Quran Learning Journey: Surah Al-Fil – Unveiling the Divine Intervention in the Year of the Elephant

Surah Al-Fil, the 105th chapter of the Quran, unfolds a historical narrative that echoes through the ages. This surah recounts the event known as the Year of the Elephant (the year in which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was born) and the sacred city of Mecca. In this article, we embark on a journey to explore the historical event and the profound lessons encapsulated in Surah Al-Fil.

In the Arabian Peninsula, there existed a powerful kingdom in Yemen ruled by a Christian king named Abraha, who had the intention of destroying the Kaaba. He then constructed a grand cathedral in Yemen, hoping to attract pilgrims to divert their trade route from Mecca to his own territory so that he can proceed with his plans in destroying the Kaaba. However, the Arabs continued their traditional pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca.

Frustrated by his unsuccessful attempts to divert the pilgrimage, Abraha, in the year 570 CE, led a military expedition with a formidable army, including war elephants, towards Mecca to destroy the Kaaba and establish his cathedral as the new pilgrimage destination.

As Abraha approached Mecca, the Quraysh, the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and other tribes evacuated the city and sought refuge in the mountains surrounding Mecca. Despite the apparent vulnerability of the Kaaba, the Arabs believed in the sanctity of the House of Allah and trusted in its divine protection. 

As Abraha and his army approached Mecca, a miraculous event unfolded. Flocks of birds, resembling swallows or small birds carrying stones in their beaks and claws, descended upon the army of Abraha. Allah mentioned this phenomenon in verse 3 from the Surah:

Which means: For He sent against them flocks of birds.

The stones carried by these birds are made of hard clay or ‘sijjil’ which struck its target precisely, wreaking havoc among the soldiers and their elephants. This incident was mentioned in Surah Al-Fil, verse 4 & 5:

Which means: that pelted them with stones of baked clay (4)

Which means: leaving them like chewed up straw. (5)

In conclusion, the Quran tells a remarkable story in Surah Al-Fil about how Allah protected the Kaaba from a powerful ruler named Abraha by sending birds carrying stones. This miraculous event shows that even a mighty army could not destroy the House of Allah, the ultimate protector of this place.