Seerah / Conquest of Makkah
Hunayn
- Date
- Shawwal, 8 AH · established
- Location
- Hunayn
- People
- Abu Sufyan ibn al-Harith (RA), Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (RA)
The Qur'an recalls that at Hunayn the believers' large numbers pleased them yet availed them nothing, until Allah sent down tranquillity (9:25–26). Al-Bara' (RA) testifies in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ himself did not flee.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْبَرَاءَ، رضى الله عنه وَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عُمَارَةَ أَتَوَلَّيْتَ يَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ فَقَالَ أَمَّا أَنَا فَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُوَلِّ، وَلَكِنْ عَجِلَ سَرَعَانُ الْقَوْمِ، فَرَشَقَتْهُمْ هَوَازِنُ، وَأَبُو سُفْيَانَ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ آخِذٌ بِرَأْسِ بَغْلَتِهِ الْبَيْضَاءِ …
Narrated Abu 'Is-haq:I heard Al-Bara' narrating when a man came and said to him, "O Abu '`Umara! Did you flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunain?" Al-Bara' replied, "I testify that the Prophet (ﷺ) did not flee, but the hasty people hurried away and the people of Hawazin threw arrows at them. At that time, Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith was holding the white mule of the Prophet (ﷺ) by the head, and the Prophet (ﷺ) was saying, "I am the Prophet (ﷺ) undoubtedly: I am the son of `Abdul-Muttalib
What Allah revealed
لَقَدۡ نَصَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيرَةٖ وَيَوۡمَ حُنَيۡنٍ إِذۡ أَعۡجَبَتۡكُمۡ كَثۡرَتُكُمۡ فَلَمۡ تُغۡنِ عَنكُمۡ شَيۡـٔٗا وَضَاقَتۡ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتۡ ثُمَّ وَلَّيۡتُم مُّدۡبِرِينَ
Allah has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودٗا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers angels whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers
Lessons
- Confidence in numbers is not tawakkul.
- Steadfastness at the centre can steady everyone else.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4315 (al-Bara') · primary source
- Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Ibn Kathir, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah (further reading)
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)