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Surah 105 · Makkah

Al-Fīl

الفيل

"The Elephant"

Number
105 of 114
Verses
5
Revealed
Makkah

The army that came to destroy the Kaaba — and was destroyed by birds.

In the classical library

24 passages reference this surah

From 13 books in our audiobook library. Each passage is also spoken aloud in the app.

  1. "Contemplate this with a present mind and clear thought. Look at how Allah created it in the shape of the elephant, which is the largest of animals, for He created for it a trunk like the elephant's trunk and all other small members as He created for the elephant,"

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq
Ibn Kathir · Timeless Classics
  1. "It is said: that Abu Bakr said to them: Woe to you! Wherever were your words being carried off to? "Truly this speech never came from any God." And he used to say: "By the elephant! And what shall make you know what the elephant is? It has a long trunk." And he used to say:"

  2. "And al-Farazdaq said in his verse, recalling al-Muthanna's killing of that elephant: And the house of al-Muthanna, slayer of the elephant by main force at Babil, when the kingship of Babil lay with Persia."

  3. "He said: The people of Persia were dismayed by this letter, and they blamed Shahriyar for having written to him and thought his judgment shameful. Al-Muthanna marched from al-Harra to Babil, and when al-Muthanna met their army at a place by the bank of the first Sarat canal, they fought a most fierce battle. The Persians sent out an elephant between the ranks of the cavalry to scatter the Muslims' horses, but the commander of the Muslims, al-Muthanna ibn Haritha, charged it and killed it."

al-Akhlāq wa'l-Siyar — Character and Conduct
Ibn Ḥazm of Cordoba · Timeless Classics
  1. "the wolf and the elephant are braver than he; and whoever is gladdened by the strength of his body, let him know that the mule, the ox and the elephant are stronger than he in body; and whoever is gladdened by his bearing of heavy loads,"

  1. "upon him, was born in the year of the Elephant, and was sent as a prophet at the age of forty years from the year of the Elephant. This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi from the hadith of Abu Ishaq al-Sabih from Said ibn Jubair"

  2. "Ibn Ishaq narrated that Aisha said, I saw the driver of the elephant and his handler in Mecca, both blind and sitting, begging for food. It has been noted that the handler of the elephant was named Unaiz, but the name of"

  3. "When they directed the elephant towards Mecca, Nufayl ibn Habib approached and stood beside the elephant, taking hold of its ear. He said, Kneel, Mahmud, and return from where you came, for you are in the sacred land of"

Book 30: The Condemnation of Self-Delusion
Imam al-Ghazali · Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din
  1. "Seize her and throw her before the elephant for her nonsense. So, she was thrown to the elephant. Such will be the fate of those who falsely claim Sufism on the Day of Judgment when the veil is lifted,"

Volume Two: From India to the Lands of the West
Ibn Battuta · Rihla — The Travels of Ibn Battuta
  1. "sheathed in iron, prepared for the execution of criminals. Each elephant has a driver carrying an iron club for discipline. Each elephant bears a large hauda, capable of carrying twenty soldiers"

  2. "than silk cloth. There are numerous elephants here. They ride on them and use them for carrying loads. Each person ties his elephant at his door, and every shop owner keeps his elephant nearby"

  3. "sharpened iron resembling plow shares, with knife-like edges. The elephant driver sits on the elephant, and when a man is thrown before it, it wraps him with its trunk and tosses him"

Volume One: From Tangier to the Lands of the East
Ibn Battuta · Rihla — The Travels of Ibn Battuta
  1. "his breath, enhancing the redness of his face and gums, reducing bile and aiding digestion. When Sheikh Sa'id mounted the elephant, silk clothes were spread out before the elephant's"

  2. "They sniffed the Sheikh but left him unharmed. An elephant then picked up the Sheikh with its trunk, placed him on its back, and carried him to a place with human settlements. When the people of that area saw him, they were amazed and approached him to learn his"

  3. "story. As they got closer, the elephant set him gently on the ground before them. They took him to their king and informed him of his story. Although the people there were disbelievers, they hosted the Sheikh for several days."

Book 13: Etiquettes of Earning and Living
Imam al-Ghazali · Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din
  1. "For example, the bone of an animal becomes impure after death, and an elephant is not purified by slaughtering, nor is its bone purified through ritual slaughter. The sale of wine is forbidden, as is the sale of impure fat extracted from non-consumable animals,"

  1. "He commanded the people not to wear red unless they were oppressed. He would ride an elephant, touring day and night, to ensure justice for any oppressed person he saw. This king, a polytheist with compassion exceeding his own greed for his kingdom, acted so."

  1. "al-Basri. There were nine notable events during this period of interruption. The Christians, the Garden of Sana, the Garden of Saba, the Companions of the Ditch, the matter of Hasura, the Companions of the Cave, the Companions of the Elephant, the City of"

  2. "of Ibrahim, then from the construction of the Kaaba by Ibrahim and Ismail, then from the death of Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy, and then from the year of the elephant. Finally, Umar ibn al-Khattab established the calendar from the Hijra, which was in the"

  3. "It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was born in the year of the Elephant on the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal. In this month, he was sent as a prophet, ascended to the heavens, migrated, and passed away."

Book 39: The Book of Contemplation
Imam al-Ghazali · Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din
  1. "though it seemingly has no guide or instructor? Who would doubt with insight that this tiny, weak creature is indeed feeble and helpless? Even the mighty elephant, with its large size and apparent strength, is helpless when managing its own affairs."

Book 29: Condemnation of Pride and Conceit
Imam al-Ghazali · Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din
  1. "A thorn could incapacitate, and a day's fever could deplete strength beyond repair. Thus, one who cannot withstand a thorn or fend off a fly should not boast of strength. Even if strong, one is not mightier than a donkey, cow, elephant, or camel."

Volume 1 — From Creation to Mūsā
Ibn Kathir · Al-Bidāya wal-Nihāya
  1. "one for the beasts and wild animals, one for the humans, and one for the birds. When the animals' waste accumulated, God inspired Noah to press the elephant's tail, and a pig and a sow emerged to deal with the waste."

  2. "Then Sidrat al-Muntaha was raised to me, and its fruits were like large earthenware jugs, or like the pots of Hajar, and its leaves were like elephant ears. From its roots, two hidden and two visible rivers emerged."

Books referenced
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