53- BATTLE OF HUNAIN
The Prophet’ssa entry into Mecca was sudden. Tribes in the vicinity of Mecca, especially those in the south, remained unaware of the event until sometime later. On hearing of it, they began to assemble their forces and to prepare for a fight with the Muslims. There were two Arab tribes, the Hawazin and the Thaqif, unusually proud of their valiant traditions. They took counsel together and after some deliberation elected Malik ibn ‘Auf as their leader. They then invited the tribes round about to join them. Among the tribes invited was the Banu Sa‘d. The Prophet’ssa wet-nurse, Halima, belonged to this tribe and the Prophetsa as a child had lived among them. Men of this tribe collected in force and set out towards Mecca taking with them their families and their effects. Asked why they had done so, they replied it was in order that the soldiers might be reminded that, if they turned back and fled, their wives and children would be taken prisoners and their effects looted—so strong was their determination to fight and destroy the Muslims. This force descended in the valley of Rautas most suitable base for a battle, with its natural shelters, abundance of fodder and water, and facilities for cavalry movements. When the Prophetsa got to know of this, he sent ‘Abdullah bin Abi Hadwadra to report on the situation. ‘Abdullah reported that there were military concentrations in the place and there was determination to kill and be killed. The tribe was renowned for its skill in archery, and the base they had selected afforded a very great advantage to them. The Prophetsa approached Safwanra, a prosperous chief of Mecca for the loan of suits of armour and weapons. Safwanra replied, “You seem to put pressure on me and think I will be overawed by your growing power and make over to you whatever you ask?”
The Prophetsa replied, “We wish to seize nothing. We only want a loan of these things, and are ready to give a suitable surety.”
Safwanra was satisfied and agreed to lend the material. Altogether he supplied one hundred suits of armour and a suitable number of weapons. The Prophetsa borrowed three thousand lances from his cousin, Naufal bin Harithra and about thirty thousand dirhams from ‘Abdullah bin Rabi‘a (Mu’atta’, Musnad and Halbiyya). When the Muslim army set out towards the Hawazin, the Meccans expressed a wish to join the Muslim side. They were not Muslims, but they had agreed to live under a Muslim regime. Accordingly, two thousand Meccans joined the Muslims. On the way, they came to the noted Arab shrine, Dhat Anwat. Here was an old jujube tree, sacred to the Arabs. When Arabs bought arms they first went to Dhat Anwat and hung them in the shrine to receive its blessings for their arms. When the Muslim army passed by this shrine some of the soldiers said, “Prophetsa of God, there should be a Dhat Anwat for us also.”
The Prophetsa disapproved and said, “You talk like the followers of Mosesas. When Mosesas was going to Canaan, his followers saw on the way people worshipping idols, and said to Mosesas, ‘O Mosesas, make for us a god just as they have gods'” (Qur’an 7: 139).
(Source: LIFE OF MUHAMMAD (pbuh))
BY HADRAT MIRZA BASHIRUDDIN MAHMUD AHMAD
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