Have You Not Seen How Your Lord Dealt With The Owners of the Elephant?

Have You Not Seen How Your Lord Dealt With The Owners of the Elephant?

سورة الفيل

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ

أَلَمْ تَرَ‌ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَ‌بُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ ﴿١﴾ أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ ﴿٢﴾ وَأَرْ‌سَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرً‌ا أَبَابِيلَ ﴿٣﴾ تَرْ‌مِيهِم بِحِجَارَ‌ةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ ﴿٤﴾ فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍ ﴿٥

Surah 105, Al-Fil, of Noble Qur'aan

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant?”

“Did He not make their plot go astray?”

“And He sent against them birds, in flocks (Ababil).”

“Striking them with stones of Sijjil.”

“And He made them like empty fields of stalk ('Asf, Ma'kul).”

This is one of the favors Allaah did for the Quraysh. He saved them from the People of the Elephant who had tried to tear down the Ka'bah and wipe out all traces of it's existence. Allaah destroyed them, defeated them, thwarted their plans, made their efforts in vain and sent them back routed.

They were people who were Christians, and thus, their religion was closer to the True Religion (Islaam) than the idolatry of the Quraysh. However, this was a means of giving a sign and preparing the way for the coming of the Messenger of Allaah (SalAllaahu alaihi was sallam). For verily, he was born during the same year according to the most popular opinion. So the tongue of destiny was saying, “ We will not help you, O people of Quraysh, because of any status you may have over the Ethiopians (Abyssinians). We are only helping you in order to defend the Ancient House (the Ka'bah), which We will honor, magnify and venerate by sending the unlettered Prophet, Muhammad (SalAllaahu alaihi was sallam), the Finality of all Prophets.”

**For the translated story of the People of the Elephant, refer to Tafsir Ibn Katheer, pgs. 589-598 [Darussalam]**