Surah Al-Fil
The Elephant • Surah 105 • 5 verses
Introduction
This Meccan chapter recounts the story of Abraha Al-Ḥabashi (lit., the Abyssinian), who led a large army of men and elephants to demolish the Ka’bah in 570 C.E. so pilgrims would visit the cathedral he had built in Yemen instead. However, the army was destroyed before reaching Mecca. It is commonly believed that the Prophet was born the same year.
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلْفِيلِ
Have you not seen ˹O Prophet˺ how your Lord dealt with the Army of the Elephant?
أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِى تَضْلِيلٍ
Did He not frustrate their scheme?
وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ
For He sent against them flocks of birds,
تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ
that pelted them with stones of baked clay,
فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍۭ
leaving them like chewed up straw.
