owners of the elephant
The story of the owners of the elephant: The miracle of preserving God's house
Introduction
The story of the Companions of the Elephant is one of the great stories mentioned by Allah in the Holy Qur'an in Surah Al-Feel, which tells of Abraha Abyssinia's attempt to destroy the Kaaba, and how Allah sent Ababil birds to protect it. This story took place in the year the Prophet Muhammad was born, making it a landmark in Islamic history.
Background of the story
Abraha the Abyssinian was governor of Yemen under the rule of Najashi, king of Abyssinia. He built a great church in Sana'a called “Al-Qalis” and wanted to divert the pilgrimage of the Arabs from the Kaaba to this church. The Arabs refused, and one of them even entered the church and made it unclean, which angered Abraha and prompted him to threaten to demolish the Kaaba .
Preparing the army
Abraha prepared a large army, led by a huge elephant named Mahmud, and marched this army towards Mecca. On his way, he encountered resistance from some Arab tribes, but he managed to defeat them and capture their leaders. When he approached Mecca, he sent a message to the people telling them that he had come to destroy the Kaaba and not to fight, so they surrendered to protect themselves .
The reason for this is that Najashi's grandfather, Abraha al-Ashram, when he was governor of Yemen, built a church and called it al-Qalis, and wanted to transfer the pilgrimage to it instead of the Kaaba, and a man from Kenana came to it at night and defecated in it; this angered Abraha, so he vowed to go to the Kaaba and destroy it; claiming that the reason was what the man from Kenana did when he defecated in it, but he was seeking in the front to conquer Mecca in order to link Yemen to the Levant, making all countries Christianized
When he arrived at a place called Al-Maghmas, which is located near Mecca, he sent a message to the people of Mecca that he had not come to fight, but to destroy the Kaaba, and the people of Mecca knew that they could not confront him, but they knew that God - the Almighty - would protect his holy house. It is said that the reason for the Elephant incident is that a group of men landed in the land of Al-Najashi, and they lit a fire to fulfill some of their needs and forgot it, so the fire spread until it reached the church and burned it, so he prepared his army and headed to the Kaaba to demolish it.
The Elephant Companions and their leader went to demolish the Kaaba
The term Elephant Companions refers to those who came from Abyssinia to destroy the Kaaba, led by Abraha al-Ashram, with elephants, but the people of Mecca, including Abdul Muttalib who was characterized by his wisdom, ordered them to vacate their homes and ascend to the mountains of Mecca. Abdul Muttalib had offered a lot of money to Abraha al-Ashram to return without destroying the Kaaba, but he refused and returned to Abdul Muttalib his camels that he had seized, so Abdul Muttalib took men from Quraysh to the Kaaba and held its ring and started praying to Allah - the Almighty - to drive away Abraha and his genies. to defend the house from Abraha and his soldiers
When Abraha came and found no one there to stop him, he insisted on entering the Ka'ba and destroying it, but the people of Mecca knew that it was protected by Allah, so when Abraha's army arrived, the elephant refused to enter the sanctuary, and if they let him in, he refused, and if they sent him back, he would return. While they were in this state, God sent small birds that came to them like clouds carrying small stones in their mouths and feet, and they stretched out until they shaded them all, and began to throw stones at them and smash them, then they were infected with smallpox, so every time one of them scratched his skin, this skin fell off his body.
Abdulmuttalib's position
Abdulmuttalib, the Prophet's grandfather and master of Quraysh, met Abraha and asked him to return his camels that had been seized by the army. When Abraha marveled at his request, Abdulmuttalib said: “I am the lord of the camels, and the house has a lord to protect it.” This attitude reflects Abdulmuttalib's belief in God's protection of the Kaaba, despite his inability to face the 79th army.
Divine miracle
When Abraha tried to enter Mecca, the elephant refused to advance towards the Kaaba, but only moved when they directed him away from it. God then sent Ababil birds carrying stones of Sejil, which threw them at the army and destroyed them. The Qur'an describes their condition as being “like eaten grass,” i.e., like torn leaves.
Results of the incident
Abraha and his soldiers perished, and those who remained returned to Yemen in defeat. This incident was a revelation of God's ability to protect His house and a prelude to the mission of the Prophet Muhammad, who was born in the same year .
Lessons and lessons
- God's omnipotence: The story shows that God is capable of destroying enemies for the slightest of reasons.
- God's protection of His house: The Kaaba is protected by God, and no one can harm it.
- Faith in God: Abdulmuttalib's attitude teaches us to rely on God in the most difficult situations.
- Prelude to prophethood: The incident was a precursor to the emergence of Islam and the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) .
Conclusion
The story of the Companions of the Elephant remains a lesson for believers, reminding them of God's power and wisdom. It is a story of the triumph of truth over falsehood, and an affirmation that God protects His religion and His house from all aggressors.