The Battle of Autas or Awtas^[1][2] was an early battle involving Muslim forces, fought in the year 630 in Awtas, after the Battle of Hunayn, but prior to the siege of Ta'if.^[3] Muhammad came with 12,000 fighters against a coalition of tribes. An ambush took place and a rain of arrows were fired on the Muslims.^[4] The Muslims, however, came out victorious.

A league of mountain tribes hostile to Muhammad formed an alliance to attack him.

The league consisted of Thaqifs, Hawazins, Joshimites, Saadites and several other hardened mountain tribes. According to Islamic tradition the valley of the Banu Sa'd (who Irving called "Saadites") is where Muhammad was nurtured as a child and was also purified by an Angel.^[5]

The Thaqifs were idolaters who worshipped Allāt. They controlled the productive area of Ta'if, and were also the tribe which drove Muhammad out of Ta'if, pelting stones at him in the public square, when he was first preaching Islam.

Muhammad went to Autas with 12,000 men. As the Muslim army passed through the valley of Hunain, a group of hostile tribes fired rain of arrows on the Muslims.

The attacked surprised the Muslims, and many fled away from the arrows. Only nine men remained with Muhammad. After a while the Muslim regrouped and gathered around Muhammad. They then marched to Autas, after a confrontation, the tribes were defeated and the Muslims captured a large amount of war booty.^[1][2]

After the battle, some women were captured by the Muslim army. Muslim men were in doubt whether is it Halal to sell these women into slavery or not, since they had seen their husbands and knew their husbands are alive. They asked prophet and he revealed this Ayah from Surah An-Nisa: "And also forbidden to you are all married women (muhsanat) except those women whom your right hands have come to possess (as a result of war)."^[6]

6.[3] مختصر سيرة الرسول. الشيخ عبد الله بن محمد بن عبد الوهاب نسخة محفوظة 04 يوليو 2017 على موقع واي باك مشين.