Name of the Surah
This surah is called Al-Fil because it begins by referring to the story of the people of the Elephant, al-fil. 105:1 Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the Elephant?
Surah Al-Fil was revealed in Makkah. It contains five ayat.
Relationship between Surah Al-Fil and Surah Al-Humazah
Surah Al-Humazah comes before surah Al-Fil according to the written copy of the Quran, al-Mushaf. Surah Al-Humazah refers to one who gathers his wealth and does not spend it for Allah’s sake, believing it will protect him from death. It also mentions that his wealth will not avail him if he disobeys Allah’s commands. Then, surah Al-Fil mentions the story of the people of the Elephant, who had great wealth and power. However, their wealth and power could not protect them against Allah’s severe punishment. Allah sent them birds, which are very small and weak creatures, but by the Will of Allah, they destroyed them.
Topics Discussed in Surah Al-Fil
Surah Al-Fil refers to the story of the people of the Elephant, who depended on their power and wealth and came to destroy al-Kaaba in Makkah. Allah sent them flocks of birds that pelted them with stones of baked clay and destroyed them, which shows that nothing can protect against Allah’s severe punishment.
Surah Al-Fil reminds the inhabitants of Makkah of Allah’s blessings on them as He protected them from their enemy, who came to destroy al-Kaaba. It also shows the sublime rank of al-Kaaba with Allah as He prevented the army of the people of the Elephant from destroying it. Mentioning how Allah, Exalted be He, destroyed the people of the Elephant implies good news to Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him]. It indicates that just as Allah destroyed the people of the Elephant, He would destroy the disbelievers, who disbelieved in the Oneness of Allah and abused the Messenger of Allah and the believers.
The Story of the People of the Elephant
Abrah, the governor of Yemen by the Negus, the king of Abyssinia, built a great church in Sana’a known as al-Qullays. He wanted that people would come to visit it and stop going to Makkah for visiting al-Kaaba and making al-Hajj. Abrah gathered a great army that was accompanied by many elephants to destroy al-Kaaba in Makkah. Abrah and his army set forth to Makkah. When he and his army reached there and tried to destroy al-Kaaba with the elephants, Allah sent Abrah and his army flocks of birds carrying small stones of baked clay. They pelted them with those stones and destroyed them.
English Translation of Surah Al-Fil
Revealed in Makkah, Contains 5 Ayah
Bism-Allah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim
In the Name of Allah, the Giver of Mercy, the Most Merciful
105:1 Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the Elephant?
105:2 Did He not make their plan go astray?
105:3 And He sent against them birds in flocks,
105:4 pelting them with stones of baked clay.
105:5 And He made them like straw, eaten up.
Tafsir
105:1 Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the people of the Elephant?
The interrogation in the ayah is for confirmation. The story of the people of the Elephant was famous among the Arabs that they used to chronicle events by referring to that incident. For example, they used to say that such and such event took place in the year of the Elephant, or before or after it.
The ayah uses the verb ‘see’ to indicate that the story of the people of the Elephant was known and that no one could deny its occurrence. Thus, certain knowledge of its occurrence is equal to seeing and experiencing its events.
O noble Messenger Muhammad, you have certainly known how your Lord dealt with the people of the Elephant when they came to destroy al-Kaaba. They were destroyed, which was clear evidence of Allah’s perfect ability to defend the Sacred House of al-Kaaba. It was also a lesson to those who might think to demolish al-Kaaba, showing them that they would be never able to achieve their goal; rather, they would be punished severely.
The ayah implies that Allah will certainly protect His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad and make him victorious over his enemies, just as He protected al-Kaaba and destroyed the people of the Elephant.
105:2 Did He not make their plan go astray?
The interrogation in the ayah is for confirmation. Indeed, Allah made the plot of the people of the Elephant to destroy the Sacred House of al-Kaaba go astray and He made their plan to destroy al-Kaaba fail.
The disbelievers of Makkah knew what happened to the people of the Elephant as they saw how Allah severely punished them when they came to destroy al-Kaaba. Thus, they should learn a lesson from that and know that Allah would punish them if they insisted on disbelieving in His Oneness and refusing to follow the path of guidance.
105:3 And He sent against them birds in flocks,
105:4 pelting them with stones of baked clay.
Allah, the Able, made the plot of the people of the Elephant fail. He sent against them birds in flocks. Those birds pelted them with stones of baked clay whereby they were destroyed. Indeed, no one knows Allah’s soldiers but Him. Those small birds, by Allah’s perfect ability, were able to destroy the strong army of the people of the Elephant.
105:5 And He made them like straw, eaten up.
The birds that Allah sent against the people of the Elephant pelted them with stones of baked clay that destroyed them and made them like straw that was eaten up. In other words, they were wiped out and their bodies were thrown here and there like straw that the wind moves here and there.
Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Fil
• Surah Al-Fil mentions an aspect of Allah’s perfect ability when He destroyed the people of the Elephant, which should increase the strength of the believers and make the disbelievers fear Allah’s severe punishment.
• Consoling Messenger Muhammad for the abuse he suffered from the disbelievers of Makkah by mentioning the story of the Elephant, who came to destroy al-Kaaba, and that Allah destroyed them.
• Mentioning how Allah destroyed the people of the Elephant should make the disbelievers fear Allah’s severe punishment if they insist on their disbelief in His Oneness.
• Allah is Able. He destroyed the people of the Elephant by sending small birds against them.
• Protecting al-Kaaba from the evil plan of the people of the Elephant indicates its high rank with Allah.
The Noble Quran Surah Al-Fil English Tranlation
The Noble Quran English Translation of Tafsir Ibn Kahtir, Surah Al-Fil
The Noble Quran English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Humazah
The Noble Quran Surah Maryam English Translation and Tafsir
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