Feel means elephant in Arabic language. In Surah Al Feel, Abraha’s army is called Ashab al-Feel, i.e. elephants, because they tried to attack Makkah with elephants. Abraha was the ruler of Yemen. He built a magnificent church in Yemen. Then he announced to the people of Yemen that no one should go to Makkah for Hajj. Consider this church as Bait Allah
Surah Al Feel with colourful Tajweed
اَلَمْ تَـرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِاَصْحَابِ الْفِيْلِ (1). اَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُـمْ فِىْ تَضْلِيْلٍ (2). وَاَرْسَلَ عَلَيْـهِـمْ طَيْـرًا اَبَابِيْلَ (3). تَـرْمِيْهِـمْ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّنْ سِجِّيْلٍ (4). فَجَعَلَـهُـمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّاْكُوْلٍ (5).
Translation of the Surah Al Feel (English)
Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the People of the Elephant? (1). Has He not turned their plan into nullity? (2). And He sent upon them flying birds in flocks, (3). Throwing upon them stones of baked clay,(4). and thus He turned them into an eaten-up chaff. (5).
Cause of Abraha’s attack on Baitullah in Surah Al Feel
After the declaration of Abraha about the Church among the people of Arabia. There was a wave of anger and one of them went to this church at night and spread dirt.
When Abraha knew this, he prepared a large army and headed towards Makkah. On the way, many tribes of Arabs tried to stop him but were defeated by Abraha’s army. Finally, this army reached Makkah Reached a place near.
How does Allah defend his Ka’aba?
The next morning, when he wanted to proceed to Baitullah, his elephant refused to go ahead. After that, a flock of strange birds came from the sea and swarmed over the whole army. Each bird had three pebbles in its beak, which it showered on the people of the army. These stones tore the bodies of the army men.
Seeing this punishment, all the elephants ran away, and some of the soldiers of the army were blocked there. Some who ran away died on the way. Abraha’s body was so poisoned that one of its joints would rot and fall.
The tragic end of Abraha In Surah Al Feel
In this condition, Abraha was brought to Yemen and there his whole body was destroyed. The death of Abraha was most tragic. Two of his Carers of elephants were left in Makkah and became crippled and blind. Some of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) later saw both of them in the same condition.
Lower the head of the pride
In this way, Allah Ta’ala protected His house and made those who were proud of their power taste the punishment. Allah Ta’ala described this event in the Holy Qur’an. And made it a source of advice for all the people who will come until the Day of Judgment.
People’s respect for Quraish after the Feel incident
This incident of As-haab-e-Feel increased the glory of Quraish in the hearts of the entire Arabs. Everyone began to believe that these people were the favourites of Allah Ta’ala, that Allah Ta’ala had killed their enemies on their behalf. This greatness had the effect that Quraysh used to travel to different countries and no one harmed them on the way
The main Idea of Surah Al feel
The main idea of Surah al-Feel is to comfort the Muslims by mentioning the destruction of the elephant army.
Last Thoughts
In Surah Al-Feel, it has been told how Allah, the Exalted, protected the Ka’ba. And the Quraysh of Makkah by killing Abraha and his army. Allah Almighty sent small birds on Abraha and his army which destroyed the entire army by throwing pebbles.
From reading this surah, it is known that the greatest power is the power of Allah. When he wants to kill a large army, he can kill it with small birds. We should always have full faith in the power of Allah Ta’ala.
