The expedition to Awtas
سرية أوطاس
c. January 630 CE · Shawwal 8 AH
A detachment sent by the Prophet under Abu Amir al-Ash'ari in pursuit of the routed Hawazin remnants encamped at Awtas; Abu Amir was struck by an arrow and martyred after routing nine enemy champions, whereupon Abu Musa al-Ash'ari took the banner and secured victory.
At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
In time
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
BattlesSkirmishes, raids and expeditions
Sides
Summary
A detachment the Prophet sent after the fugitives of Hawazin to Awtas following the battle of Hunayn, under Abu Amir al-Ash'ari; the Muslims defeated Hawazin's remnants, Durayd ibn al-Simma was killed, Abu Amir was martyred, and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari took the banner 1.
The course of the detachment
When Hawazin broke at Hunayn a company of them took refuge in the valley of Awtas and fortified there, Durayd ibn al-Simma with them 2. The Prophet sent Abu Amir al-Ash'ari with cavalry to pursue and engage them 2.
Abu Amir fought nine brothers of the polytheist leaders, overcame and killed them, then Salama ibn Durayd shot him in the knee and brought him down 2. He handed the banner to his nephew Abu Musa al-Ash'ari saying: "fight them, and ask the Messenger of God to forgive me"; Abu Musa fought until God granted him victory and routed them 3.
Rabi'a ibn Rufay' al-Sulami overtook Durayd ibn al-Simma in his litter and killed him with Durayd's own sword 4.
For young visitors
The Prophet sent a part of the army to chase the routed remnants in a valley called Awtas; their brave commander Abu Amir was martyred, and his nephew carried the battle through to victory.
Connections
- Had participant
- Abu Amir al-Ash'ariDurayd ibn al-SimmaRabi'a ibn Rufay' (Ibn al-Dughunna)
- Occurred at
- Awtas
- Part of
- The Battle of Hunayn
People and things also explored
Banu JushamHawazinThe Battle of HunaynDurayd ibn al-SimmaTa'ifThe Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)Banu NasrThaqif
Sources
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/97-99
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/97
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/97-98
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936), 4/93-94
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The expedition to Awtas”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/expedition-to-awtas/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-12.