Surah Al-Feel - The Elephant
(Revealed at Mecca)
5 Verses in 1 Section
Sections of Surah Al-Feel
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The Fellows of the Elephants.
Al-Feel - The Fellows Of The Elephants
How the hosts of the infidel enemy was crushed to death by small stones of baked clay thrown upon them by tiny creatures, the birds.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
“In the name of God the Beneficent the Merciful”
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ
“What! Hast thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with the fellows of the Elephant?” (105:1)
أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ
“Didst He not cause their device to err1“ (105:2)
وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ
“And sent He down upon them birds in flocks” (105:3)
تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ
“Pelting them with stones of baked clay” (105:4)
فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَأْكُولٍ
“Thus rendered them like straw, eaten up (by cattle)?” (105:5)
Commentary
Verse 1
The whole Surah refers to the memorable, miraculous event in the history of Arabia and particularly about the providential survival of the Holy Ka’ba against the unrepulsable attack of a formidable army of a very strong and fully equipped foe. Abraha, the Christian Viceroy of the king of Abyssinia at Yaman invaded Mecca with the determination to destroy the Holy Ka’ba for it stood in the way of his giving the desired prominence to his own built church at San’aa, which he wanted to make a centre of commerce and a place of pilgrimage for the people.
This was in the very year of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. Abraha’s army consisted also of Elephants, which the common Arabs could have hardly had any opportunity to see one in their lives. Hence the army of Abraha is called in the history as ‘As’haabul Feel’, i.e., the fellows or those who were accompanied with Elephant. Approaching the outskirts of Mecca Abraha’s men captured 700 camels belonging to Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet, which were grazing in the open fields outside the city.
Abraha sent an ultimatum to Abdul Muttalib who was the Supreme Chief of Mecca, intimating to him his intention of destroying the Holy Ka’ba. Abdul Muttalib said that he would meet Abraha in person and talk to him. When Abdul Muttalib approached the military camp, he was received respectfully and Abraha gave him an honourable seat near him and asked the purpose of his visit. Abdul Muttalib said that he had come to complain to Abraha about his (Abraha’s) men taking away his camels, and to request him to restore his animals to him. Abraha laughed and said ‘‘What? I have come to destroy your place of worship, the House of your God and you instead of pleading to save the Holy House, you speak of your camels” Abdul Muttalib replied ‘‘Look! the camels belong to me and I, as their owner, have come for them. The Ka’ba belongs to God, and it is the concern of the owner of the Ka’ba to save it or to leave it to its fate in your hands”.
Abraha was stunned at the reply and allowed Abdul Muttalib to have his camels and Abdul Muttalib returning to the city advised the citizens to take refuge in the mountains around the city to be safe from being hurt by the invaders. As Abraha entered the city a huge flock of tiny birds, like a patch of a cloud, appeared in the sky, each bird with a small stone in its tiny beak and dropped it on the invading soldiers, and the stone fell exactly on the men, and they were instantaneously killed and fell lifeless. Abraha was left to escape but one bird followed him over his head until he, reaching the king at Abyssinia reported the matter to him and the king asked him what kind of birds were those that acted so miraculously. Abraha raised his eyes to the sky and saw the bird and pointed out the bird to him; the bird dropped a stone and Abraha was also killed. After the miraculous event Abraha’s army was found lying on the ground dead as bits of some withered and munched grass rendered useless for any purpose.
The question here to the Holy Prophet signifies that the Hoy Prophet could visualise the event by the will of the Lord.
This is a clear miracle which proves the sanctity of the Ka’ba and the people who were really attached to it such as Abdul Muttalib and his house who showed his utmost confidence in God and he would Himself take care of the Holy Shrine. There is no room for anyone to discredit the story as Qur’an narrates it because this Chapter was revealed to the Holy Prophet and recited by him to his enemies who were the eye-witness of the event, and they were watchful to find the slight fault to expose the Holt Prophet.
Regarding the relation of the chapter with its subsequent one, refer to our note on Surah 93 and 94.
The following verses of Abdul Muttalib - the grandfather of the Holy Prophet and Ali - give out his Unitarian faith:
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Ya rabbi la arjuo lahom Siwaka - Lord! I hope not against them save Thee.
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Ya rabbi Famna’ minhomu himaka - Lord! Withdraw thou therefore thy protection for them.
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Inna Addoowal Bait man Aadaaka - Verily He who is the enemy of this House, is Thine enemy.
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Innahum lam yaqhuro Quwaka - Verily they have not defeated Thy forces. (A.P.)
The event besides being a miraculous heavenly act, is also a clear indicative to show as to who the ancestors of the Holy Prophet, particularly Abdul Muttalib was, what was the degree of his faith and conviction about God, and his advising the people to get out of the town, was nothing but his knowledge of what was to happen to the invaders, and to save his people from the coming calamity. Those who speak nonsense about the holy personality of Abu Talib the father of Ali, to note.
Verse 2. (3160) This refers to the great confusion that the action of the tiny birds created in the army of Abraha. Those who received the shots from the birds, immediately fell dead, and the survivors began taking to their heels, confused in a great chaos created among themselves. Thus, the plan of Abraha was totally frustrated and ended in the perdition of his own forces. This was God’s doing.
Verse 3
God sent upon the army, a huge host of some tiny birds with small stones in their beaks.
Verse 4
The birds dropped the stones which they had brought in their beaks upon the soldiers. ‘Sijjeel’ a stone of baked clay2.
Verse 5
‘Asfin Makool’, i.e., straw eaten up, i.e., rendered lifeless, useless and loathsome - like the refuse of an eaten food.
