Surah Al-Fil

It is Meccan, and its verses are five without any disagreement regarding them both. It is as if, because the preceding Surah contained mention of the backbiting and slander committed by the disbelievers against him—peace and blessings be upon him—it was followed by the story of the Companions of the Elephant to indicate that the consequence of their plotting in this world is their destruction. Indeed, the concern of Allah—Mighty and Majestic is He—for His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) is stronger and more complete than His concern—Glory be to Him—for the House [the Ka'bah]. Thus, the Surah points to their end in this world, following the explanation of their end in the Hereafter. It is also permissible to view it as evidence for what was pointed to in the preceding Surah—that wealth will not avail against Allah, the Exalted, at all—or as evidence of His power—Glory be to Him—to carry out what He has threatened those disbelievers with in His, the Exalted's, saying: "He will surely be thrown into the Crusher," and so forth.

(In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Did you not see how your Lord dealt with the companions of the Elephant?)

The obvious meaning is that the address is directed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the interrogative particle (al-hamza) is for the confirmation of his sight—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—by denying its opposite. It is vision of the eye, which is used metaphorically for knowledge via isti'ara taba'iyya (dependent metaphor) or majaz mursal (synecdoche), because it is a cause of knowledge. It is permissible to consider it as [literally] cognitive from the outset, although the former is more emphatic. His (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) knowledge of this occurred because it was reported to him via mutawatir (consecutive) transmission.

Kaifa (how) is in the position of an accusative verbal noun (masdar) related to the verb [implied by] fa'ala. The meaning is: "What kind of action did He do?" It is also said to be in the state of the subject. The modality is intrinsic to the action, not the vision, due to the interrogative context. The sentence stands in place of the two objects of tara (see). Some permitted the accusative of kaifa via tara due to the shedding of the interrogative meaning, as mentioned in the Sharh al-Miftah al-Sharifi. Abu Hayyan declared this forbidden because the [initial] position of the interrogative must be maintained to preserve its original function. Suspending the act of seeing upon the modality of His act—Exalted is His Majesty—rather than the act itself (by saying "Did you not see what your Lord did?") is to horrify the reader regarding the event and to signal that it occurred in a terrifying manner and an astonishing form that proves the greatness of Allah's power, the perfection of His knowledge, His wisdom, His singularity, and the nobility of His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

For this event, as more than one has stated, is among the irhasat (signs of prophethood). It is narrated that the story took place in the year in which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was born. Ibrahim ibn al-Mundhir, the teacher of al-Bukhari, said, "None of the scholars doubt this, and upon it is consensus." Everything contrary to this is an illusion—meaning the claims that it occurred ten, fifteen, twenty-three, thirty, forty, or seventy years earlier, which are mentioned in books of biography. Upon the first [opinion], which is the preferred one held by the majority, it occurred before his birth—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—on the very day Allah sent the birds upon the companions of the Elephant in that year. This is what is mentioned in the history of Ibn Hibban, and it is the outward meaning of Ibn Abbas’s statement: "He was born—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—on the Day of the Elephant." Al-Suhayli held the view that he was born fifty days after it, and it occurred in Muharram, while the birth was in Rabi' al-Awwal. Al-Hafiz al-Dimyati said fifty-five days, and others said forty, or a month. The most famous is that which al-Suhayli inclined toward.

In His saying, "Your Lord," there is a symbolic allusion to the irhas (sign). The fact that this was for the honor of the House and the invocation of the Friend (Ibrahim, peace be upon him) does not contradict it being an irhas. Similarly, it is not contradicted by the saying of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) at al-Hudaybiyyah, when his camel knelt down and the people said it was stubborn (khalat), he said, "It is not stubborn, but the One who restrained the Elephant has restrained it." This does not prevent it from being for the irhas and nothing else. Such causes can be multiple. The irhas is further supported by the story of the Qarmatians and others.

The details of the story are as follows: Abrahah al-Ashram ibn al-Sabah al-Habashi, as Ibn Ishaq and others said, who is known as Abu Yaksum (with a non-dotted 's'), and the name Abrahah does not contradict this (given that its meaning in Abyssinian is "white-faced," as is not hidden)—went out against Aryat, the king of Yemen on behalf of Ashama the Negus, two years into his reign. They fought a duel, and Ashram had stationed his slave Atura behind him. Aryat overcame Ashram in strength and struck him, intending to split his skull, but it landed on his forehead, slitting his eyebrow, nose, eye, and lip; thus he was named al-Ashram (the Slit-nosed). Atura struck Aryat from behind Abrahah and killed him. Abrahah took his place, and the Negus was angry, but he appeased him, so he was satisfied and confirmed him.

Then, he built in Sana'a a church the likes of which had not been seen in its time, which he called al-Qalis (with a damma on the Qaf, a fatha and shadda on the Lam, or lightened as is said, followed by a Ya, then a non-dotted Sin). It is said he transported to it veined marble and stones inlaid with gold, allegedly from the palace of Bilqis, the wife of Solomon (peace be upon him). He wrote to the Negus: "O King, I have built for you a church the likes of which was never built before you, and I shall not stop until I divert the pilgrimage of the Arabs to it." When the Arabs heard of his letter, a man from the Nusa'a (those who delay the sacred months) of the tribe of Faqim ibn Adi of Kinana became angry. He traveled until he reached it and sat in it (meaning he defecated) and smeared its qibla with his filth. He then left and reached his land.

Abrahah was informed, and he asked, "Who did this?" It was said, "A man from the people of that House which the Arabs visit in Mecca, angered when he heard your words about diverting the pilgrimage." Abrahah was enraged and swore he would march to the House until he demolished it. It is also said that a group of Arabs had lit a fire around it, and the wind carried it [to the church], burning it. Abrahah ordered the Abyssinians, who prepared and mobilized. He set out with sixty thousand men, according to one report, and with him was an elephant named Mahmud, which was strong and great, along with twelve other elephants—others say eight, and this is narrated from al-Dahhak; others say a thousand, while others say he only had Mahmud (which is the saying of the majority and the most consistent with the outward meaning of the Ayah).

The Arabs heard of this and viewed it as a grave matter; they were anxious, deeming it their duty to fight him. A man from the Yemeni nobility and kings, called Dhu Nufr, went out to meet him with those who obeyed him from his tribe and other Arabs. He fought him but was defeated and taken prisoner. He intended to kill him, but Dhu Nufr said, "O King, do not kill me, for my remaining with you may be better for you than my killing me." So he spared him and imprisoned him. When they reached the land of Khath'am, Nufayl ibn Habib al-Khath'ami confronted him with his tribe and others. He fought him but was defeated and taken prisoner. Abrahah intended to kill him, but he said similar to what was said before, so he spared him and took him out to guide him. When they passed by Taif, Mas'ud ibn Mu'ayqib ibn Malik al-Thaqafi went out to him with men from Thaqif and said, "O King, we are your slaves, listeners, and obedient to you. We have no opposition to you, and this house of ours which you want [meaning the house of the idol Al-Lat] is not what you seek; you seek the house in Mecca, and we will send with you someone to guide you to it." He bypassed them, and they sent with him Abu Righal.

Abu Righal went out with him until he settled in al-Mughammas (a well-known place on the road to Taif). When he landed there, Abu Righal died and was buried there; the Arabs pelted his grave with stones, as Ibn Ishaq said. It is said the grave there belongs to an Abu Righal who was a man from Thamud, the father of Thaqif, who had been in the Sacred Precinct defending it, but when he left it, the vengeance that struck his people struck him at al-Mughammas, so he was buried there. The author of al-Qamus chose this, mentioning a Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan and others from Ibn Umar (marfu'). What was said earlier—distancing oneself from al-Jawhari—is not sound; it is possible there were two graves for two different men, both named Abu Righal.

Abrahah, while at al-Mughammas, sent a man from the Abyssinians called al-Aswad ibn Maqsud to Mecca. He drove away the wealth of the people of Tihama, from Quraysh and others, taking two hundred camels—others say four hundred—belonging to Abd al-Muttalib, who was the master of Quraysh at that time. Quraysh, Kinana, Hudhayl, and those in the Sanctuary intended to fight him, but they knew they had no power against him, so they refrained. Abrahah sent Hunata al-Himyari to Mecca and said, "Say to the master of this town: 'The King says I did not come for war, but only to demolish this House. If you do not oppose me with war, I have no need for your blood.'" If he did not want to fight, he was to bring him.

When Hunata entered, he was directed to Abd al-Muttalib. He told him what he had been ordered. Abd al-Muttalib replied, "By Allah, we do not want to fight him, and we have no power to do so. This is the House of Allah, the Sacred, and the house of His Friend Ibrahim (peace be upon him). If He prevents him from it, it is His House and His Sanctuary; if He leaves him to it, then by Allah, we have no defense for it." Abd al-Muttalib went with him, along with some of his sons, until they reached the camp. He asked for Dhu Nufr, who was his friend, and entered upon him. He said, "Do you have any help for what has befallen us?" He replied, "What help does a prisoner in the hands of a king have, who expects to be killed morning and evening? I have no help for anything that has befallen you, except that Unays, the keeper of the elephants, is someone I will send to, and I will commend you to him, emphasize your rights, and ask him to seek permission for you to see the King. You can speak to him, and he will intercede for you with him for good if he is able." He said, "That is enough for me."

He sent to him and said, "Abd al-Muttalib is the master of Quraysh and the provider of the watering hole of Mecca; he feeds the people in the plains and the beasts on the peaks of the mountains. The King has taken two hundred of his camels, so seek permission for him to see him and help him with whatever you can." He said, "I will do it." He spoke to Abrahah and described Abd al-Muttalib as Dhu Nufr had, so he gave him permission. Abd al-Muttalib was the most handsome and magnificent of people. When he saw him, he honored him too much to let him sit below him; he disliked that the Abyssinians should see him sitting with him on his royal throne, so he descended from his throne and sat on his carpet, seating Abd al-Muttalib with him beside him. The claim that he honored him because he saw the light of prophethood on his face is weak, as it implies the story occurred before the birth of Abdullah, which contradicts the preferred opinion you have learned. Unless it is said that the light manifested in him even if it had already transferred.

Then he said to his translator, "Ask him, 'What is your need?'" He replied, "My need is that the King returns my camels to me." Abrahah told his translator, "Tell him: 'I liked you when I saw you, but then I lost interest in you when you spoke to me about two hundred camels I took from you, and you left a house which is your religion and the religion of your fathers, which I have come to demolish, and you do not speak to me about it!'" Abd al-Muttalib said, "I am the Lord of the camels, and the House has a Lord who will protect it." He said, "He could not protect it from me." He replied, "That is between you and Him." In one version, Thafana ibn Adi, the master of Banu Bakr, and Khuwaylid ibn Wathila, the master of Hudhayl, entered with him and offered a third of the wealth of the people of Tihama on the condition that he return and not demolish the House, but he refused and returned the camels to Abd al-Muttalib.

He returned to Quraysh and informed them of the news, so they took refuge in the mountain peaks for fear of the army's harm. Then he took hold of the door-ring of the Kaaba, and with him were a group of Quraysh, calling upon Allah Almighty and seeking His aid. While holding the ring, he said:

O Lord, a man defends his caravan, so defend Your sanctuary! And let not their cross and their worshippers today overcome Your house. Let not their cross overcome, and may their schemes eventually turn upon them. They have brought the hosts of their lands, and the Elephant, to plunder Your family. They aimed for Your sanctuary with their plots, in ignorance, and did not fear Your majesty. If You leave them and our Kaaba, then the affair is as You wish.

He also said: O Lord, I have no hope for them other than You. O Lord, defend Your sanctuary from them. Whoever is an enemy to the House is an enemy to You. Stop them from destroying Your sacred ground.

Then he released the ring and left with those who were with him to the mountain peaks to wait and see what Abrahah would do to Mecca when he entered. When morning came, he prepared to enter; he marshaled his army and readied the elephant. When they turned it toward Mecca, Nufayl ibn Habib came forward, stood beside it, took its ear, and said, "Kneel, Mahmud, and return in peace from where you came, for you are in the Sacred Land of Allah." Then he released its ear, and it knelt down. Nufayl ran until he ascended the mountain. They struck the elephant and hurt it to make it rise, but it refused. They turned it back toward Yemen, and it stood and trotted toward the Levant. They did the same, and when they turned it toward Mecca, it knelt again. They gave it wine to drink to take away its senses, but that did not avail. It is said that Abd al-Muttalib was the one who pulled its ear and said what was mentioned, and that this occurred at Wadi Muhassir.

Allah Almighty sent birds from the sea—it is said they were black, or green, or white like swallows. Each bird carried three stones: one in its beak and two in its claws, like chickpeas and lentils. It did not strike any of them except that he perished. It is narrated that it would drop the stone on the head of one of them, and it would exit from his rear, and his flesh would fall apart. They fled, hastening back on the road from which they came, asking for Nufayl to show them the way to Yemen. Nufayl, when he saw what had befallen them, said:

Where is the flight, when the Divine is the Seeker? And the defeated Ashram is not the victor. O Rudayna, had you seen—but you did not see— By the side of al-Muhassab what we saw, Then you would have excused me and praised my affair, And not mourned for what has passed between us. The whole people ask for Nufayl, As if he owes the Abyssinians a debt.

They began to fall on every path and perish at every watering place. Abrahah was struck in his body, and they carried him out with them; his fingers fell off, one by one. Whenever a finger fell, it was followed by a drain of blood and pus, until they reached Sana'a, and he was like the chick of a bird. He did not die until his chest cracked open to his heart. Ibn al-Ziba'ra alluded to this in verses mentioning Mecca:

Ask the commander of the Abyssinians about us, what do you see? And its All-Knowing will soon inform the ignorant. Sixty thousand did not return to their land, Nay, the sick among them did not live after the return.

There is much poetry regarding this. Ibn Hisham mentioned a portion of it in his Sira. In it, it says the birds did not strike all of them; some say only one escaped, who entered upon the Negus and told him the news, with the bird over his head. When he finished, it dropped the stone upon him, piercing the building and landing on his head, joining him with the others. It is said that the elephant's keeper and guide remained in Mecca and were safe; for Aisha said she met the elephant’s guide and keeper in Mecca, blind and crippled, begging people for food. Regarding Ikrimah, he said that whoever the stone hit, it gave him smallpox, and it was the first smallpox to appear in the land of the Arabs. Yaqub ibn Utbah narrated that the first time measles and smallpox were seen in the land of the Arabs was that year, and that the first time the bitter plants—harmal, hanthal, and ushar—were seen was also that year.

It is narrated that when Abd al-Muttalib went to the mountain peaks with those who were with him, he remained waiting for what the people would do and what would be done to them. When morning came, he sent one of his sons on a fast horse of his to see what they had encountered. He went and found the people all destroyed, so he returned, lifting his head and uncovering his thigh. When his father saw that, he said, "Verily, my son is the best horseman of the Arabs, and he would not have uncovered his private part except as a bearer of good news or warning." When he neared their gathering, they said, "What news?" He said, "They have all perished." So Abd al-Muttalib and his companions went out to them and took their wealth. Abd al-Muttalib said:

You stopped the Abyssinians and the elephants, And they had grazed the ropes in Mecca. We feared battle from them, And every difficult matter from them. Thanks and praise to You, Possessor of Majesty.

Whoever wishes for the full story in a more complete manner than what is mentioned should look into the extensive books of biography. Al-Sulami read alam tara with a sukūn on the Ra, emphasizing the manifestation of the effect of the jussive, for its jussive state is by dropping the final letter, so the silencing of the letter before the last is for the effort to show the effect of the jussive. It is said that the secret here is to hasten to mention what is important as proof of Divinity and Prophethood, or an allusion to the exhortation to hasten the vision, gesturing that their affair, despite their multitude, was like the twinkling of an eye; he who did not hasten to see it would not grasp it as it should be grasped. This was countered by the fact that shortening the structure denotes a paucity of meaning—which is the vision—not a paucity of time. It is said that the secret might be a symbol from the beginning to the multitude of those who were destroyed among those people, so reflect.

And His saying, [Ayah ends].