IN THE NAME OF ALLAH,
THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL
"Oh Abdul Muttalib ask of me anything and I will grant it."
Smiling gently, Abdul Muttalib replied, "Yesterday, your soldiers plundered two hundred of my camels. I merely ask you to return to us what you took unlawfully."
Abrahah, when he heard these words, was filled with disappoinment! what kind of man was this! he could have pleaded for the Ka'aba but all he asked for were his camels!
In a reproachful voice, he told Abdul Muttalib, "You are not only a prince of noble bearing but the governor of Makkah, the chieftain of all the Quraish. You are the keeper of the Ka'aba for which you are greatly honored. You know I came here to destroy the Ka'aba and all you ask for are your camels? Why did you not plead for the Ka'abafor surely I would have spared it!"
Softly, but firmly, abdul Muttalib replied, "the Ka'aba belongs to the All-Seeing and All-Powerful Lord who is able to keep it and protect it from all enemies. On the other hand, I am the Lord of the camels therefore I can only speak about the camels."
Puzzled, but impressed at the same time, Abrahah returned Abdul Muttalib's camels to him and escorted him with due honor of his tent. Returning to Makkah, Abdul Muttalib told the people there that Abrahah would not harm anyone, but to be on the safe side, they should stay in the hills till either the Ka'aba or Abrahah were destroyed.
"Go to the hills and leave the Ka'aba in the hands of the One who owns it!"
The next morning as Abdul Muttalib looked at the sky, he saw a flock of Ababil birds flying overhead towards the army of Abrahah.
meanwhile, Abrahah had already assembled all his army. The elephants had been dressed in their magnificent livery and war armour and and were placed in the front line of the army. In the middle of all these war elephants, Mahmud, ready to lead the other elephants and the soldiers into battles.
Rank after rank of soldiers stood proudly inthe morning sun, the light of which glittered off the tops of their spears and helmets. Standing in front of his army, Abrahah in a loud voice said,
"The city is empty, the inhabitants have fled, march into and destroy the Ka'aba down to the very last stone. However, do not harm even one single person or destroy their homes or you will pay with your life."
Abrahah then ordered Mahmud to lead the attack. However, the elephant that was normally so obedient refused to obey its mahout. Instead of leading the other elephants in a straight line, he kept zig-zagging and trying to turn back.
Nothing the mahout did could make him follow orders. Finally, when they reached the city's outskirts, it refused to move another inch, no matter what the soldiers did to it. They hit the elephant with sticks, stoned it, and even tried lighting a fire underneath it but nothing could move the giant beast.
As the soldiers were desperately trying to move Mahmud, Allah Almighty sent His mighty flock of Ababil birds. Each bird was carrying a burning stone from the pits of the fires of hell with the name of the person it was intended fro written on it.
No sooner was a person hit by these stone than they would die there and then in great agony. as the birds swooped and dived, the screams of terror and pain coming from the army of Abrahah filled the morning air. Before long, not one single soldier or elephant remained alive except the Great War Elephant, Mahmud, who had refused to cross the borders of the city of Makkah.
What happened to Abrahah? According to some sources, he did not die straightway but was carried back by his personal slaves (who were not soldiers), more dead than alive. As they carried him, his body wept blood and pus while pieces of flesh dropped along the road. Finally, they reached Sanaa (Yemen) and after telling the people there what had happened, he too, died. (refer : Ibn Kathir Seerat-un-Nabi, pages 20-24)
Meanwhile, back in Makkah, Abdul Muttalib told the people that Ka'aba was safe and they could safely return to their homes. Praising both the Merciful Lord and Abdul Muttalib, they swiftly returned to Makkah. Surprised at finding their enemies' tent empty and no sign of the soldiers, they quickly collected the booty of which they turned over a large portion to Abdul Muttalib.
What happened to all the thousands of bodies? Well in the Seerat- un-Nabi compiled by Ibn Kathir (page 23), Naqqarah recorded that before the Arabs returned to their city, a mighty cyclone was sent by Allah Almighty that swept all the bodies out to sea.
after this event, nobody else has tried to destroy the holy house in Makkah for fear of what would happen to them if indeed they were foolish or arrogant enough to try.
Did you know, according to Sayyidina Ayesha r.a. and reported by ibn Ishaq, she had seen the elephant and his keeper, Unays, in Makkah. Both were blind and begging for food. (ibn Kathir)
Alhamdulillah.
author: Ayesha Abdullah Scott
book: The Year of the Elephant
Publisher: Future Text Publications, 2010
As the soldiers were desperately trying to move Mahmud, Allah Almighty sent His mighty flock of Ababil birds. Each bird was carrying a burning stone from the pits of the fires of hell with the name of the person it was intended fro written on it.
No sooner was a person hit by these stone than they would die there and then in great agony. as the birds swooped and dived, the screams of terror and pain coming from the army of Abrahah filled the morning air. Before long, not one single soldier or elephant remained alive except the Great War Elephant, Mahmud, who had refused to cross the borders of the city of Makkah.
What happened to Abrahah? According to some sources, he did not die straightway but was carried back by his personal slaves (who were not soldiers), more dead than alive. As they carried him, his body wept blood and pus while pieces of flesh dropped along the road. Finally, they reached Sanaa (Yemen) and after telling the people there what had happened, he too, died. (refer : Ibn Kathir Seerat-un-Nabi, pages 20-24)
Meanwhile, back in Makkah, Abdul Muttalib told the people that Ka'aba was safe and they could safely return to their homes. Praising both the Merciful Lord and Abdul Muttalib, they swiftly returned to Makkah. Surprised at finding their enemies' tent empty and no sign of the soldiers, they quickly collected the booty of which they turned over a large portion to Abdul Muttalib.
What happened to all the thousands of bodies? Well in the Seerat- un-Nabi compiled by Ibn Kathir (page 23), Naqqarah recorded that before the Arabs returned to their city, a mighty cyclone was sent by Allah Almighty that swept all the bodies out to sea.
after this event, nobody else has tried to destroy the holy house in Makkah for fear of what would happen to them if indeed they were foolish or arrogant enough to try.
Did you know, according to Sayyidina Ayesha r.a. and reported by ibn Ishaq, she had seen the elephant and his keeper, Unays, in Makkah. Both were blind and begging for food. (ibn Kathir)
Alhamdulillah.
author: Ayesha Abdullah Scott
book: The Year of the Elephant
Publisher: Future Text Publications, 2010
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