During the era of ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, the region of Yemen was ruled by the African sovereignty of Abyssinia, which in those days was the centre of a powerful dominion. Since Abyssinia was a Christian country, the ruler of Yemen was also Christian. During the time of ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, the viceroy of Yemen was Abrahah Al-Ashram. This individual harboured severe enmity against the Ka‘bah, and in one way or other, he desired to sway the people of Arabia from the Ka‘bah. Thus, in opposition of the Ka‘bah he built a place of worship and urged people that instead of the Ka‘bah, they should come to this place of worship for pilgrimage. How could the Arabian disposition tolerate the existence of any place of worship other than the Ka‘bah? Thus, it is written that one Arab, overwhelmed by his emotions, relieved his call of nature in this place of worship. When Abrahah was informed of this, in his rage, he decided to attack Makkah with his forces to annihilate the Ka‘bah. Hence, he sought permission from Negus, the king of Abyssinia and proceeded with a very large army. The number of his army is recorded as 60,000 according to various narrations. In any case, his army was composed of thousands. He left Yemen, and defeated various Arabian tribes en-route, until he reached the close proximity of Makkah and set his armies in the outskirts of the city. When the Quraish were informed of this, they became quite distressed, as they knew that they did not possess the power to compete. Therefore, they sent ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib to Abrahah as a delegate. His respectable appearance and high intellect embossed a great impression upon Abrahah, who treated him with great esteem and instructed his interpretors to ask ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib what he desired. ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, who had perhaps planned this discourse beforehand said, “Your army has seized my camels, I wish for them to be returned to me”. Abrahah returned his camels to him, but his initial impression of ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib’s dignity and intelligence began to fade, and he mocked him saying, “I have come here to destroy your Ka‘bah but you have exhibited no concern. You care only for your camels.” ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, in a manner of inattention said, “I am the owner of these camels alone, thus, my concern is with them. However, there is also an owner of this house, Who shall himself protect it.” When Abrahah heard this response he was immensely vexed and responded, “Alright, I shall see how the owner of this house stops me from it.” Therefore, he advanced with his forces, but due to divine intervention, as soon as Abrahah’s elephant was turned in Makkah’s direction to march forward, it refused to move. Even after tremendous struggle it did not advance. After this his forces were struck by such a calamity as the entire army became the victual of birds. Narrations allude to the elaboration of this occurrence in the manner that when this army attempted to advance towards Makkah, in accordance with divine supremacy they were swarmed by a flock of birds, that carried fragments of poisonous dirt in their claws. Whomsoever these fragments fell upon would fall victim to a fatal and contagious disease similar to that of small-pox. When this disease was first contracted, it spread with immense rapidity. This occurrence should not spur shock, as contagious diseases, in many instances, spread through fragments of dirt or other means.
Hence, it is quite possible that these birds had flown from a region that was infected by the bacteria of a contagious disease, and on account of this, a fatal disease similar to small-pox spread throughout the army. Therefore, with relevance to Abrahah, it is particularly mentioned that he contracted such a disease by which his flesh fell off in pieces.1 This occurrence is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān in the following words:
“Hast thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with the People of the Elephant? Did He not cause their plan to miscarry? And He sent against them swarms of birds, which would strike them against stones of clay. And thus made them like broken straw, eaten up.”2
This attack of Abrahah, in history, is renowned as the attack of the Aṣḥābul-Fīl, meaning, the attack of the People of the Elephant. This is because, there was one elephant, or on the basis of various narrations, many elephants in Abrahah’s army. Since the elephant was a strange and new creature to the Quraish of Makkah, and they had never seen it before, not only did they title the invaders as the Aṣḥābul-Fīl, they even named that particular year the ‘Āmul-Fīl.3 By the destruction of the Aṣḥābul-Fīl, the honour of the Ka‘batullāh and awe of the Quraish increased significantly and the other tribes of Arabia began to look upon the Quraish with even greater reverence and respect.4
1 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 57, Amrul-Fīli wa Qiṣṣatun-Nas’ati, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 1, p. 165, Bābu ‘Āmil-Fīli wa Qiṣṣatu Abrahah, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
2 Al-Fīl (105:2-6)
3 The Year of the Elephant (Publishers)
4 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 59, Mā Qīla fī Ṣifatil-Fīli minash-Shi‘ri, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)