Hunayn
The valley between Makkah and Ta'if; site of the last battle against Arabian idolatry.
Hijri 8 AH CE 630 CE
A valley between Makkah and Ta’if, in the territory of the tribe of Hawazin, site of the Battle of Hunayn in Shawwal 8 AH.
Geography
A narrow wadi with flanking heights, on the route from Makkah toward Ta’if. Its terrain — a pass overlooked by mountains — is what let Thaqif and Hawazin, who “knew it inside out,” stage their archer ambush.
Significance in the Seerah
- The site of the last battle between Islam and Arabian idolatry, and one of only two battles named in the Quran (Q 9:25–26, alongside Badr).
- Nearby lay Ji’ranah, where the record ghanima was gathered and distributed, the Ansar reassured, and the Prophet ﷺ entered ihram for his third Umrah (see The Siege of Ta'if).
- Also linked with Awtas, where a follow-up skirmish was fought.
Key events here
- The Battle of Hunayn (Shawwal 8 AH) — the rout, the rally, the angels, and the largest spoils of the seerah.
Cross-references
The Battle of Hunayn · The Siege of Ta'if · Ta'if · Mecca · Muhammad ﷺ · Seerah Timeline
Sources
- S011 — Yasir Qadhi Seerah EP 082–083, 086. Quran 9:25–26; Ibn Ishaq/Ibn Hisham, al-Waqidi.