The Battle of Hunain – Proof of God’s divine help and the example of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a leader

On 12 September 2025, the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Fifth Khalifa, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, continued his narration of the Battle of Hunain during his Friday Sermon.

The Battle of Hunain took place shortly after the conquest of Makkah, when the Muslim army was suddenly forced to defend themselves after being ambushed by enemy archers hidden in the valleys. Despite the initial disarray, the steadfast leadership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) turned the tide, transforming near defeat into a victory for the Muslims.

Opening with the Holy Qur’an Chapter 9 Verse 26, His Holiness explained that the Holy Qur’an’s reference to angels descending in support of believers at the Battle of Hunain should be understood as a message of reassurance. The Holy Qur’an states that God “sent down His peace upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and He sent down hosts which you did not see.”

His Holiness clarified that this sign gave the believers strength at a moment of fear and deep uncertainty.

Citing the commentary of earlier scholars, His Holiness explained that even a single angel could, by God’s command, overturn the balance of power, yet the Holy Qur’an mentions thousands of angels as a way of instilling courage in the hearts of the Muslims. As the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) said: “In the Holy Qur’an, the mention of the help of angels was given as glad tidings, so that the hearts of the believers might be cooled and that they should have no fear in battle.”

His Holiness went on to explain that in Islamic belief, angels act only in accordance with God’s command. The mention of angels in the verse aforementioned serves to remind us that ultimate power rests with God alone. His Holiness quoted the Second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he states:

“The mention of angels is only for the reason that when such glad tidings are received in a dream or a vision, a person’s courage is strengthened. Otherwise, the true purpose was simply that it is God Almighty Who helps.”

Recalling the moment of crisis at Hunain, His Holiness described how the Holy Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) firm resolve transformed panic into order as he declared, “Ana an-nabiyyu la kadhib, ana ibn Abdil Muttalib” – “I am the Prophet; there is no falsehood in this. I am the son of Abdul Muttalib.” His Holiness underlined that steadfast leadership rooted in faith, as was uniquely demonstrated by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), can restore peace and tranquility when fear spreads.

His Holiness, whilst explaining the saying of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and its context, also explained that while the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was granted extraordinary support and protection by God, he never claimed divinity. Rather, he consistently reminded people that he was a servant of God and strengthened only by divine help. In this way, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) safeguarded his followers from ever mistaking him as an object of worship.