alhamdulillahi alhamdulillahi lladhi anzala abdihil kitabi
walamyaja'allahu ay'waja.
annzalahu hidaayatan linnas
warahmatan lil alameen
we ask blessings upon the last and the seal
of prophets Muhammad (SAW),HIS
household, His companions and the ummah who follows Him with truth.
ma sha Allah today is
another day for our tafseer and we will be learning about surah al fil today
Surah Al Fil
was revealed in Makkah
Al-Fil,
A Summary of the Story of
the People of the Elephant
This is the story of the
people of the Elephant, in brief, and summarized. It has already been mentioned
in the story of the People of the Ditch that Dhu Nuas, the last king of Himyar,
a polytheist -- was the one who ordered killing the People of the Ditch. They
were Christians and their number was approximately twenty thousand. None of
them except a man named Daws Dhu Tha`laban escaped. He fled to Ash-Sham where
he sought protection from Caesar, the emperor of Ash-Sham, who was also a
Christian. Caesar wrote to An-Najashi, the king of Ethiopia (Abyssinia), who
was closer to the home of the man. An-Najashi sent two governors with him:
Aryat and Abrahah bin As-Sabah Abu Yaksum, along with a great army. The army
entered Yemen and began searching the houses and looting in search of the king
of Himyar (Dhu Nuwas). Dhu Nuwas was eventually killed by drowning in the sea.
Thus, the Ethiopians were free to rule Yemen, with Aryat and Abrahah as its
governors. However, they continually disagreed about matters, attacked each
other, fought each other and warred against each other, until one of them said
to the other, "There is no need for our two armies to fight. Instead let
us fight each other (in a duel) and the one who kills the other will be the
ruler of Yemen.So the other accepted the challenge and they held a duel. Behind
each man was a channel of water (to keep either from fleeing). Aryat gained the
upper hand and struck Abrahah with his sword, splitting his nose and mouth, and
slashing his face. But `Atawdah, Abrahah's guard, attacked Aryat and killed
him. Thus, Abrahah returned wounded to Yemen where he was treated for his
injuries and recovered. He thus became the commander of the Abyssinian army in
Yemen. Then the king of Abyssinia, An-Najashi wrote to him, blaming him for
what had happened (between him and Aryat) and threatened him, saying that he
swore to tread on the soil of Yemen and cut off his forelock. Therefore,
Abrahah sent a messenger with gifts and precious objects to An-Najashi to
appease him and flatter him, and a sack containing soil from Yemen and a piece
of hair cut from his forelock. He said in his letter to the king, "Let the
king walk upon this soil and thus fulfill his oath, and this is my forelock
hair that I send to you.'' When An-Najashi received this, he was pleased with
Abrahah and gave him his approval. Then Abrahah wrote to An-Najashi saying that
he would build a church for him in Yemen the like of which had never been built
before. Thus, he began to build a huge church in San`a', tall and beautifully
crafted and decorated on all sides. The Arabs called it Al-Qullays because of
its great height, and because if one looked at it, his cap would be in danger
of falling off as he tilted his head back. Then Abrahah Al-Ashram decided to
force the Arabs to make their pilgrimage to this magnificent church, just as
they had performed pilgrimage to the Ka`bah in Makkah. He announced this in his
kingdom (Yemen), but it was rejected by the Arab tribes of `Adnan and Qahtan.
The Quraysh were infuriated by it, so much so that one of them journeyed to the
church and entered it one night. He then relieved himself in the church and ran
away (escaping the people). When its custodians saw what he had done, they
reported it to their king, Abrahah, saying; "One of the Quraysh has done
this in anger over their House in whose place you have appointed this church.''
Upon hearing this, Abrahah swore to march to the House of Makkah (the Ka`bah)
and destroy it stone by stone. Muqatil bin Sulayman mentioned that a group of
young men from the Quraysh entered the church and started a fire in it on an
extremely windy day. So the church caught on fire and collapsed to the ground.
Due to this Abrahah prepared himself and set out with a huge and powerful army
so that none might prevent him from carrying out his mission. He took along a
great, powerful elephant that had a huge body the like of which had never been
seen before. This elephant was called Mahmud and it was sent to Abrahah from
An-Najashi, the king of Abyssinia, particularly for this expedition. It has
also been said that he had eight other elephants with him; their number was
also reported to be twelve, plus the large one, Mahmud -- and Allah knows best.
Their intention was to use this big elephant to demolish the Ka`bah. They
planned to do this by fastening chains to the pillars of the Ka`bah and placing
the other ends around the neck of the elephant. Then they would make the
elephant pull on them in order to tear down the walls of the Ka`bah all at one
time. When the Arabs heard of Abrahah's expedition, they considered it an
extremely grave matter. They held it to be an obligation upon them to defend
the Sacred House and repel whoever intended a plot against it. Thus, the
noblest man of the people of Yemen and the greatest of their chiefs set out to
face him (Abrahah). His name was Dhu Nafr. He called his people, and whoever
would respond to his call among the Arabs, to go to war against Abrahah and
fight in defense of the Sacred House. He called the people to stop Abrahah's
plan to demolish and tear down the Ka`bah
So the people responded to him and they
entered into battle with Abrahah, but he defeated them. This was due to Allah's
will and His intent to honor and venerate the Ka`bah.
Dhu Nafr was captured and
taken along with the army of Abrahah
The army continued on its way
until it came to the land of Khath`am where it was confronted by Nufayl bin
Habib Al-Kath`ami along with his people, the Shahran and Nahis tribes. They
fought Abrahah but he defeated them and captured Nufayl bin Habib. Initially he
wanted to kill him, but he forgave him and took him as his guide to show him
the way to Al-Hijaz. When they approached the area of At-Ta'if, its people --
the people of Thaqif -- went out to Abrahah. They wanted to appease him because
they were fearful for their place of worship, which they called Al-Lat. Abrahah
was kind to them and they sent a man named Abu Righal with him as a guide. When
they reached a place known as Al-Mughammas, which is near Makkah, they settled
there. Then he sent his troops on a foray to capture the camels and other
grazing animals of the Makkans, which they did, including about two hundred
camels belonging to `Abdul-Muttalib. The leader of this particular expedition
was a man named Al-Aswad bin Mafsud. According to what Ibn Ishaq mentioned,
some of the Arabs used to satirize him (because of the part he played in this
historical in this historical incident). Then Abrahah sent an emissary named
Hanatah Al-Himyari to enter Makkah, commanding him to bring the head of the
Quraysh to him.He also commanded him to inform him that the king will not fight
the people of Makkah unless they try to prevent him from the destruction of the
Ka`bah. Hanatah went to the city and he was directed to `Abdul-Muttalib bin
Hashim, to whom he relayed Abrahah's message. `Abdul-Muttalib replied, "By
Allah! We have no wish to fight him, nor are we in any position to do so. This
is the Sacred House of Allah, and the house of His Khalil, Ibrahim, and if He
wishes to prevent him (Abrahah) from (destroying) it, it is His House and His
Sacred Place (to do so). And if He lets him approach it, by Allah, We have no
means to defend it from him.'' So Hanatah told him, "Come with me to him
(Abrahah).'' And so `Abdul-Muttalib went with him. When Abrahah saw him, he was
impressed by him, because `Abdul-Muttalib was a large and handsome man. So
Abrahah descended from his seat and sat with him on a carpet on the ground.
Then he asked his translator to say to him, "What do you need''
`Abdul-Muttalib replied to the translator, "I want the king to return my
camels which he has taken from me which are two hundred in number.'' Abrahah
then told his translator to tell him, "I was impressed by you when I first
saw you, but now I withdraw from you after you have spoken to me. You are
asking me about two hundred camels which I have taken from you and you leave
the matter of a house which is (the foundation of) religion and the religion of
your fathers, which I have come to destroy and you do not speak to me about
it'' `Abdul-Muttalib said to him, "Verily, I am the lord of the camels. As
for the House, it has its Lord Who will defend it.'' Abrahah said, "I
cannot be prevented (from destroying it).'' `Abdul-Muttalib answered,
"Then do so.'' It is said that a number of the chiefs of the Arabs
accompanied `Abdul-Muttalib and offered Abrahah a third of the wealth of the
tribe of Tihamah if he would withdraw from the House, but he refused and
returned `Abdul-Muttalib's camels to him. `Abdul-Muttalib then returned to his
people and ordered them to leave Makkah and seek shelter at the top of the
mountains, fearful of the excesses which might be committed by the army against
them. Then he took hold of the metal ring of the door of the Ka`bah, and along
with a number of Quraysh, he called upon Allah to give them victory over Abrahah
and his army. `Abdul-Muttalib said, while hanging on to the ring of the
Ka`bah's door, "There is no matter more important to any man right now
than the defense of his livestock and property. So, O my Lord! Defend Your
property. Their cross and their cunning will not be victorious over your
cunning by the time morning comes.'' According to Ibn Ishaq, then
`Abdul-Muttalib let go of the metal ring of the door of the Ka`bah, and they
left Makkah and ascended to the mountains tops. Muqatil bin Sulayman mentioned
that they left one hundred animals (camels) tied near the Ka`bah hoping that
some of the army would take some of them without a right to do so, and thus
bring about the vengeance of Allah upon themselves. When morning came, Abrahah
prepared to enter the sacred city of Makkah. He prepared the elephant named
Mahmud. He mobilized his army, and they turned the elephant towards the Ka`bah.
At that moment Nufayl bin Habib approached it and stood next to it, and taking
it by its ear, he said, "Kneel, Mahmud! Then turn around and return
directly to whence you came. For verily, you are in the Sacred City of Allah.''
Then he released the elephant's ear and it knelt, after which Nufayl bin Habib
left and hastened to the mountains. Abrahah's men beat the elephant in an
attempt to make it rise, but it refused. They beat it on its head with axes and
used hooked staffs to pull it out of its resistance and make it stand, but it
refused. So they turned him towards Yemen, and he rose and walked quickly. Then
they turned him towards Ash-Sham and he did likewise. Then they turned him
towards the east and he did the same thing. Then they turned him towards Makkah
and he knelt down again. Then Allah sent against them the birds from the sea,
like swallows and herons. Each bird carried three stones the size of chickpeas
and lentils, one in each claw and one in its beak. Everyone who was hit by them
was destroyed, though not all of them were hit. They fled in panic along the
road asking about the whereabouts of Nufayl that he might point out to them the
way home. Nufayl, however, was at the top of the mountain with the Quraysh and
the Arabs of the Hijaz observing the wrath which Allah had caused to descend on
the people of the elephant. Nufayl then began to say, "Where will they
flee when the One True God is the Pursuer For Al-Ashram is defeated and not the
victor. Ibn Ishaq reported that Nufayl said these lines of poetry at that time,
Didn't you live with continued support We favored you all with a revolving eye
in the morning (i.e., a guide along the way). If you saw, but you did not see
it at the side of the rock covered mountain that which we saw. Then you will
excuse me and praise my affair, and do not grieve over what is lost between us.
I praised Allah when I saw the birds, and I feared that the stones might be
thrown down upon us. So all the people are asking about the whereabouts of
Nufayl, as if I have some debt that I owe the Abyssinians.'' `Ata' bin Yasar
and others have said that all of them were not struck by the torment at this
hour of retribution. Rather some of them were destroyed immediately, while
others were gradually broken down limb by limb while trying to escape. Abrahah
was of those who was broken down limb by limb until he eventually died in the
land of Khath`am. Ibn Ishaq said that they left (Makkah) being struck down and
destroyed along every path and at every water spring.
" Abrahah's body was
afflicted by the pestilence of the stones and his army carried him away with
them as he was falling apart piece by piece, until they arrived back in San`a'.
When they arrived there he was but like the baby chick of a bird. And he did
not die until his heart fell out of his chest. So they claim. Ibn Ishaq said
that when Allah sent Muhammad with the prophethood, among the things that he
used to recount to the Quraysh as blessings that Allah had favored them with of
His bounties, was His defending them from the attack of the Abyssinians. Due to
this they (the Quraysh) were allowed to remain (safely in Makkah) for a period
of time. Thus, Allah said,
(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 `Asf, Ma'kul.) (For the Ilaf of the Quraysh,
their Ilaf caravans, in winter and in summer. So, let them worship the Lord of
this House, Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear.)
(106:1-4) meaning, that Allah would not alter their situation because Allah
wanted good for them if they accepted Him. Ibn Hisham said, "Al-Ababil are
the groups, as the Arabs do not speak of just one (bird).'' He also said,
"As for As-Sijjil, Yunus An-Nahwi and Abu `Ubaydah have informed me that
according to the Arabs, it means something hard and solid.'' He then said,
"Some of the commentators have mentioned that it is actually two Persian
words that the Arabs have made into one word. The two words are Sanj and Jil,
Sanj meaning stones, and Jil meaning clay.
The rocks are of these two types: stone and
clay.'' He continued saying, "Al-`Asf are the leaves of the crops that are
not gathered. One of them is called `Asfah.'' This is the end of what he
mentioned. Hammad bin Salamah narrated from `Asim, who related from Zirr, who
related from `Abdullah and Abu Salamah bin `Abdur-Rahman that they said,
(birds Ababil.) "In
groups.'' Ibn `Abbas and Ad-Dahhak both said, "Ababil means some of them
following after others.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah both said, "Ababil
means many.'' Mujahid said, "Ababil means in various, successive groups.''
Ibn Zayd said, "Ababil means different, coming from here and there. They
came upon them from everywhere.'' Al-Kasa'i said, "I heard some of the
grammarians saying, "The singular of Ababil is Ibil.'' Ibn Jarir recorded
from Ishaq bin `Abdullah bin Al-Harith bin Nawfal that he said concerning
Allah's statement,
(And He sent against them
birds, Ababil.) "This means in divisions just as camels march in divisions
(in their herds).'' It is reported that Ibn `Abbas said, (And He sent against
them birds, Ababil.) "They had snouts like the beaks of birds and paws
like the paws of dogs.'' It has been reported that `Ikrimah said commenting on
Allah's statement,
(birds, Ababil.) "They
were green birds that came out of the sea and they had heads like the heads of
predatory animals.'' It has been reported from `Ubayd bin `Umayr that he
commented:
(birds, Ababil.) "They
were black birds of the sea that had stones in their beaks and claws.'' And the
chains of narration (for these statements) are all authentic. It is reported
from `Ubayd bin `Umayr that he said, "When Allah wanted to destroy the
People of the Elephant, he sent birds upon them that came from sea swallows.
Each of the birds was carrying three small stones -- two stones with its feet
and one stone in its beak. They came until they gathered in rows over their
heads. Then they gave a loud cry and threw what was in their claws and beaks.
Thus, no stone fell upon the head of any man except that it came out of his
behind (i.e., it went through him), and it did not fall on any part of his body
except that it came out from the opposite side. Then Allah sent a severe wind
that struck the stones and increased them in force. Thus, they were all
destroyed.''
Al-Feel, Concerning Allah's statement
(And He made them like `Asf,
Ma'kul.) Sa`id bin Jubayr said, "This means straw, which the common people
call Habbur.'' In a report from Sa`id he said, "The leaves of wheat.'' He
also said, "Al-`Asf is straw, and Al-Ma'kul refers to the fodder that is
cut for animals.'' Al-Hasan Al-Basri said the same thing. Ibn `Abbas said,
"Al-`Asf is the shell of the grain, just like the covering of wheat.'' Ibn
Zayd said, "Al-`Asf are the leaves of vegetation and produce. When the
cattle eat it they defecate it out and it becomes dung.'' The meaning of this
is that Allah destroyed them, annihilated them and repelled them in their plan
and their anger. They did not achieve any good. He made a mass destruction of
them, and not one of them returned (to their land) to relate what happened
except that he was wounded. This is just like what happened to their king,
Abrahah. For indeed he was split open, exposing his heart when he reached his
land of San`a'. He informed the people of what happened to them and then he
died. His son Yaksum became the king after him, and then Yaksum's brother,
Masruq bin Abrahah succeeded him. Then Sayf bin Dhi Yazan Al-Himyari went to
Kisra (the king of Persia) and sought his help against the Abyssinians.
Therefore, Kisra dispatched some of his army with Sayf Al-Himyari to fight with
him against the Abyssinians. Thus, Allah returned their kingdom to them (i.e.,
the Arabs of Yemen) along with all the sovereignty their fathers possessed.
Then large delegations of Arabs came to him (Sayf Al-Himyari) to congratulate
him for their victory. We have mentioned previously in the Tafsir of Surat
Al-Fath that when the Messenger of Allah approached the mountain pass that
would lead him to the Quraysh on the Day of Al-Hudaybiyyah, his she-camel knelt
down. Then the people attempted to make her get up but she refused. So, the
people said, "Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn.'' The Prophet replied,
(Al-Qaswa' has not become
stubborn, for that is not part of her character. Rather, she has been stopped
by He Who restrained the Elephant (of Abrahah).) Then he said,
(I swear by He in Whose Hand
is my soul, they (the Quraysh) will not ask me for any matter (of the treaty)
in which the sacred things of Allah are honored except that I will agree with
them on it.) Then he beckoned the she-camel to rise and she stood up. This
Hadith is of those that Al-Bukhari was alone in recording. It has been recorded
in the Two Sahihs that on the Day of the conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of
Allah said,
(Verily, Allah restrained the
Elephant from Makkah, and He has given His Messenger and the believers
authority over it.And indeed its sacredness has returned just as it was sacred
yesterday. So, let those who are present inform those who are absent. ) This is
the end of the Tafsir of Surat Al-Fil, and all praise and thanks are due to
Allah.