Friday Sermon
29 August 2025
Muhammadsa: The great exemplar
After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa stated:
Today, I will mention some further details in relation to the Battle of Hunain. When the Holy Prophetsa set off from Mecca, he appointed Hazrat Attab bin Asidra as the governor of Mecca. He was the first appointed governor of Mecca, and at the time, Hazrat ‘Attabra was approximately 20 years old. Hazrat Mu’adh bin Jabalra was given the responsibility of educating the people of Mecca.
Further details of Hazrat Attabra are as follows:
His father’s name was Asid bin Abi al-‘Is bin Umayyah. Both were leading figures among the Quraish and were fierce opponents of Islam. His mother’s name was Zainab. The father of Attab had passed away prior to the Conquest of Mecca and the state of the dislike and aversion of Attab towards Islam was such that on the day of the Conquest of Mecca, when Hazrat Bilalra called the Adhan [call to prayer] in the Ka’bah, Attab said to his comrades: “Thank God that my father has passed away before having to listen to this Adhan.” In any case, Attab accepted Islam after the Conquest of Mecca. Once, the Holy Prophetsa saw his father, Asid bin Abi al-‘Is, in a vision as a Muslim and as a governor of Mecca. He had died in a state of disbelief, and thus the fulfilment of the vision of the Holy Prophetsa was manifested through his son, Hazrat Attabra.
According to another narration, the Holy Prophetsa saw in a dream that Attab had approached the doors to heaven and knocked on them with great force. Eventually, the doors were opened, and he entered. According to yet another narration, the Holy Prophetsa said that he saw Asid, the father of Attab, who was a disbeliever and died in a state of disbelief, in heaven, and he thought, ‘How can Asid enter heaven?’ On the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Holy Prophetsa saw Attab bin Asid, and he said that this is the person he saw in heaven and asked for him to be brought to him. He was brought before him, and he appointed him as the governor of Mecca and said: “O Attab! Are you aware of the people over whom I have appointed you as the governor? I have appointed you as the governor of the people of Allah. Therefore, treat them with kindness.” The Holy Prophetsa said this to him thrice. He remained the governor of Mecca until the Holy Prophetsa passed away. In another narration, it is recorded that he was the governor of Mecca even during the Khilafat of Hazrat Abu Bakrra and that he passed away on the same day Hazrat Abu Bakrra passed away. According to another narration, he remained alive until the Khilafat of Hazrat Umarra.
In relation to the journey from Mecca to Hunain, it is recorded that the Holy Prophetsa left for the Battle of Hunain on Saturday, 6 Shawwal, and he reached Hunain on 10 Shawwal. According to Ibn Kathir, he set off on 5 Shawwal. On the day the Holy Prophetsa set off towards Hunain, two of his blessed wives accompanied him. They were Hazrat Umm Salamara and Hazrat Zainabra. According to some other narrations, they were Hazrat Umm Salamara and Hazrat Maimunahra. However, according to authentic narrations, Hazrat Umm Salamara and Hazrat Zainabra accompanied him. (Sharah Zurqani, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 498-499; Sirat Al-Halabiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Vol. 3, pp. 139, 149-150 and 165; Sirat Al-Nabwaiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 745; Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 9, Dar-ul-Islam, p. 251; Usdul Ghaba, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 549; Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra, Vol. 6, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 5; Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah, Vol. 7, Dar-e-Hijr, p. 5; Tarikh Al-Khamis, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 528)
It is recorded that the number of the Muslim army in the Battle of Hunain, although less than that of the enemy, was greater than in all of their previous battles. This did not pertain only to the number of soldiers but also to their weapons. Scholars who have researched the battles of the Holy Prophetsa have written that the Holy Prophetsa set out with 12,000 Muslims. These included 10,000 Companions who accompanied the Holy Prophetsa from Medina in the Conquest of Mecca, and 2,000 set off alongside the Holy Prophetsa from Mecca. Some have said that they were 14,000. However, most narrations state 12,000, including 2,000 new Muslim converts from Mecca. Those who claim that they were 14,000 say that those who joined from Medina were 12,000 instead of 10,000. They, nevertheless, say that those who joined from Mecca were 2,000. (Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, pp. 233-235; Al-Bidayah Wa Al-Nihayah, Vol. 7, Dar-e-Hijr, p. 11; Sirat Ibn Hisham, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah Beirut, p. 763; Sharah Zurqani, Vol. 3, Dar Al-Kotob Al-ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 498-498)
On the way to Hunain, there was a large Jujube tree by the name Dhat-e-Anwat, which the idolaters greatly revered. Furthermore, as a good omen for victory, they would hang their weapons on this tree. They would also sit beside this tree for worship and honour it greatly. When the [Muslim] army passed by this tree, some of the new Muslims from Mecca requested the Holy Prophetsa to designate a similar tree for them as well. Upon this, the Holy Prophetsa said: “Allahu Akbar [Allah is the greatest]! You said the same thing which the people of Moses said to him:
یٰمُوۡسَی اجۡعَلۡ لَّنَا اِلٰـہًا کَمَا لَہُمۡ اٰلِـہَۃٌ قَالَ اِنَّکُمۡ قَوۡمٌ تَجۡہَلُوۡنَ
“‘O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods.’ He replied to them: ‘Surely, you are an ignorant people.’” The Holy Prophetsa [further] said: “You are most certainly going to follow the people of the past with such deeds.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi, Kitab al-fitan, Hadith 2180; Sirat Al-Halabiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Vol. 3, p. 153; Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, p. 241)
As has already been mentioned, for the Battle of Hunain, 2,000 of those newly converted youth had also joined, in whose hearts Islam and faith had not yet been firmly grounded, nor did they possess any particular skill in warfare, to the extent that they had not even made proper arrangements for weapons. And it was precisely due to these people that the panic at Hunain was created, which resulted in temporary panic and retreat. Similarly, some people from Mecca who were not Muslims also went out with the Holy Prophetsa. Some were mounted and some on foot, to the extent that even women set out merely to see what the outcome of the battle would be.
And if the Muslims attained victory, they would receive a share of the spoils, and they had no concern whatsoever as to whether the Holy Prophetsa or the Companions should suffer any harm or injury. A portion of them joined merely as spectators, and among them were also some idolaters, who, while remaining in their state of idolatry, had come along. The number of such idolaters is reported to be close to 80, because of which some biographers have written that this was the first battle in which the Holy Prophetsa took help from idolaters, whereas prior to this, the Holy Prophetsa never permitted any idolater to be part of a battle, for he used to say:
إِنَّا لَا نَسْتَعِيْنُ بِمُشْرِكٍ
“We do not seek help from an idolater.”
However, according to their view, in the Battle of Hunain, he included idolaters for the first time. But the correct view is that he did not take any help. When the Holy Prophetsa denied any help from an idolater during the Battle of Badr, at a time when there was great need and importance for each and every person, and now the Muslims were so numerous that, according to the Quran their large numbers had become a source of pride, then why would there be any need for the help of a handful of idolaters? Therefore, the Holy Prophetsa by no means included any idolater, nor did he call upon any idolater to take part in battle. Rather, from the detailed accounts in the biographies of the Holy Prophetsa, it becomes evident that many people from Mecca joined the army purely on their own, merely to observe the battle and out of greed for spoils. They went along thinking: “The Muslims will surely gain victory; let us witness the spectacle and share in the plunder.” Indeed, there were also some ill-intentioned idolaters who joined with the intention that – unable to forget the humiliation and disgrace of the conquest of Mecca, just as they had unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate the Holy Prophetsa in Mecca – they came here also, thinking that if the enemy did not succeed in killing him, perhaps they might find an opportunity to take revenge and they would, God forbid, kill the Holy Prophetsa in order to exact revenge and satisfy their hearts.
Nonetheless, an army of 12,000 departed from Mecca, and after a journey of three days – or, according to some, five days – they reached the valley of Hunain. On the way, whenever a shield, a sword, or some belonging of the Companions would fall, Abu Sufyan bin Harb would call out to the Holy Prophetsa, “Give this to me; I will pick it up,” until his camel became laden with such items.
Hazrat Sahl bin Hanzaliyyah relates that he was walking alongside the Holy Prophetsa on the day of Hunain. They travelled a long distance until evening fell, and he offered prayer alongside the Holy Prophetsa. Then a rider came and said, “O Messengersa of Allah, I went ahead of you until I climbed such and such a mountain, and I saw that the people of Hawazin had gathered with their women, their camels, their goats, and their animals.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophetsa smiled and said, “Tomorrow, insha-Allah, this will be the spoils of the Muslims.” Then he asked, “Who will keep watch for us tonight?” Anas bin Abi Marsad said, “I will, O Messengersa of Allah.” He said, “Then mount your horse.” He mounted his horse and came to the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa instructed him, “Go into that mountain pass.” It was not simply a matter of keeping watch; rather, the Holy Prophetsa commanded him to go in order to survey the surrounding area and to watch over it. And [he said], “Go up to its elevated place so that we may not be deceived at night because of you,” meaning, lest you be negligent and the enemy deceive us.
The next morning, the Holy Prophetsa went forth to the place of prayer. He first offered two rak‘at of Sunnah prayers for Fajr, then the call to prayer was given, and the Holy Prophetsa began leading the prayer. His face was turned towards the mountain pass. When he had led the prayer and completed it, he said, “Rejoice! I give glad tidings that your rider has returned.” Meaning the Companion that was appointed to be on duty. The Companions said that they began looking through the trees in the mountain pass until he appeared and came to stand before the Messengersa of Allah. He greeted them with the greetings of peace and said, “I kept going until I reached the elevated place in the mountain pass towards which the Holy Prophetsa had directed me. In the morning, I ascended both valleys but saw nothing.” The Messengersa of Allah asked, “Did you descend during the night?” He replied, “No, except for prayer or to relieve myself.” The Messengersa of Allah said to him, “Paradise has become obligatory for you,” i.e., you have rendered a fine duty.
There is mention of spies from among the idolaters. The Holy Prophetsa reached Hunain on the night of Tuesday, 10th of Shawwal, at the time of Isha prayer. Malik bin Auf had dispatched three men from the tribe of Hawazin as spies, instructing them to intermingle with the Muslims and observe their army carefully, then return and report in full detail. However, when the three returned, they were visibly shaken and distraught. Malik said to them, “Woe unto you! What has happened to you?” They replied, “We saw white men on horseback. By Allah! If battle breaks out, we will not be able to withstand what we’ve seen. By Allah! We cannot even fight those on earth – how then could we face those from the heavens? If you take our advice, go back to your people. And if others see what we have seen, they will be stricken with awe just as we were.” Malik replied, “May you perish! You are the most cowardly of all the army.” Fearing that their words might spread panic in the ranks, he restrained them and said, “Tell me of a brave man.” Everyone pointed to a certain man and agreed that he was truly courageous. Malik sent him, but he too returned swiftly, struck with the same awe as the previous three. Malik asked him, “What did you see?” The man replied, “I saw white horsemen on spotted horses. I did not have the strength to even look at them. By Allah! I am overwhelmed with a fear that you now witness upon me – I cannot overcome it. It would be better for us to retreat.” Despite this, Malik bin Auf did not change his decision.
The phenomenon witnessed by the enemy spies has been interpreted by historians in two ways. One view is that they saw angels and were terrified by them. Another view is that upon seeing the Muslim army, they were overtaken by a divine awe which so deeply struck their hearts that fear overtook them. (Sirat Al-Halabiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Vol. 3, p. 153; Ghazwah-e-Hunain, Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Nafees Academy, pp. 111 and 123-125; Dalail-ul-Nabuwwah, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 130; Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab-ul-Jihad, Hadith 2501 and 2732; Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, p. 235 and 240; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 316; Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 9, Dar-ul-Islam, pp. 245-246 and 252)
Hazrat Salamah bin Akwara relates, “We launched an attack on Hawazin alongside the Holy Prophetsa, and while we were eating with him during the forenoon, a man arrived on camelback. He made his camel sit, tied its rope, and came forward to sit and eat with us. (He sat with the Companions.) In another narration, it is said that he began conversing with the people. We were exhausted at the time and had few mounts. After speaking with us, the man quickly walked back to his camel, untied it swiftly, mounted it, and began to flee at a gallop. The Holy Prophetsa saw him and said, ‘He is a spy – catch him and kill him.’ A man from the tribe of Banu Aslam gave chase on a camel.” Hazrat Salamahra relates, “I too mounted my camel and pursued him. When I drew near, I caught hold of his camel’s rein from the front, forced it to sit, and as soon as it knelt down, I struck the man with my sword and severed his neck. He fell to the ground. I then took his camel, weapons, and all his belongings and returned to the Holy Prophetsa. The Holy Prophetsa asked the people, ‘Who killed him?’ They replied, ‘Ibn Akwa.’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Then all these belongings belong to him.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-jihad, Hadith 3051; Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Jihad, Hadith 1754; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 336-337; Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, pp. 250-251)
The number of Muslims during the Battle of Hunain was 12,000, whereas the enemy forces numbered 30,000. In respect to the Battle of Hunain, sometimes the enemy’s number is reported as 30,000, sometimes 20,000, and sometimes 4,000. The details surrounding this are that the actual warriors numbered 20,000, but when their women and children were included, the number reached 30,000. Malik bin Auf had chosen his best archers and stationed them on the surrounding mountains to ambush the Muslims. Their sudden attack caused momentary chaos and disarray in the Muslim ranks. These ambushers were about 4000 in number.
Malik bin Auf, the commander of the Banu Hawazin, organised his army in such a way that when two-thirds of the night had passed, he went to his troops and deployed them at predetermined locations throughout the valley of Hunain. This valley had many narrow passes and ravines, and he spread his troops throughout it to lie in ambush and launch a sudden attack on the Holy Prophetsa and his Companions.
The formation of the enemy ranks was as follows: at the front were the cavalry, behind them the infantry, then the women and children mounted on camels, followed by their possessions – camels, sheep, goats, and other livestock. (Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, pp. 229 and 246; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 312; Ghazwah-e-Hunain, Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Nafees Academy, pp. 135 and 140; Al-Lu’ Lu’ Al-Maknun Sirat Encyclopaedia, Vol. 9, Dar-ul-Islam, pp. 261-262; Tarikh Al-Khamis, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 508; Ghazwah Al-Nabi, Muhammad Abdul Ahmad, Zawiyah Publishers, pp. 490-491)
While departing from Mecca towards Hunain, the Holy Prophetsa commissioned a vanguard of 1000 cavalry from the tribe of Banu Sulaim under the command of Hazrat Khalid bin Walidra. When the Muslim army reached the place called Ji‘rana, during the pre-dawn hours, the Holy Prophetsa organised the army into three sections: the right flank, the left flank, and the centre. The Holy Prophetsa himself was in the centre. He distributed large banners among the Muhajirin and Ansar. One banner of the Muhajirin was given to Hazrat Alira, another to Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqasra, and another to Hazrat Umar Farooqra. Among the Ansar, the Khazraj banner was given to Hazrat Hubab bin al-Mundhir, and the Aus banner to Hazrat Usaid bin Hudairra. Additionally, Hazrat Abu Burdah bin Niyarra, Hazrat Abu Lubabah bin Abdul Mundhirra, and Hazrat Qatadah bin Nu‘manra were also given banners. In addition to these, several smaller flags were distributed among different groups. (Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, p. 245; Ghazwah-e-Hunain, Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Nafees Academy, pp. 132-136; Sirat Al-Halabiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Vol. 3, p. 153)
On the day of the Battle of Hunain, someone said, “Today, we shall not be defeated on account of our numbers” – meaning they believed victory was certain due to their large numbers. But the Holy Prophetsa strongly disliked this statement. The Holy Quran also disapproved of this sentiment and recorded it in the verse:
اِذۡ اَعۡجَبَتۡکُمۡ کَثۡرَتُکُمۡ
“When your great numbers made you proud.” (9:25)
In the Battle of Hunain, the Muslims initially gained the upper hand. However, due to the fierce assault of the enemy’s ambush, chaos ensued, and the Muslims temporarily suffered a setback, as has been described earlier. Ultimately, however, the Muslims achieved a decisive and glorious victory.
The details of this incident are as follows: it is generally narrated that the Muslim army entered the valley of Hunain under the cover of the darkness of dawn, unaware that the enemy had already arrived and positioned their best archers in ambush throughout the ravines. As the Muslims proceeded into the valley, the archers launched a sudden and coordinated assault, causing the Muslims to scatter and retreat. At one point, only the Holy Prophetsa and a few of his Companions remained steadfast. The Holy Prophetsa continued to call the Muslims back, and the army regrouped, fought valiantly, and defeated the enemy so thoroughly that they abandoned the battlefield. (Sirat Al-Nabwaiyyah, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, pp. 764-765; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 317; Ghazwah-e-Hunain, Muhammad Ahmad Bashmil, Nafees Academy, pp. 135-136)
This narration is taken from Sirat Ibn Hisham, but a report in Sahih al-Bukhari presents the incident with slightly different details.
There is a narration by Hazrat Bara’ bin Azibra, who was present at the Battle of Hunain, which is recorded at several instances in Sahih al-Bukhari in which he says, “When we attacked the Banu Hawazin, they were defeated and fled. When we started collecting the spoils of war, they showered us with arrows, causing the youngsters who had no means of protecting themselves to flee. As for the Holy Prophetsa, in that moment he remained firmly where he was on the battlefield.” The narrator, Bara’ bin Azib, says, “I saw the Holy Prophetsa on his white mule and Abu Sufyan bin Harith was holding its reins and the Holy Prophetsa was saying:
اَنَا النَّبِیُّ لَا کَذِبْ
اَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبْ
“‘I am the Prophet, this is no lie. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib.’”
Without this narration from Bukhari, it would seem that there were two phases in the Battle of Hunain, and this is the view generally held by historians: first, when the Muslims fled due to the sudden attack, and the second phase, where the Muslims regrouped and waged an attack which destroyed the enemy. However, if this narration of Bukhari is made the basis, which seems to be most appropriate, then there were three phases in the Battle of Hunain: the first phase was when the Muslim army fearlessly entered the valley of Hunain, upon which the enemy army retreated. When the Muslims saw them retreating, a section from among the Muslims became occupied with obtaining the spoils of war. In the second phase, the 4000 expert archers who had been secretly stationed in the mountain passes by the commanding general Malik bin Auf saw that the Muslim army was entering the valley, and so all at once, they launched a furious attack of arrows. The Banu Hawazin were the best archers in Arabia. In the darkness of the morning, when a portion of the Muslims were occupied with gathering their spoils of war, and among them were those Meccan new converts in whose hearts Islam was yet to take firm root, and they did not have any armour or chainmail or any sort of defensive equipment with which to protect themselves from arrows. Hence, in order to survive this sudden attack of arrows, these people fled. They also had riding animals, and when they suddenly started retreating, a sort of stampede ensued, and the camels and horses started running. The animals became startled, and the mountain pass was quite narrow, causing the animals to trample over people. Hazrat Khalid bin Walidra was also injured due to this stampede and fell from his horse, and the Muslim army dispersed. This has also been recorded in a book of history. The third and decisive phase was, as narrated by Hazrat Anas bin Malikra:
“The leading ranks of the army fled. The contingent of Banu Sulaim was the first to flee, followed by the new Muslims from Mecca, and then the people generally followed suit and fled in defeat, without care for anyone else. This caused so much dust to rise that one could not even see the palm of one’s own hand. In all the battles in which the Holy Prophetsa took part, the most notable aspect is that no matter the situation on the battlefield, the Holy Prophetsa remained steadfast and brave in every battle, the likes of which cannot be found. At a time when the bravest of people fled, the Holy Prophetsa remained firmly rooted like a rock.”
Hazrat Anas bin Malikra states, “The Holy Prophetsa was the most beautiful, the most generous and the bravest of all people.” Mentioning the same Battle of Hunain, Hazrat Bara’ bin Azibra states, “When everyone dispersed and the Holy Prophetsa was left alone with a few of his Companions while the enemy was advancing towards the Holy Prophetsa, he advanced towards the enemy on his very own while proclaiming in a loud voice: ‘I am the son of Abdul Muttalib.’” The narrator says, “By God, when the battle reached its pinnacle, we would come under the protection of the Holy Prophetsa. The bravest person would be considered the one who remained closest to the Holy Prophetsa. On that occasion, the courage and bravery of the Holy Prophetsa were so magnificent that when he was left alone, he urged his mule on towards the enemy.”
Hazrat Abbasra states, “Abu Sufyan bin Harith and I remained alongside the Holy Prophetsa and did not leave him for a single moment. When the people dispersed, the Holy Prophetsa started hurtling his mule towards the enemy. At that moment, I took hold of the reins and stopped the mule from going any faster. Abu Sufyan bn Harith was holding the stirrups.
According to one narration, Hazrat Abu Bakrra, who was also with the Holy Prophetsa at that time, took hold of the mule’s reins and tried to stop it. The Holy Prophetsa said to me, ‘O Abbas, call the people of the tree, (i.e., those who had pledged at Hudaibiyah to sacrifice their lives.)’” Hazrat Abbasra, who had a loud voice, said: “I called out in a loud voice, ‘O People of the Tree! Where are you?’” He says, “By Allah the Almighty, when people heard my voice, they returned like a cow returns to its calf. Those people started calling out, ‘We are here, we are here, O Messengersa of Allah. We are present, we are present, O Messengersa of Allah.’ They returned impassioned and started battling against the enemy.” This narration is from Sahih Muslim.
It is mentioned that when the Muslim army became dispersed, there were a few people with the Holy Prophetsa. Their number is recorded as being anywhere between 4 and 300. The reason for a discrepancy in the numbers is that there were a few people who were right by the Holy Prophetsa, while the others were battling in various other places. In this way, there would have been about 300 people on the battlefield; moreover, the number of people beside the Holy Prophetsa would have risen and fallen. Those who observed only three or four people mentioned what they saw, whilst those who saw 10 to 12 people mentioned that number. Those who saw even greater numbers mentioned that. In any case, there was a point where only a few people remained beside the Holy Prophetsa.
In another narration, it is mentioned that someone said to Hazrat Barara, “O Abu Ammarah, did you flee on the day of Hunain?” He said, “By Allah, the Holy Prophetsa did not turn his back; however, there were some from among his Companions, such as the hasty youth who did not have any weaponry or had very little as they faced a nation of archers known for never missing their target, i.e. the Banu Hawazin and the contingent from the Banu Nasr. They continuously shot arrows, and rarely did an arrow not find its target. The Holy Prophetsa advanced towards the army while riding his white mule, which was being led by Hazrat Abu Sufyan bin Harithra. The Holy Prophetsa dismounted and he sought help from Allah and said:
اَنَا النَّبِیُّ لَا کَذِبْ
اَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبْ
“I am the Prophet, this is not a lie, and I am the son of Abdul Muttalib.”
Iyas bin Salama narrates from his father, Salama bin Akwa, who said, “We went for the Battle of Hunain alongside the Holy Prophetsa. When we came face to face with the enemy, I advanced and climbed a mountain when I encountered someone. I struck him with an arrow, and so he hid from me. I did not understand what happened to him. I observed people emerging from another mountain pass, and there was a fight between them and the Companions of the Holy Prophetsa, and the Companions turned back around. I returned defeated. I had two sheets on me; one I had tied and the other I draped over myself. My garments started to open up, so I gathered them both and moved back. In doing so, I passed by the Holy Prophetsa. He was riding a white and black mule. The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Ibn Akwa has seen something worrisome. Why is he running back in such a state?’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-maghazi, Hadith 4317; Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Hadith 2930; Sahih Muslim, Kitab-ul-Jihad Wa Al-Sair, Hadith 1775, 1776 and 1777; Sunan Ibn Majah, Kitab-ul-Jihad, Hadith 2772; Dairah Ma’arif Sirat Muhammad Rasoolullahsa, Vol. 9, Bazm Iqbal, Lahore, pp. 253-255; Majma-ul-Zawaid, Vol. 6, pp. 189-190; Subul Al-Huda, Vol. 5, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 318; Tarikh-ul-Khamis, Vol. 2, Dar Al-Kotob Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, p. 513)
Whilst mentioning the incident of sustaining arrows and then going back, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra states:
“During the Battle of Hunain, when the Muslims lost their footing owing to the intense fire of arrows by the enemy, the Holy Prophetsa advanced ahead to encounter the enemy with only a handful of Companions around him. Upon seeing the intensity of the opponent’s attack, Hazrat Abu Bakrra wanted to stop the Holy Prophetsa and even ran ahead to grab hold of the reins of his horse; however, the Holy Prophetsa said: ‘Leave the reins of my horse.’ After this, he advanced whilst reciting the following couplet:
اَنَا النَّبِیُّ لَا کَذِبْ
اَنَا ابْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبْ
“‘I am a prophet of God, not a liar; I am but the son of Abdul Muttalib.’
“The saying ‘I am the son of Abdul Muttalib’ referred to the fact that at present, 4000 enemy archers are raining down arrows; for me to advance in such conditions seems far above and beyond the capability of man. So, nobody should be under the illusion that I possess any divine power. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib and a mere mortal. It is only due to my being a Prophet that the help of Allah the Almighty is with me.” (Khawf Aur Umeed Ka Darmyani Rasta, Anwar-ul-Ulum, Vol. 19, p. 47)
Not everyone fled, and there are certain narrations in this regard. Imam al-Nawawi writes: “Not everyone fled [the scene], rather the people in Mecca, whose hearts were to be reconciled, the hypocrites, and certain others from Mecca – those who had joined this battle but had not yet entered the fold of Islam – it was they who began to flee. This unexpected setback occurred because the enemy unleashed a shower of arrows at once.” (Al-Minhaj Sharah Muslim, Dar-e-Ibn Hazm, p. 1374)
Nonetheless, Imam al-Nawawi’s statement is correct that it was certainly not the case that every Muslim ran from the battlefield in fear and panic. It was only the new converts of Mecca – among whom were also some who had not truly joined with sincerity of heart – who turned away. They had entered the battle either out of greed for the spoils of war or merely as bystanders. The fact of the matter is that owing to their running away and outstanding archery, the mounts of the other Muslims became startled. Those mounts ran away and took their riders with them. In this manner, a vast number of them ran away. They did not run away intentionally; rather, it was their mounts that became startled, owing to which they turned back. Because of this, loyal and faithful Muslims also became helpless momentarily. Nevertheless, there are further details in this regard, which, God willing, shall be mentioned in the future.
The Jalsa Salana Germany is also commencing today. All the attendees there should pray that Allah the Almighty enables them to fulfil the objectives of Jalsa. They should not gather together thinking of it as a mere festival; rather, during these days, they should vow to permanently improve their intellectual, practical, and spiritual conditions and strive to do so. Especially during these days, spend your time in the remembrance of Allah and praying. Not only should you pray for yourselves and your progeny, but you should also pray for the success of the Jamaat, and for the protection of Allah the Almighty from the evil of every opponent and for their evil to be eradicated. May Allah the Almighty protect against their evil. With every passing day, there is some new disturbing incident that takes place in Pakistan. May Allah the Almighty swiftly procure the means for these opponents to be brought to task.
Pray for the general peace of the world. Due to their own actions, worldly people are bringing themselves closer to their own destruction. May Allah the Almighty safeguard us from this terrifying destruction. Pray for the Palestinians as well. The Israeli government has exceeded all bounds in injustice and brutality. It seems they wish to wipe the Palestinians off the face of the earth. The cruelties against the oppressed, children, women, the elderly, the sick and the innocent have reached new extremes. They are massacring them openly. Now, even some worldly politicians and governments have started raising their voices to a degree, saying that this is wrong and must come to an end. However, the Israeli government is not prepared to listen even to them. The intoxication of wealth and power has taken Israel, America and their allies to the extreme limits of arrogance and injustice. The Muslim governments are also not doing anything. If they are unable to do anything, then at the very least they can mend their ways and prostrate before Allah the Almighty, so that Allah the Almighty may help them. If only they would understand. Similarly, Muslims are committing injustices against other Muslims. May Allah the Almighty stop them from committing such injustices. Today, it is our duty as Ahmadis to raise our voices against all injustices wherever we can. We must especially pray, and pray from the depths of our hearts. May Allah the Almighty enable us to do so.
(Official Urdu transcript published in the Daily Al Fazl International, 19 September 2025, pp. 2-7. Translated by The Review of Religions.)
