When the tribe of Hawazin heard how the Muslims had liberated Makkah, they feared that they might be raided and their quarters stormed by the Muslims. Therefore, they set about countering the Muslim threat by preparing themselves for battle. Malik ibn ‘Auf al-Nadri assembled Hawazin and Thaqif together and marched with them until they reached the valley of Autas.
The news of the impending armies of Hawazin and Thaqif reached the Muslims fifteen days after the conquest of Makkah and they prepared themselves to meet them. Malik did not encamp in the valley of Autas. Instead, he moved his troops up into the hills of Hunayn in the most inaccessible part of the valley, where he organized them carefully in strategic positions. He instructed his men to attack the Muslims, once they had entered the valley so as to cause confusion among them which would lead to them breaking ranks. The plan was carefully worked out, while he waited there for the arrival of the Muslims.
After a few days the Muslims appeared. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had marched with two thousand Makkans and another ten thousand men from the army which had entered Makkah. This formidable force marched towards the battlefield and reached Hunayn in the evening, where they rested until just before dawn. Then they moved on into the valley during the twilight. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was riding his white mule at the rear of the army as they entered the valley when the enemy squadrons attacked, following the order of his commander. They showered the Muslims with spears, and amidst the darkness the Muslims were stunned by the sudden surprise attack. As the spears hit them from every direction, the Muslims broke and fled in terror, none heeding the other. They passed by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) without stopping and continued running en masse. Only al-‘Abbas and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) were left on the battlefield. As for the rest of the army, they were as good as defeated and fleeing for their lives. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stood where he was, surrounded by a small group of the Ansar, Muhajireen and his family, and he called to the people, “Where are you going O people?” But the people were unable to hear his call, they just continued running without turning back fearing death all the while. Hawazin and Thaqif chased them and killed them wherever they reached them.
At that moment the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) experienced one of the most critical situations in his life. His reaction to the hopeless turn of events was outstanding. With his army in full flight, his Sahabah as well as the new Muslims having deserted him, there he stood steadfast calling them all back to him. Some of those who had only recently embraced Islam openly disclosed their enmity and hatred on that day. They expressed their malicious joy at the defeat of the Muslims. Kalda ibn Hanbal said, “Surely sorcery is vain today.” Shaybah ibn ‘Uthman ibn Talhah said, “Today I will get my revenge on Muhammad.” Abu Sufyan said, “Their flight will not stop before they get to the sea.”
The prospect of utter defeat prompted those who had embraced Islam during the liberation of Makkah and who had come out supposedly to fight alongside the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to divulge their true nature and intentions. The situation that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) faced was very dark indeed. Instead of retreating (in view of the overwhelming odds), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) remained on the battlefield where he (pbuh) proceeded to move forward towards the enemy riding his white mule. His uncle al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al- Muttalib remained with him as did Abu Sufyan Ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abd al- Muttalib (not to be confused with Abu Sufyan ibn Harb Abu Mu’awiyah), who was holding the nose band of his mount preventing it from moving any further under the dangerous conditions. Al-‘Abbas cried out loudly, “O Ansar who hosted and protected, O Muhajireen who gave your pledge under the tree! Muhammad is verily alive so come on.”
Al-‘Abbas repeated his cry which echoed around the valley. The defeated Muslims heard him and they remembered the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and their duty of Jihad. They realized just what their defeat would entail and just what the consequences would be if they were to be defeated and crushed by the polytheists. They understood that it could mean the end of the Deen which they had vowed to protect with their lives. They responded to the call and began to gather around the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). They rejoined the battle with great zeal and courage until their numbers began to swell and the battle became fiercer. As this was happening the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) became more and more reassured until he took up a handful of pebbles and threw them towards the enemy saying, “Today the faces have turned ugly.”
Then the Muslims launched a counter offensive against Hawazin and Thaqif without any fear for their lives. The heavy fighting soon forced the polytheists to realize that they were in danger of being exterminated and they had no choice but to run for their lives. They fled leaving behind them their property and women which the Muslims took as booty.
The Muslims continued to give chase, imprisoning many polytheists on the way. They pursued them even further up the valley and killed many of them. Their commander, Malik ibn ‘Auf fled to Ta’if where he sought protection. Allah (swt) helped the Muslims gain a great victory that day, and the following verses were revealed in conjunction with the events:
“Truly Allah has given you victory in many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn when you rejoiced at your great number but it availed you naught and the earth, vast as it is, was constraitened for you, then you turned back in flight. Then Allah did send down His Sakinah (calmness, tranquillity) on the Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces (angels) which you saw not, and punished the disbelievers. Such is the recompense of disbelievers. Then after that, Allah will accept the repentance of whom He will. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [At-Tauba, 9:25-27]
The booty that passed into the hands of the Muslims after defeating the enemy proved to be enormous. They counted what amounted to twenty thousand camels, forty thousand sheep and four thousand silver shields. Many disbelievers were killed. A large number, amounting to six thousand, were imprisoned and taken to Wadi al-Ji’ranah. As for the Muslim martyrs they were not counted. However they also numbered many. Some of the books of Seerah narrate that two entire Muslim tribes were exterminated.
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) left the spoils and the prisoners in al-Ji’ranah and besieged Ta’if where Malik ibn ‘Auf had gained sanctuary after his defeat. Ta’if belonged to the tribe of Thaqif. It was built like a fortress and its people were experts in the art of siege warfare. They were also extremely wealthy and had plenty of provisions. Thaqif were experts at archery and they showered a group of Muslims, as they attempted to advance on the city, killing them. It proved very difficult for the Muslims to storm the fort and they instead camped out of shooting range waiting to see what the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would do. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sought the help of Banu Daus to bombard Ta’if with the catapult and they arrived four days after the siege had begun with their armaments. Now the Muslims attacked with the catapult and they sent out tanks to creep forward and make contact with the city walls in an attempt to burn down the wall of Ta’if. As they approached, however, they were showered with hot pieces of metal which burnt the tanks forcing the Muslim operators inside to flee. Thaqif seized the opportunity to shower the retreating Muslims with arrows, killing many of them. The Muslims failed to storm Ta’if directly so they resorted to cutting down and burning the vineyards in an attempt to force Thaqif to surrender. This Thaqif did not do and time finally ran out for the Muslim besiegers.
The sacred months began and it was the first of Dhul al-Qa’dah when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) together with the Muslims withdrew from Ta’if heading for Makkah. They stopped in al-Ji’ranah where their spoils and prisoners had been left. Amongst many other settlements concluded at this time the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) promised to return to Malik ibn ‘Auf his family and his assets if he would embrace Islam. When Malik ibn ‘Auf heard this news he promptly appeared before the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and declared his Islam to him. Incredibly, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) after having just fought for his life against Malik gave him what he had promised together with an additional one hundred camels.
Eventually, the people feared that their share of the spoils would diminish if Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) continued to give out the spoils to whoever came to him from Hawazin. They asked that the spoils be divided so that each could get his share. They murmured amongst themselves about these concessions and their murmuring reached the ears of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He (pbuh) publicly removed a hair from the hump of a nearby camel and holding it aloft in his fingers said, “O People! By Allah (swt) have nothing but a fifth of your booty even to this hair, and the fifth I will return to you; so whoever took anything in dishonesty, even a needle, it will be a shame and a flame and an utter ignominy on him and his family on the Day of Resurrection.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took a fifth of the share for himself and split the rest among his Sahabah. From his share he (pbuh) gave to those whose hearts were to be won over, those in the past who had been his arch enemies. He (pbuh) gave Abu Sufyan, his son Mu’awiyah, al-Harith ibn al-Harith, al-Harith ibn al-Hisham, Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, Huwaytib ibn ‘Abd al-‘Uzza and the leaders of the tribes one hundred camels each on top of their share of the booty. He (pbuh) gave others, in addition to their share, fifty camels each.
In distributing the booty, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) showed a great deal of generosity and forgiveness. He (pbuh) also exhibited supreme shrewdness and political awareness. However, some of the Muslims did not realize the motives behind these maneuvers. The Ansar, who had been given nothing from the spoils, began to whisper among themselves about these actions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Unfortunately, they took the matter to the heart. One of them summed up the collective feelings of the others with the words, “By Allah, the Messenger of Allah has met his own people.” Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah went to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and told him what had happened. He (pbuh) asked, “Where do you stand in this matter Sa’d ?” In reply Sa’d said, “I stand with my people.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said to him, “Then gather your people to this enclosure.” When all concerned were assembled the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) addressed them so, “What is this I hear of you? Do you think ill of me in your hearts? Did I not come to you when you were erring and Allah guided you? Poor and Allah made you rich? Enemies and Allah softened your hearts?” They answered, “Yes indeed, Allah and His Messenger are most kind and generous.” He (pbuh) continued, “Why don’t you answer me O people of Ansar?” They said, “How shall we answer you O Messenger of Allah? Kindness and generosity belong to Allah and His Messenger.” He (pbuh) said, “Had you by Allah so wished you could have said - and you would have spoken the truth and have been believed - you came to us discredited and we believed you; deserted and we helped you; a fugitive and we took you in; poor and we comforted you. Are you disturbed in mind because of the good things of this life by which I win over a people that they may become Muslims while I entrust you to your Islam? Are you not satisfied that men should take away flocks and herds while you take back with you the Messenger of Allah? By him in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, but for the migration, I should be one of the Ansar myself. If all men went one way and the Ansar another I should take the way of the Ansar, O Allah, send Your mercy on the Ansar, their sons and their sons’ sons.” The people wept until the tears ran down their beards and they said, “We are satisfied with the Messenger of Allah as our lot and portion.”
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) returned to Makkah from al-Ji’ranah in order to perform the ‘Umrah together with the army. Afterwards he (pbuh) appointed ‘Utab ibn Usayd as Wali (governor) of Makkah and assigned the task of teaching the people Islam to Mu’adh ibn Jabal. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) returned to Madinah with the Ansar and the Muhajireen.