Courage at the Battle of Hunain
On the day of the Battle of Hunayn, owing to the unexpected attack of arrows from the Banu Hawazin and also given that 2,000 Muslims were part of the Muslim army, who had only recently accepted Islam, a particular moment came in the battle when the Holy Prophet (sa) was left on his own in the battlefield. Hazrat Abbas (ra) was holding the reins of the mule which the Holy Prophet (sa) was mounted upon. Malik bin Auf, the commander of the disbelievers, stood in a narrow pass along with some of his men who were mounted on horses. A cavalry could be seen in the distance and Malik bin Auf enquired from his men as to what they could see. They replied that there were some men who were resting their spears between the ears of their horses. Upon this, Malik bin Auf stated that it was the Banu Sulaim and they did not pose any threat to them. And so, this cavalry made their way towards the valley. They then saw another cavalry and again Malik enquired what they could see, and they replied that there were some men who were holding their spears in their hands. Upon this, Malik stated that they belonged to the Aus and Khazraj and they also did not pose any threat to them. Similarly, just like the Banu Sulaim, they also passed close to the narrow passage and then made their way towards the settlements. Thereafter, they saw an individual on a mount, again Malik enquired from his men as to what they could see and they reported that there was a person on a mount who was tall and was carrying his spear on his shoulder and was wearing a red coloured turban. Upon this, Malik responded, “This is Zubair bin al-Awwam; I swear by Laat [the name of an idol], you will come up against him in battle, so ready yourself.” As soon as Hazrat Zubair (ra) approached close to the narrow passage and the men mounted upon the horses could see him, Hazrat Zubair (ra) stood resolutely like a rock against them. He then launched a series of attacks against them with his spear that not a single chieftain among the disbelievers remained in the narrow pass.
(Roshan Sitare, Ghulam Baari Saif Sahib, Vol. 3, pp. 52-53) (al-Sirat al-Nabawiyyah li Ibn Hisham, Vol. 2, p. 456, Malik bin Auf Li Qaumihi, Maktabah Wa al-Matba‘ah Mustapha al-Baabi, Egypt, 1995)