This slide program explains the meaning of Surah Feel of Holy Quran.

1. UNDERSTANDING SURAH FEEL
• MEANING AND MESSAGE

2. 1-Have you not considered, [O
Muhammad], how your Lord
dealt with the companions of
the elephant?
2-Did He not make their plot go
astray?
3-And He sent against them
birds in flocks,
4-Striking them with stones of
hard clay,
5-And He made them like eaten
straw.

3. A Summary of the Story of the People of the
Elephant
• Abrahah bin As-Sabah Abu Yaksum was Christian governor of Yemen under
the King of Abyssinia, Najashi.
• He wrote to An-Najashi saying that he would build a church for him in Yemen
the like of which had never been built before.
• Thus, he began to build a huge church in San'a' (Capital of Yemen), tall and
beautifully crafted and decorated on all sides.
• The Arabs called it Al-Qullays because of its great height, and because if one
looked at it, his cap would be in danger of falling off as he tilted his head
back.
• Then Abrahah decided to force the Arabs to make their pilgrimage to this
magnificent church, just as they had performed pilgrimage to the Ka'bah in
Makkah.

4. Abraha's march to Makkah
• It was rejected by the Arab tribes of 'Adnan and Qahtan.
• The Quraysh were infuriated by it, so much so that one of them journeyed
to the church and entered it one night and relieved himself in the church
and ran away (escaping the people).
• Upon hearing this, Abraha swore to march to the House of Makkah (the
Ka'ba) and destroy it stone by stone.
• He took along a great, powerful elephant named Mahmud, that had a
huge body the like of which had never been seen before.
• Their intention was to use this big elephant to demolish the Ka'ba by
fastening chains to the pillars of the Ka'ba and placing the other ends
around the neck of the elephant.

5. Dhu Nafr challenges Abraha
• Noblest man of the people of Yemen and the greatest of their chiefs set out
to face him (Abraha).
• His name was Dhu Nafr.
• He called his people, and whoever would respond to his call among the
Arabs, to go to war against Abraha and fight in defense of the Sacred
House.
• He called the people to stop Abraha's plan to demolish and tear down the
Ka'bah.
• So the people responded to him and they entered into battle with Abraha,
but he defeated them.
• This was due to Allah's will and His intent to honor and venerate the Ka'ba.
• Dhu Nafr was captured

6. Nufayl bin Habib facing Abraha
• The army continued on its way until it came to the land of Khath'am
• It was confronted by Nufayl bin Habib Al-Kath'ami along with his
people, the Shahran and Nahis tribes.
• They fought Abraha but he defeated them and captured Nufayl bin
Habib.
• Initially he wanted to kill him, but he forgave him and took him as his
guide to show him the way to Al-Hijaz.

7. People of Ta'if (Bani-Thaqif) appeal to Abraha
• When they approached the area of At-Ta'if, its people – the people of Thaqif – went
out to Abraha.
• They wanted to appease him because they were fearful for their place of worship,
which they called Al-Lat.
• Abraha was kind to them and they sent a man named Abu Righal with him as a
guide.
• When they reached a place known as Al-Mughammas, which is near Makkah, they
settled there.
• Then he sent his troops on a foray to capture the camels and other grazing animals
of the Makkans, which they did, including about two hundred camels belonging to
'Abdul-Muttalib.
• The leader of this particular expedition was a man named Al-Aswad bin Mafsud.

8. Abraha sends an emissary to Makkans
• Then Abraha sent an emissary named Hanatah Al-Himyari to enter
Makkah, commanding him to bring the head of the Quraysh to him
• He met leader of Quraish, Abdul-Muttalib and informed him that the
king will not fight the people of Makkah unless they try to prevent
him from the destruction of the Ka'ba.
• Abdul-Muttalib replied, "By Allah! We have no wish to fight him, nor
are we in any position to do so. This is the Sacred House of Allah, and
the house of His Khalil, Ibrahim, and if He wishes to prevent
him (Abraha) from (destroying) it, it is His House and His Sacred Place
• if He lets him approach it, by Allah, We have no means to defend it
from him

9. Abdul Muttalib meets Abraha
• Abraha saw him, he was impressed by him, because 'Abdul-Muttalib was a
tall and handsome man.
• Abraha asked him"What do you need?" '
• Abdul-Muttalib replied , "I want the king to return my camels which
are taken from him and are two hundred in number
• Abraha said,"You are asking me about two hundred camels which I have
taken from you and you leave the matter of a house which is (the
foundation of) religion and the religion of your fathers, which I have come
to destroy and you do not speak to me about it?"
• Abdul-Muttalib said to him, "Verily, I am the lord of the camels. As for the
House, it has its Lord Who will defend it."
• Abrahah said, "I cannot be stopped (from destroying it)." '
• Abdul-Muttalib answered, "Then do so."

10. Abdul Muttalib's strategy
• A number of the chiefs of the Arabs accompanied 'Abdul-Muttalib and
offered Abrahah a third of the wealth of the tribe of Tihamah if he would
withdraw from the House, but he refused and returned 'Abdul-Muttalib's
camels to him.
• 'Abdul-Muttalib then returned to his people and ordered them to leave
Makkah and seek shelter at the top of the mountains, fearful of the
excesses which might be committed by the army against them.
• Then he took hold of the metal ring of the door of the Ka'bah, and along
with a number of Quraysh, he called upon Allah to give them victory over
Abrahah and his army. '
• Abdul-Muttalib said, while hanging on to the ring of the Ka'bah's door,
• "There is no matter more important to any man right now than the
defense of his livestock and property. So, O my Lord! Defend Your property

11. Abrahah prepared to enter the sacred city of
Makkah.
• Abraha mobilized his army, and they turned the elephant Mahmud towards
the Ka'bah.
• At that moment Nufayl bin Habib approached it and stood next to it, and
taking it by its ear, he said, "Kneel, Mahmud! Then turn around and return
directly to whence you came. For verily, you are in the Sacred City of Allah."
• Then he released the elephant's ear and it knelt,
• Abraha's men beat the elephant in an attempt to make it rise, but it
refused.
• they turned him towards Yemen, and he rose and walked quickly. Then
they turned him towards Ash-Sham and he did likewise. Then they turned
him towards the east and he did the same thing. Then they turned him
towards Makkah and he knelt down again.

12. Allah (SWT) sends birds with pebbles to
destroy Abraha's army of elephants
• Then Allah sent against them the birds from the sea, like swallows and
herons.
• Each bird carried three stones the size of chickpeas and lentils, one in each
claw and one in its beak.
• Everyone who was hit by them was destroyed, though not all of them were
hit.
• They fled in panic along the road asking about the whereabouts of Nufayl
that he might point out to them the way home.
• Nufayl, however, was at the top of the mountain with the Quraysh and the
Arabs of the Hijaz observing the wrath which Allah had caused to descend
on the people of the elephant.

13. Total destruction of Abraha's army
• Ata' bin Yasar and others have said that all of them were not struck by the
torment at this hour of retribution.
• Rather some of them were destroyed immediately, while others were
gradually broken down limb by limb while trying to escape.
• Abraha was of those who was broken down limb by limb until he eventually
died in the land of Khath'am.
• Abraha's body was afflicted by the pestilence of the stones and his army
carried him away with them as he was falling apart piece by piece, until
they arrived back in San'a'.
• When they arrived there he was but like the baby chick of a bird. And he
did not die until his heart fell out of his chest. So they claim.

14. Theme and Substance
• Historical details as given above, let us understand why in this Surah only Allah's
inflicting His punishment on the people of the elephant has been referred and
described so briefly.
• It was an event of recent occurrence, and everyone in Makkah and Arabia was
fully aware of it.
• The Arabs believed that the Ka'ba had been protected in this invasion not by any
god or goddess but by Allah Almighty Himself.
• Allah alone was invoked by the Quraish chiefs for help, and for quite a few years
the people of Quraish having been impressed by this event, had worshiped none
but Allah.
• They must worship and serve none but Allah, the Only and One.
• Then, they must also consider that if they used force to suppress this invitation to
the truth, they would only be inviting the wrath of God, Who had so completely
destroyed the people of the elephants.

15. ‫ا‬
"
‫ﻟ‬
"
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
‫ﺗ‬
َ
‫ﺮ‬َ
‫ﻛ‬
"
*ۡ
‫ﻒ‬
َ
‫ﻓ‬
َ
‫ﻌ‬
َ
‫ﻞ‬
َ
‫ر‬َ
0‫ﱡ‬
‫ﻚ‬
َ
3ِ
‫ﺎ‬
"
‫ﺻ‬
ۡ
‫ﺤ‬
ٰ
‫ﺐ‬
ِ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
:
‫ﻔ‬ِ
*ۡ
‫ﻞ‬
ِ
ؕ
(105:1) Have you not seen how your Lord dealt
with the people of the elephants?
• When words alam tara (have you not seen?) are used in Quran they are
meant not to address the Holy Prophet only but the people in general.
• The word 'seeing' has been used here to signify that in and around
Makkah there were many such people still living, who had witnessed with
their own eyes the event of the destruction of the people of the elephant
• It had occurred only about forty to forty-five years earlier, and
• The people of Arabia had continually heard it described by the eye-
witnesses themselves.
• They had become so certain of it as though they had seen it with their own
eyes.

16. ‫ا‬
Z
‫ﻟ‬
Z
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
^َ
‫ﺠ‬
ۡ
‫ﻌ‬
َ
‫ﻞ‬
ۡ
‫ﻛ‬
Z
dۡ
‫ﺪ‬
َ
f
ُ
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
h
i
ِ
ۡ
‫ﺗ‬
َ
‫ﻀ‬
ۡ
‫ﻠ‬ِ
dۡ
‫ﻞ‬
ٍ
ۙ
(105:2) Did He not bring their plan to naught?
• The word kayd is used for a secret plan meant to harm somebody. The
question is, what was secret in this case?
• Sixty thousand troops together with several elephants had openly come
from Yemen to Makkah, and they had kept no secret that they had come to
destroy the Ka`bah.
• However, what was secret was the motive of the Abyssinians.
• They by destroying the Ka`bah, crushing down the Quraish and intimidating
the Arabians, wanted to take control of the trade route that led from south
Arabia to Syria and Egypt.
• This motive they kept hidden, and instead proclaimed their intent that they
wanted to destroy the Ka`bah., the principal House of Arab worship, in
retaliation for the pollution of their cathedral by the Arabs.

17. ‫ا‬
Z
‫ﻟ‬
Z
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
^َ
‫ﺠ‬
ۡ
‫ﻌ‬
َ
‫ﻞ‬
ۡ
‫ﻛ‬
Z
dۡ
‫ﺪ‬
َ
f
ُ
‫ﻢ‬
ۡ
h
i
ِ
ۡ
‫ﺗ‬
َ
‫ﻀ‬
ۡ
‫ﻠ‬ِ
dۡ
‫ﻞ‬
ٍ
ۙ
• Fi tadlil means: "led their plan astray",
• In reality, leading a plan astray means bringing it to naught and
rendering it fruitless.
• At one place in the Qur'an, it has been said: "But the disbelievers plot
(kayd) ended in vain." (Al-Mu'min: 25),
• At another: "And that Allah does not lead to success the plan (kayd)
of deceivers." (Yusuf: 52).
• The Arabians described Imra' ul-Qais by the epithet of "al-malik ad-
dalil " (the king who lost and wasted), for he had lost the kingdom left
by his father.

18. ‫و‬َ
‫أ‬
"
‫ر‬ْ
‫ﺳ‬
َ
‫ﻞ‬
َ
‫ﻋ‬
َ
‫ﻠ‬
"
‫ﻴ‬ْ
‫ﻬ‬
ِ
‫ﻢ‬
ْ
‫ﻃ‬
َ
ab
ْ
ً
‫ا‬
‫أ‬
"
3َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﺑ‬ِ
*
‫ﻞ‬
َ
(105:3) And He sent against them swarms of birds
• Al-Ababil are the groups, as the Arabs do not speak of just one (bird).
• Ababil- "In groups." Ibn 'Abbas and Ad-Dahhak both said, "Ababil
means some of them following after others."
• Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Qatadah both said, "Ababil means many."
• Mujahid said, "Ababil means in various, successive groups."
• Ibn Zayd said, "Ababil means different, coming from here and there.
They came upon them from everywhere."
• Al-Kasa'i said, "I heard some of the grammarians saying, "The singular
of Ababil is Ibil.
• Ibn-Jarir says, "This means in divisions just as camels march in
divisions (in their herds)."

19. ‫ﺗ‬
َ
‫ﺮ‬ْ
‫ﻣ‬ِ
‫ﻴ‬
‫ﻬ‬
ِ
‫ﻢ‬
3ِ
‫ﺤ‬
ِ
‫ﺠ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ر‬َ
‫ة‬ٍ
‫ﻣ‬
‫ﱢ‬
‫ﻦ‬
‫ﺳ‬
ِ
‫ﺠ‬
‫ﱢ‬
*
‫ﻞ‬
(105:4) which smote them with stones of baked clay
• As-Sijjil, Yunus An-Nahwi and Abu 'Ubaydah have informed that according
to the Arabs, it means something hard and solid."
• He then said, "Some of the commentators have mentioned that it is
actually two Persian words that the Arabs have made into one word.
• The two words are Sanj and Jil, Sanj meaning stones, and Jil meaning clay.
• The rocks are of these two types: stone and clay
• The Quran also confirms the same. In (Surah Houd, Ayat 82) and ( Surah Al-
Hijr, Ayat 74), it has been said that stones of baked clay (sijjin were rained
on the people of Lot
• About the same stones in (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Ayat 33), it has been said
that they were the stones made from clay (hijarat-im min tin).

20. ‫ﻓ‬
َ
‫ﺠ‬
َ
‫ﻌ‬
َ
‫ﻠ‬
"
‫ﻬ‬ُ
‫ﻢ‬
ْ
‫ﻛ‬
"
‫ﻌ‬
َ
‫ﺼ‬
ْ
‫ﻒ‬
ٍ
‫ﻣ‬
‫ﱠ‬
‫ﺄ‬
w
x
y
‫ﻮ‬
‫ل‬
ٍ
(105:5) and made them like straw eaten up (by cattle)
• Sa'id bin Jubayr said, "This means straw, which the common people call Habbur."
• In a report from Sa'id he said, "The leaves of wheat."
• He also said, "Al-'Asf is straw, and Al-Ma'kul refers to the fodder that is cut for
animals."
• Al-Hasan Al-Basri said the same thing.
• Ibn 'Abbas said, "Al-'Asf is the shell of the grain, just like the covering of wheat."
• Ibn Zayd said, "Al-'Asf are the leaves of vegetation and produce.
• The word asf as used in the original has already occurred in verse 12 of Surah Ar-
Rahman: dhul-asf warraihan: and corn with husk as well as grain. This shows that
asf means the outer covering of seeds, which the farmer throws away after the
grain has been separated from it.

21. They were humiliated and annihilated
• Allah destroyed them, annihilated them and repelled them in their plan
and their anger.
• They did not achieve any good.
• He made a mass destruction of them, and not one of them returned (to
their land) to relate what happened except that he was wounded.
• This is just like what happened to their king, Abraha.
• He was split open, exposing his heart when he reached his land of Sana'a'.
• He informed the people of what happened to them and then he died.

22. Prophet (SAW) referred to elephant's story on
the day of Hudaybiyyah
• When the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬ approached the mountain pass that
would lead him to the Quraysh on the Day of Al-Hudaybiyyah, his she-
camel knelt down.
• Then the people attempted to make her get up but she refused.
• So, the people said, "Al-Qaswa' has become stubborn." The Prophet
‫ﷺ‬ replied,
• ‫ﻣ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﺧ‬
َ
‫ﻸ‬
َ
َ
‫ت‬
ِ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻘ‬
َ
‫ﺼ‬
ْ
‫ﻮ‬
َ
‫ا‬
‫ء‬
ُ
،
‫و‬َ
‫ﻣ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ذ‬
َ
‫ا‬
‫ك‬
َ
‫ﻟ‬
}
‫ﻬ‬َ
‫ﺎ‬
•ِ
‫ﺨ‬
ُ
‫ﻠ‬
‚
‫ﻖ‬
ٍ
،
‫و‬َ
‫ﻟ‬
}
…
ِ
‫ﻦ‬
ْ
‫ﺣ‬
َ
ˆَ
‫ﺴ‬
َ
‫ﻬ‬َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﺣ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
Šِ
‫ﺲ‬
ُ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻔ‬
ِ
•
‫ﻞ‬
ِ
• (Al-Qaswa' has not become stubborn, for that is not part of her
character. Rather, she has been stopped by He Who restrained the
Elephant (of Abraha).)
• Then he beckoned the she-camel to rise and she stood up.

23. Prophet (SAW) mentions it on the day of
victory of Makkah
• It has been recorded in the Two Sahihs that on the Day of the
conquest of Makkah, the Messenger of Allah ‫ﷺ‬ said,
• ‫إ‬ِ
‫ن‬
‫ﱠ‬
’
َ
‫ﺣ‬
َ
ˆَ
‫ﺲ‬
َ
‫ﻋ‬
َ
‫ﻦ‬
ْ
‫ﻣ‬
َ
…
”
‫ﺔ‬
َ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻔ‬
ِ
•
‫ﻞ‬
َ
،
‫و‬َ
‫ﺳ‬
َ
‫ﻠ‬
”
‫ﻂ‬
َ
‫ﻋ‬
َ
‫ﻠ‬
}
‫ﻴ‬ْ
‫ﻬ‬َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ر‬َ
‫ﺳ‬
ُ
‫ﻮ‬
‫ﻟ‬
}
‫ﻪ‬
ُ
‫و‬َ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻤ‬
ُ
‫ﺆ‬
ْ
‫ﻣ‬ِ
‫ﻨ‬ِ
žŸ
َ
،
‫و‬َ
¡ِ
‫ﻧ‬
‫ﱠ‬
‫ﻪ‬
ُ
‫ﻗ‬
َ
‫ﺪ‬
ْ
‫ﻋ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫د‬
َ
‫ت‬
ْ
‫ﺣ‬
ُ
‫ﺮ‬ْ
‫ﻣ‬
َ
‫ﺘ‬
ُ
‫ﻬ‬َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻴ‬َ
‫ﻮ‬
ْ
‫م‬
َ
‫ﻛ‬
}
‫ﺤ‬
ُ
‫ﺮ‬ْ
‫ﻣ‬
َ
‫ﺘ‬ِ
‫ﻬ‬َ
‫ﺎ‬
•ِ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﻷ‬
ْ
َ
‫ﻣ‬
ْ
‫ﺲ‬
¬
،
‫أ‬
}
‫ﻻ‬
َ
‫ﻓ‬
َ
‫ﻠ‬
r
‫ﻴ‬ُ
°َ
‫ﻠ‬
±
‫ﻎ‬
¬
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
‫ﺸ‬
‫ﱠ‬
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﻫ‬
ِ
‫ﺪ‬
ُ
‫ا‬
‫ﻟ‬
r
‫ﻐ‬
َ
‫ﺎ‬
‫ﺋ‬ِ
‫ﺐ‬
َ
• (Verily, Allah restrained the Elephant from Makkah
• He has given His Messenger and the believers authority over it.
• And indeed its sacredness has returned just as it was sacred
yesterday.
• So, let those who are present inform those who are absent.)

24. LESSONS FROM SURAH FEEL
• 1-End of oppressors is never cute
• 2. No one knows the soldiers of your Lord except He
• 3. The problem of religious authority and disease of jealousy
• 4. Dunya from Deen and the disease of Riya or show off.
• 5. Consequences of immature actions can lead to serious
consequences
• 6. Hypocrisy leads to no “honor”. It brings humiliation
• 7. “The house has its own Lord and He will protect it”

25. 1. The end of oppressors is never cute-
• Abraha wanted to destroy the Kaaba and he tried his utmost.
• While people fled thinking they would never be able to defeat him,
• Allah sent His army to shatter him and his people and
• He made them an example till the Last Day.
• Abraha was not finished off in the beginning. No, he planned, he
came from Yemen, he did all he did along the way. Only in the last
stop just outside the Kaaba did Allah unleash.

26. 2. No one knows the soldiers of your Lord
except He (Surah Mudathir 74:31)
• Allah here uses birds as His soldiers to destroy the enemy.
• During the Battle of Khandaq Allah used the winds against the disbelievers
of Makkah and their Jewish allies.
• During the Battle of Badr, Allah sent down angels to fight the mushrikeen.
• Sometimes it will be harsh weather as was the case during the Soviet war
against Afghanistan.
• Or it could be the earth who is His soldier giving a violent quake. We never
know who is the soldier of Allah, so be patient with the oppression, it is
going to end.
• More importantly, save YOURSELF from the soldiers of Allah, they may take
you anytime as well.

27. 3. The problem of religious authority
• It was an issue of “religious authority”.
• Come to “my group” or I will destroy you. Pay attention to “me” and not to
others. Sounds familiar?
• Abraha shows us the dangerous disease of the heart of envy and jealousy.
• Even Iblees, all he had was an issue with a religious position. He couldn’t
stand that Adam was given a higher position than he was.
• And yet, do we not feel bad when others are doing well instead of us in
terms of deen?
• Do we not sometimes wish we could reach there and not them?
• Do we not sometimes do dawah projects simultaneously as others so that
we might “out-compete” them and get more people on our side? Lesson
from Abraha.

28. 4. Dunya from deen and disease of show-off
• Abraha wanted to benefit his commerce and his business by building a
cathedral.
• Effectively, he wanted to make money out of religion.
• Do we not try to be extra-religious at times so that we may get
praised? Showing off, or riyaa is one of the most dangerous diseases of the
heart, referred to in classical Islamic literature as a “black ant on a black
rock on a black night”. Some scholars say, “The one who feels safe from it is
the one who falls into it first”.
• We should take a long hard look into our hearts and see where it is at.
• Is it looking for the pleasure of the people and the dunya or is it looking at
the pleasure of Allah?

29. 5. Consequences of immature actions-
• A man among the Arabs went to the cathedral of Abraha, urinated
and defecated in it.
• That is what enraged Abraha the most.
• Do we not sometimes do things out of “anger” as well that are
immature and cause more harm to our community than good?
• Sometimes we even end up making a mockery of Islam to the wider
community.

30. 6. Hypocrisy leads to no “honor”-
• Abu Righal was a man who sold his religion and his land for a few
dollars and dimes.
• He showed Abraha the way towards the Kaaba.
• For years afterwards, Arabs would spit at, urinate etc. at his grave.
And even till today, they call traitors Abu Righals.
• How many of us are Abu Righals to this ummah?
• There is no true honor in that, only humiliation in both this world and
the next.
•

31. 7. “The house has its own Lord and He will
protect it”
• This was what Abdul Muttalib said to Abraha when he knew the Arabs
would not be able to defend it.
• Similar is the case of Al Aqsa.
• So many a times we see Muslims crying and screaming that the
Zionists are going to destroy Masjid Al Aqsa.
• Yet, Al Aqsa is from the most holiest of places on Earth.
• And if none were to be alive to defend it, Allah will defend His House
just like He defended Al Masjid Al Haram.

32. Allah (SWT)
protects his
house and he is
sufficient for His
enemies