Surah Al-Fil, or "The Elephant," (Arabic: الفيل) is the 105th chapter of the Quran. It is a Meccan short surah, consisting of only five verses, but it holds significant historical and spiritual importance. The surah was given its name as it tells of the fate of the "People of the Elephant".
The story of the "People of the Elephant" was well-known and widely recounted throughout the Arabian Peninsula. The Year of the Elephant became a common reference point for dating events, both preceding and following it, much like how the modern Gregorian calendar uses the birth of Christ as a historical marker.
The Year of the Elephant is significant in Islamic history because it is believed to be the year of the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ birth (around 570 CE).
Revelation:
Surah Al-Fil was revealed during the early Meccan period when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was beginning his mission of calling people to Islam. This period was characterized by intense opposition and hostility from the Quraysh, the ruling tribe in Mecca. In one account, we're told that Abu Lahab (a well-known adversary of our Prophet ﷺ and his message), aimed to attempt to destroy the Kabaa, preventing Prophet Muhammad ﷺ from spreading Islam. The revelation of this short but powerful surah served multiple purposes:
History:
Abraha al-Ashram, the Pagan Abyssinian ruler of Yemen, did intend to replace the Kaaba as the primary religious focal point for the Arabs. His objective was to divert the attention, pilgrimage and worship of the people from the Kaaba in Mecca to a grand church he built in Yemen, known as Al-Qullays.
Abraha constructed Al-Qullays in Sana'a, Yemen, investing all means of wealth and beauty into its construction, with the intention of making it a central place of worship, surpassing the Kaaba (the Sacred House) in significance. He wanted the Arabs to abandon the Kaaba as their qibla (direction of prayer), and as a center of pilgrimage, and instead direct their religious activities towards his church.
His motivation was likely political and religious, aiming to establish Yemen as a major religious center in place of Mecca, which was already a significant hub for pilgrimage and trade due to the Kaaba.
This plan was met with strong resistance from the Arabs, who held the Kaaba in great reverence as a sacred site. According to some accounts, this opposition included acts of defiance, such as vandalizing the church, and according to other accounts, it is said that a group of Arabs set fire to something unknown, and the wind carried the fire to the church, burning it down. In retaliation, Abraha vowed to destroy the Kaaba and marched towards Mecca with an army of elephants, determined to take revenge by destroying the sacred structure.
On his way, Abraha encountered several people who tried to resist him, but he defeated all who opposed him. He then sent a message to the people of Mecca, stating that he had not come to fight them but only to destroy the Kaaba. The people of Mecca, therefore, retreated to the mountains to watch what would happen. Abraha then summoned Abdul Muttalib, the leader of Mecca, to meet him.
Abraha asked Abdul Muttalib what he wanted, and Abdul Muttalib replied that he wanted to retrieve his two hundred camels that had been taken by Abraha’s army on their way to Mecca. Abraha was surprised by this request, as Abdul Muttalib did not mention Abraha’s intention to destroy the Kaaba and only spoke of his camels. Abdul Muttalib, with confidence and dignity, said his famous quote: "As for the camels, I'm their lord, and as for the Kaaba, it has a Lord who will protect it". Abdul Muttalib and a group of Meccans went to the Kaaba and prayed to Allah ﷻ, fully aware that his people were powerless against Abraha’s army, while the army advanced towards Mecca with the intent to destroy the Kaaba.
The Fate of the Elephant Army:
The People of the Elephant initially conspired against the Kaaba, but Allah ﷻ thwarted their scheme by allowing their church to be burned down. Undeterred, they attempted once more to destroy the Kaaba by setting it on fire and demolishing it. However, their Elephants stopped in their tracks, and refused to advance upon the Kaaba. Allah ﷻ sent flocks of birds from all directions, pelting the army with stones of clay. Ultimately, Allah ﷻ destroyed the People of the Elephant, leaving them like a field of crops that had been completely devoured.
Translation:
1. Have you (O Muhammad ﷺ) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant?
2. Did He not make their scheme go astray?
3. And sent against them birds, in flocks, (the word ababil can either be translated to "flocks", or that it is the name of the species).
4. Striking them with stones of Sijjil, (in one translation, the word Sijjiil means baked or hardened clay, and in another translation, it is believed that it is stone retrieved from hell itself).
5. And made them like an empty field of stalks (of which the corn has been chewed up).
Merits:
Surah Al Fil is a reminder of Allah's ﷻ might, and His ability to protect and destroy. As such, Surah Al Fil is commonly recited when in desperate need to rebel an injustice done unto one self by another. It is also well-known for its ability to cure spiritual diseases such as black magic and jinxes and the like.
Translation and Pronunciation:
In the video below is a recitation that includes pronunciation and English translation. Kindly do not forget to leave a Like, and subscribe to their channel.
