بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْفِيلِ
Alam tara kaifa fa'ala rabbuka bi ashaabil feel
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?

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Tafsir

74%56%56%Al-JalalaynIbn AbbasIbn Kathir
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Have you not considered an interrogative meant to provoke marvel in other words ‘marvel at’ the way in which your Lord dealt with the Men of the Elephant? who was named Mahmūd and the men were Abraha King of Yemen and his troops. He had built a church in San‘ā’ in order to divert pilgrims away from Mecca to it. A man from among the Banū Kināna defecated in it and stained its prayer niche with a deflowered virgin’s blood in contempt of it. Abraha then swore that he would knock down the Ka‘ba. So he approached Mecca with his troops riding Yemeni elephants with Mahmūd at the vanguard. But when they turned to destroy the Ka‘ba God unleashed upon them what He relates in His words

Related Hadiths

Sahih Muslim #3184Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported:Sahih
The people of the Khuza'ah tribe killed a man of the tribe of Laith in the Year of Victory as a retaliation for one whom they had killed (whom the people of the tribe of Laith had killed). It was reported to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He mounted his camel and delivered this address: Verily Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, held back the Ele- phants from Mecca, and gave its domination to His Messenger and believers. Behold, it was not violable for anyone before me and it will not be violable for anyone after me. Behold, it was made violable for me for an hour of a day; and at this very hour it has again been made inviolable (for me as well as for others). So its thorns are not to be cut, its trees are not to be lopped, and (no one is allowed to) pick up a thing dropped, but the one who makes an announcement of it. And one whose fellow is killed is allowed to opt between two alternatives: either he should receive blood-money or get the life of the (murderer) in return. He (the narrator said): A person from the Yemen, who was called Abu Shah, came to him and said: Messenger of Allah, write it down for me, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: Write it down for Abu Shah. One of the persons from among the Quraish also said: Except Idhkhir, for we use it in our houses ant our graves. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Except Idhkhir.
Sunan Abu Dawud #2018Sahih
Abu Hurairah said “When Allah, the Exalted, granted the conquest of Makkah to his Apostle, the Prophet(ﷺ) stood among them(the people) and praised Allaah and extolled Him. He then said, Verily Allaah stopped the Elephant from Makkah, and gave His Apostle and the believers sway upon it and it has been made lawful for me only for one hour on one day then it will remain sacred till the Day of Resurrection. Its trees are not to be cut, its game is not to be molested and the things dropped there are to be picked up only by one who publicly announces it. ‘Abbas or Al ‘Abbas suggested “Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) except the rush(idhkir) for it is useful for our graves and our houses. The Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) said “Except the rush.” Abu Dawud said “Ibn Al Musaffa added on the authority of Al Walid Abu Shah a man from the people of the Yemen stood and said “Give me in writing, Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ)”. The Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ) said “Give in writing to Abu Shah. I said to Al Awza’i “What does the statement mean? Give Abu Shah in writing?” He said “This was an address which he heard from the Apostle of Allaah(ﷺ).”

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About Quran 105:1