حنين
Ḥunayn
Event
A battle in 630 in a valley near Mecca, where the Muslims were first routed and then won.
What it means
After the conquest of Mecca the Prophet fought the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif at Hunayn. The Muslims, who were many, trusted in their numbers and were at first scattered. The Quran recalls: “on the day of Hunayn, when your great numbers pleased you but availed you nothing” (9:25), and “then God sent down His tranquillity on His Messenger” (9:26). The Muslims rallied and won.
What the sources say
After the battle the Prophet released the captives of Hawazin on their request and gave gifts to Meccan leaders to win their hearts, which angered some of the Ansar until he spoke to them (Sahih al-Bukhari).