four people: [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]], [['Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]], [[Abu Sufyan b. Harith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]] all of whom were from [[Banu Hashim]] and [[Ibn Mas'ud]]. According to some other hadiths, only 9 or 10 people from Banu Hashim, including the three people above, and another person not from Banu Hashim, that is, [[Ayman b. Umm Ayman]], stayed with the Prophet (s).

The number of the fugitives is said to be from 100 to 300 people. Some fugitives from [[Mecca]], such as [[Abu Sufyan b. Harb]] and Kalada b. Hanbal expressed their hatred for Muslims, and Shayba b. 'Uthman b. Abi Talha, whose father was killed in the [[Battle of Uhud]], even attempted to kill the Prophet (s).

The Prophet (s) told [['Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib]], who was holding the rein of the Prophet (s)'s horse in his hands and had a very loud voice, to shout: "O' [[Ansar]], O' people of [[Samura]], O' people of [[Sura al-Baqara]]." After this all the fugitives from all around returned to the Prophet (s). About 100 people went back to where the Prophet (s) was, helping him to fight the polytheists. And other [[companions]] returned later.

Just like all other battles in the early Islam, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] was more courageous than others. He attacked the enemy's flag holder and killed them, and then the polytheists began to flee. On some accounts, Imam 'Ali (a) killed 40 people from the enemy.

According to some [[hadiths]], [[the Prophet (s)]] took a handful of soil and threw it to the enemy, saying: "let them be defeated", and this led them to be defeated and flee. Moreover, according to the [[Qur'an]] and hadiths, on the day of Hunayn, some angels landed on the Earth to help the Muslim warriors.

When polytheists began to flee, 70 people from Banu Malik, a clan of [[Thaqif]], were killed. On some accounts, the number of people of [[Hawazin]] who were killed is said to be the same as the number of people from [[Quraysh]] who were killed in [[Badr]], that is, 70 people. However, according to [[Mas'udi]], about 150 people from [[Hawazin]] were killed. In this battle, the Muslims captivated 6,000 women and children, 24,000 camels, over 4,000 sheep and 4,000 silver dishes.

The polytheists accompanied Malik b. 'Awf to [[Ta'if]]. Some of them camped in Awtas, and some others from [[Thaqif]] went to Nakhla. The Prophet (s) sent some people to chase the polytheists who went to Nakhla, and he ordered Abu 'Amir al-Ash'ari to chase the polytheists who went to Awras. Abu 'Amir was killed in his fight with them, and his cousin, [[Abu Musa al-Ash'ari]], took his place and defeated the polytheists.

In this fight, Shayma bt. Harith b. 'Abd al-'Uzza, the Prophet (s)'s foster ([[rada'i]]) sister, was captured by Muslims. When they took her to the Prophet (s), he treated her wit respect and then sent her, on her demand, to her clan. According to some accounts, the Prophet (s)'s talks with Shayma and her intercession about the [[Hawazin]] captives was one of the reasons why they captives were set free.

When the battle was over, [[the Prophet (s)]] permitted every Muslim who killed a polytheist to possess the war clothes and warfare that were left from the enemy. Then the captives and booties were taken to the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) ordered the Muslims to take the captives and the properties to [[Ja'rana]] in the northwest of the Hunayn valley. After the battle, the Prophet (s) went to Ja'rana on Thursday night, 5 of [[Dhu l-qa'da]], [[8]] A.H. (December 29, 630).

After 13 nights of sojourn in Ja'rana, the Prophet (s) performed his [['Umra]] rituals and then departed to [[Medina]] on Wednesday night, 18 of [[Dhu al-Qa'da]], [[8]] A.H. (January 11, 631).