They were located north-east of Mecca and their territory sat beside the trade route to Al-Hirah in Iraq.

According to the Muslim scholar Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri "They thought that they were too mighty to admit or surrender to such a victory".

So, they met Malik bin 'Awf An-Nasri and made up their minds to proceed fighting against the Muslims.

[12] The Hawazin and their allies, the Thaqif, began including their forces when they learned from spies that The Prophet Muhammad and his army had departed from Medina to begin an assault on Mecca.

Malik bin 'Awf, who had previously entered the valley by night, gave orders to his army of four thousand men to hide inside the valley and lurk for the Muslims on roads, entrances, and narrow hiding places.

His orders to his men were to hurl stones at Muslims whenever they caught sight of them and then to make one-man attacks against them.

Their enemy's battalions started a fierce attack against the Muslims, who had to retreat in disorder and utter confusion.

Ayman ibn Ubayd was killed that day whilst defending the Prophet Muhammad.

About seventy men of Thaqif alone were killed, and the Muslims captured all their riding camels, weapons and cattle.

The Quran verse 9:25 was also revealed in this event according to Muslim scholars:[2][19] Indeed Allah has given you ˹believers˺ victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Ḥunain when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you.

Durayd was an important asset of the pagan forces due to his great number of experiences in battle and knowledge of terrain and war tactics.

[19][20] This is mentioned by the Muslim jurist Tabari as follows: The Messenger of God's cavalry followed those who went to Nakhlah, but not those who took to the narrow passes.

'Awf b. Imr al- [1666] Qays, who was called Ibn Ladh'ah after his mother, overtook Durayd b. al-Simmah and seized his camel by its halter, thinking that he was a woman because he was in a howdah.

Take this sword of mine that is at the rear of the saddle in the howdah and strike me with it above the spine but below the brain, for I used to slay men in that way.

[Tabari, The Last Years of the Prophet, Pg 16][21]Because Malik ibn Awf al-Nasri had brought the families and flocks of the Hawazin along, the Muslims were able to capture huge spoils.

[2][7][19] William Montgomery Watt states that Muhammad took on the role as the hero of Meccans by facing their Bedouin arch-enemies, the Hawazins and the Thaqifs of the city of Al-Ta'if.

The event is mentioned in the Hadith collection Sahih Bukhari as follows: We set out in the company of Allah's Messenger on the day (of the battle) of Hunain.

He replied, "This is the Will of Allah," After the people returned, the Prophet sat and said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has a proof of that, will possess his spoils."

Yahya said that Malik was asked whether someone who killed one of the enemy could keep the man's effects without the permission of the Imam.