Surah At-Tawba (9) — Ayah 25

(Ayah26,25) ➊ {لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِيْ مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيْرَةٍ:} After mentioning His favors at Badr, encouraging jihad, instructing to abandon friendship with disbelievers, and commanding to give preference to Allah, His Messenger, and striving in the way of Allah over everything in the world, now Allah Almighty has mentioned some more of His favors, among which He has made special mention of Hunayn. But before mentioning Hunayn, He has referred to His help on many previous occasions, among them the migration «فِيْ مَوَاطِنَ كَثِيْرَةٍ » [ التوبۃ : ۴۰ ], Badr «وَ لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللّٰهُ بِبَدْرٍ» [ آل عمران : ۱۲۳ ], Uhud «وَ لَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَعْدَهٗۤ اِذْ تَحُسُّوْنَهُمْ بِاِذْنِهٖ » [ آل عمران : ۱۵۲ ], Khandaq «يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوا اذْكُرُوْا نِعْمَةَ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْكُمْ اِذْ جَآءَتْكُمْ جُنُوْدٌ » [ الأحزاب : ۹ ], Hudaybiyyah «اِنَّا فَتَحْنَا لَكَ فَتْحًا مُّبِيْنًا » [ الفتح : ۱ ], the conquest of Makkah «اِذَا جَآءَ نَصْرُ اللّٰهِ وَ الْفَتْحُ» [ النصر : ۱ ], the Jewish tribes «هُوَ الَّذِيْۤ اَخْرَجَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا مِنْ اَهْلِ الْكِتٰبِ مِنْ دِيَارِهِمْ لِاَوَّلِ الْحَشْرِ » [ الحشر : ۲ ], and dealings with the hypocrites, etc., all are included, and all are mentioned at various places in the Qur'an and Hadith. But here, by mentioning them as a prelude, the main mention is of the favor granted on the day of Hunayn, and its reason is also explained. Hunayn is a valley between Makkah Mukarramah and Ta'if, where, one month after the conquest of Makkah (Ramadan 8 AH), in Shawwal 8 AH, the Muslims fought against Hawazin, Thaqif, Banu Jusham, Banu Sa'd, and some other tribes.

➋ { وَ يَوْمَ حُنَيْنٍ اِذْ اَعْجَبَتْكُمْ كَثْرَتُكُمْ …:} The army with the Prophet (peace be upon him) consisted of ten thousand Muhajirun and Ansar who had come with him from Madinah for the conquest of Makkah, and two thousand people from the people of Makkah (Tulaqa) joined him. Thus, the total Muslim army consisted of twelve thousand fighters, while the enemy numbered only about four thousand. Because of this, many Muslims developed self-admiration (ujb) and a kind of pride, to the extent that some said, "Today we will not be defeated because of small numbers." This statement was not liked by Allah Almighty. (Ibn Kathir) Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when we proceeded towards the valley of Hunayn, we descended into one of the valleys of Tihamah, a very wide and spacious valley, with mounds and small sloping hills here and there. We were advancing, climbing up and descending, and moving forward, tumbling as we went. It was still dark in the morning. The enemy, fully united and prepared for confrontation, was hiding in various ravines, edges, and narrow passages. By Allah! As we were descending, we did not realize when the enemy attacked us all at once, as if it were a single man. (In other narrations, it is mentioned that they were excellent archers and showered us with arrows.) The people were defeated and retreated, fleeing without looking back, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) moved to one side on the right. Then he said, "O people! Turn towards me, come to me, I am the Messenger of Allah, I am Muhammad bin Abdullah." There was no response from anywhere. The camels were running, falling over each other, and people scattered in all directions, except for a group of Muhajirun and Ansar and some of his family members, who were not many. Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) remained steadfast with him, and among your family were Ali bin Abu Talib, Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib, his son Fadl, Abu Sufyan bin Harith, and Ayman bin Ubaid, who was the son of Umm Ayman, and Usamah bin Zaid (may Allah be pleased with them all). [ أحمد : 376/3، ح : ۱۵۰۲۷، وحسنہ شعیب الأرنؤوط۔ ابن حبان : ۴۷۷۴ ]

Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that my voice was very loud, so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) instructed me, "O Abbas! Call out to the people of the thorn tree." So I called out in a loud voice, "Where are the people of the thorn tree (those who pledged allegiance at Ridwan)?" By Allah! When they heard my voice, they ran, saying, "We are present, we are present," just as a cow runs towards its calf. Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that after this, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) picked up some pebbles and threw them towards the enemy, and at the same time, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "By the Lord of Muhammad! They have been defeated." [ مسلم، الجہاد، باب غزوۃ حنین : ۱۷۷۵ ] This was the time when the Muslims stood firm and the angels descended: «وَ اَنْزَلَ جُنُوْدًا لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا » "And He sent down such armies which you did not see."

➌ { وَ عَذَّبَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا…:} Allah Almighty punished the disbelievers by granting them a crushing defeat; their children and women became captives and their wealth became booty for the Muslims, many of their elders were also taken prisoner, and this is the recompense for the disbelievers in this world.