Hawazin and Thaqif gather at Awtas under Malik bin ‘Awf, bringing their families and herds. The Prophet ﷺ marches with 12,000 men, and some Muslims boast of their numbers. Ambushed at dawn in the valley of Hunain, the army breaks and runs; the Prophet holds his ground and al-‘Abbas calls the Companions back, then the Helpers, and they return and win the day. The Qur’an recalls how their great number “availed you naught”.
As the book dates it: left Makkah on “Shawwal, the nineteenth” (as the book gives it); reached Hunain on Wednesday night, 10 Shawwal, 8 A.H.
Numbers given in the book:
MuslimsOpponents
Army12,000—
Who was there
- SAsh-Shayma’Haleemah’s daughter, the Prophet’s foster sister, who was brought to him among the captives of Hunain.
- AAAl-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-MuttalibThe Prophet’s uncle, present at the Second Pledge of ‘Aqabah; his powerful voice called the Muslims back at Hunain.
- ASAbu Sufyan bin HarbLeader of Quraish in the wars against the Muslims, who accepted Islam just before the Conquest of Makkah.
- MAMalik bin ‘AwfLeader of Hawazin at Hunain, who brought his people’s families and herds to the battlefield.
- DDuraid bin as-SimmahAn old, experienced warrior of Hawazin who warned Malik bin ‘Awf against bringing the families to Hunain.