" He answered...

" He answered: "I wish to have behind every man his family and wealth (so that he will be forced) to defend them." Durayd objected: "You fool, you will accomplish nothing if you do not place the power of Hawazin on the horses at the front. For would anything stand in the face of a retreating man? If you win, it will be only because men welded their swords and spears.

But if you lose, you will have exposed your family and wealth." Malik retorted: "You are an old man; you have lost your mind!" Durayd replied: "I may have become old, but you shall bring your people to humiliation because of the foolishness of your reason and of your views. Yet, I have not for a moment taken leave of my reason." He then exclaimed: "It shall be a hard war.

Would that I were a strong young man (i.e., at the time of Muhammad's proclamation of his Prophethood), so that I could run (in battle) with speed and agility." Jabir ibn `Abdillah al-Ansari said: "Thus we continued our journey until we reached the valley of Hunayn; there we were overwhelmed by troops of men brandishing swords, spears and iron bars, waiting in ambush in the bends and narrows of the valley. As they saw us, they rushed at us as one man in their determination.

People retreated quickly, so that no one even stopped to look at another. The Messenger of Allah stepped aside to the right, and nine of the sons of `Abdu'l-Muttalib surrounded his mule to defend him. Malik ibn `Awf ran out crying, `Show me Muhammad!' and rushed at the Messenger of Allah. He was tall and well-built, but a rash person. One of the Muslims met him in single combat, but Malik killed him." It was reported that the man was Ayman the son of Umm Ayman (the Prophet's wet-nurse).

Malik then spurred his horse on, but it would not advance toward the Messenger of Allah. A man called Kaladah ibn al-Hanbal, who was a step-brother to Safwan ibn Umayyah (Safwan being still an Associator) cried out: "Magic has indeed been rendered ineffectual today! " Safwan reproached him saying: "May Allah break your mouth; by Allah, I prefer that a man of Quraysh lord over me than a man of Hawazin !

" Muhammad ibn Ishaq reported that a man called Shaybah ibn `Uthman ibn Abi Talhah of the tribe of `Abdu'dDar, said: "I shall now take my revenge; today I shall kill Muhammad." This was because his father had been killed in the Battle of Uhud.