History Books

Allah bestowed victory on his servants who liberated Mecca. The tribe of Hawazin heard of the glorious, sweeping triumph of the Muslims and made its chief mobilize a tremendous army to face them.

As soon as he heard of the Hawazin's readiness to fight him, the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) moved against them at the head of a 12,000 - strong army. But the Hawazin were alert and ready to engage the Muslims. They took their positions at the summit of the Hunain mountains and in the narrowest point of the valley.

The Muslims, upon advancing into the erea, were taken aback by a rain of arrows. Panic struck at them and their ranks were in disarray. They took to their heels leaving the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) with Ali bin Abi-Talib, al-Abbas bin Abdul-Muttalib, a group from the tribe of Bani-Hashim, Usamah bin Zaid and Ayman bin Ubaid. 97

The Messenger of Allah called out to the Muslims: O people! Come unto me. I am the Messenger of Allah. I am Muhammad bin Abdullah .... 98 But no one answered him.

Before long, the Messenger (s.a.w.) ordered his uncle, al-Abbas, a man with a sonorous voice, to call the Muslims to him and remind them of the pledge they gave to the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.). AI-Abbas called, at the top of his voice, to them:

O assembly of the Muhajirin (migrants) and the Ansar (Helpers)! O the companions of the Surah of al-Baqarah! O those who pledged their allegiance under the tree! where are you escaping? This is the Messenger of Allah ... 99

It did not take long for the Muslims to return to the battlefield after they had heard the call of al-Abbas. Some of them come back, and rushed to the scene of the battle brandishing their weapons and shouting: Here we are at your service. Here we are at your service. 100 Soon the fighting tilted in the Muslims' favour. They took to the offensive and they fought bravely and cast their fate in the heartfelt hope of Allah's victory. Their foe ran for their lives, not even to look back.

The defeated polytheists hurried to al-Ta'if, which was inhabited by the tribe of Thaqif. The town was perfectly fortified as the Muslims laid siege to it. The defenders of al-Ta'if rained the Muslims with arrows, causing many casualties and were forced to retreat some distance to tighten their siege.

The month of Dhul-Qi'dah came and the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) left the outskirts of al-Ta'if and headed for Mecca to perform Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage). The tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif, however, began to realize that it was time to surrender and sent their leader, Malik bin Awfal-Nadari, to meet the Messenger (s.a.w.) on his way to Mecca. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) had promised to forgive him on a previous occasion, if he would profess Islam. The Prophet (s.a.w.) again kept his word. He forgave him and gave him back his property after he embraced Islam.

Other members of the tribe of Hawazin also began to submit to Islam. Then they sent a delegation of 14 men to the Prophet (s.a.w.) announcing their conversion. He restored their property and set their prisoners free.

The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) went on with his journey to Mecca. Performing Umrah. He returned to the holy city of Madinah. 101 He had appointed Attab bin Usaid as its ruler and then came back, with the Muhajirin (migrants) and the Ansar (Helpers), to the Madinah. There they progressed in the task of building the Islamic society and the Islamic state and bringing about change they wanted in the light of the all embracing principles of Islam.

____________

97. Sirat al-Rasool (s.a.w.), Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin, quoted from al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah; Al-Ma'arif (Knowledge), Ibn Qutaibah; Al-Mizan, Sayyid al-Tabatabai', vol. l0, exegesis of ayah 25 of surah of al-Tawbah.

98. Sirat al-Rasool, Sayyid al-Amin, p.127. Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, Dahlan, p.110, in different words.

99. Al-Mizan, vol. 10, exegesis of ayah 25 of surah of al-Tawbah and the following study based on traditions, p.231.

100. Fi Dhilal al-Qur'an, vol. 10, Sayyid Qutb, exegesis of ayah 25 of surah of al-Tawbah.

101. Sirat al-Rasool, Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin, p.132.

Adapted from the book: "Muhammad; The Messenger of Allah"