Abraha was the king of Yemen and Ethiopia.
He built up a church in the Sanaa city. It was his
wish that people come to Sanaa in his church for Hajj and do not go to Makkah
to visit Kaaba. He also wished that people do tawaf (circumambulate) of the
church in spite of Kaaba. Arabs especially Quraish were shocked on this and
they got angry. A person from Quraish traveled to Sanaa in uncontrollable
condition and did urine and spread dirt in the church of Abraha. This act turned
Abraha into anger and he plight to destroy Kaaba. He went out along with his
army with this aim. There
were many elephants in that group and there was a big elephant which was leader
of elephants named as Mahmud. Abraha attacked
Makkah with his army and captivated all the animals of people of Makkah.
Among these animals were the camels of Abdul Muttalib. Abdul Muttalib was the
grandfather of beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ
وَسَلَّمَ, the custodian of Kaaba and leader of people of Makkah. He was
very strong man with an awesome personality. He went to Abraha and Abraha
received him with due respect. He asked from him the reason of his arrival.
Hazrat Abdul Muttalib asked him to return his camels. Listening this Abraha
said “I am shocked that I
came here with my army to destroy your respectful place Kaaba, about which you
did not discuss any thing and are demanding only your camels.” Hazrat Abdul Muttalib
said “I am the owner of my camels so I demanded for these. The owner of Kaaba
will save His Kaaba.” Abraha returned his camels.
Then Hazrat Abdul Muttalib ordered his people
to take refuge on the caves and tops of mountains and they did so. After that
he went to the door
of Kaaba and prayed to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
After completing his Dua he also climbed on the mountain. Abraha ordered his
army to attack on Kaaba at morning and stood his elephants in order to move
towards Kaaba but the leader of elephants, Mahmud did not moved toward Kaaba.
He moved elsewhere but he did not moved toward Kaaba. During these moments,
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ sent birds from sea each having three
small stones, one in the beak and two in hands. This army of birds attacked on
the army of Abraha with stones in such a powerful manner that army of Abraha
tried to run away. But these small stones were the punishment from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.
These small stones broke the cap of people, passed from their heads, cutting
their bodies, and cutting the body of elephant dropped down to ground. Their
names were written on the stones with which they were killed. In this way the
army of Abraha was destroyed and Kaaba was kept safe. The people of Arabia
named Aamul feel
to this year when this incident occurred. After fifty days from this incident, Holy prophet صَلَّی اللہُ
تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was born.
Holy Quran mentions this incident in a Surah on the name of feel:
اَلَمْ تَرَ كَیْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِاَصْحٰبِ الْفِیْلِؕ(۱) اَلَمْ یَجْعَلْ كَیْدَهُمْ فِیْ تَضْلِیْلٍۙ(۲) وَّ اَرْسَلَ عَلَیْهِمْ طَیْرًا اَبَابِیْلَۙ(۳) تَرْمِیْهِمْ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّنْ سِجِّیْلٍﭪ(۴)فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّاْكُوْلٍ۠(۵)
1. O beloved, did you not see how your
Lord dealt with the people of the elephant? 2. Did He not put their trick into
devastation? 3. And sent swarms of birds over them. 4. Striking them with
stones of baked clay. 5. So He made them like the leftover consumed leaves of
harvest.
