The incident of the People of the Elephants

In Surah Feel, the incident of the people of the elephants is given.  In this incident, the blessings of the radiance of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) were expressed through Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib (May Allah be well pleased with him).

 

Najjashi, the king of Abyssinia, sent 2 officials to Yemen to subdue the governor of that area.  One among these 2 officers was named Abraha.  When Abraha reached, Yemen, he became the ruler of Yemen.  He made a church in Yemen desiring that the way people should come to this church like they go to the Ka’aba.  When he didn’t succeed in his intention, when there was no multitude of people in his church like the Ka’aba, he was saddened.  He thought that as long as the Ka’aba is there, nobody will come to his church.  He resolved to raze the Ka’aba so that people should come to his church.  With this intention, he amassed a huge army along with elephants and started for Makkah.  There was a white elephant also with the army.  When Abraha marched to the Ka’aba with this army and elephants, this news was heard by Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib.  Immediately, he gathered all the Quraish and said: You people don’t be worried by the arrival of this army because the sustainer of the Ka’aba is Almighty Allah.  He Himself will protect it.  The Ka’aba doesn’t need our protection.  It itself is our protector.  It will save us from the evil designs of Abraha.

 

When Abraha and his army reached the nearby areas of the Ka’aba, some of the army started plundering.  In this plundering, they also took 400 camels of Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib. 

 

Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib took the Quraish and climbed a mountain.  From there, he could see the Ka’aba directly.  The radiance of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) which was in the forehead of Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib, was shining in the form of a crescent and its light was falling on the Ka’aba.  On seeing this, Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib called out to the Quraish:  O Quraish!  Let’s go.  You have been saved from all sorrows.  The Ka’aba will not be harmed as well.  By Allah!  When this radiance is expressed in this form as it is now, I have repeatedly been victorious.  On hearing this, the Quraish returned and busied themselves in their respective works.

 

Abraha made a person to Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib as his envoy and told him to tell Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib and the other chiefs of Quraish that he has come to demolish the Ka’aba and his intention is not to fight with them.

 

When the envoy met Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib and his eyes rested on the blessed face of Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib and on the radiance which was in the forehead of Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib, he fell and fainted.  He started making guttural noises similar to the sounds made by a slaughtered animal.  After a long time, he came to.  Immediately he prostrated before the radiance that was in the forehead of Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib and told him:  You are indeed the chief of Quraish.  He said this and returned.

 

Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib himself went to meet Abraha.  On hearing of his coming, Abraha called him in his court.  He also sent for his white elephant which he had brought to demolish the Ka’aba.  He wanted to awe Hadhrat ‘Abdul Muttalib with this elephant.