Abraha, peace be upon him: the journey

Abraha ruled Yemen for the king of Abyssinia. In Sana'a he built a great cathedral, and wanted the Arabs to make their pilgrimage there instead of the Kaaba.

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah · Ibn Kathir

When the Arabs refused, he marched on Makkah to tear the Kaaba down. A great army, with a war elephant at its head. The tribes who stood in his way were scattered.

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

His men seized the camels of Makkah, two hundred of them Abd al-Muttalib's. Abd al-Muttalib came to Abraha and asked only for his camels. Abraha was surprised: not a word for the House of your fathers?

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

"I am the lord of the camels," he said. "The House has a Lord who will protect it." Then the people of Makkah left for the hills, and waited.

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

At dawn the elephant was turned toward Makkah. It knelt, and would not rise. Turned toward Yemen, it got up and ran.

When the Prophet's camel knelt near Makkah at al-Hudaybiyyah, he said: "She was held back by the One who held back the elephant."

Sahih al-Bukhari, the story of al-Hudaybiyyah

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

Then birds came in from the sea, flock after flock.

وَأَرۡسَلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ طَيۡرًا أَبَابِيلَ

And He sent against them birds in flocks,

Quran 105:3

Quran 105:1Quran 105:2

Each carried three small stones: one in its beak, two in its claws. No bigger than a lentil. Whoever they struck did not survive.

تَرۡمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٖ مِّن سِجِّيلٖ

Striking them with stones of hard clay,

Quran 105:4

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

The army broke and fled down the road it came by. Abraha was struck too. He died soon after reaching Sana'a.

فَجَعَلَهُمۡ كَعَصۡفٖ مَّأۡكُولِۭ

And He made them like eaten straw.

Quran 105:5

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

The Arabs named it the Year of the Elephant. That same year in Makkah, a child was born: Muhammad ﷺ.

فَلۡيَعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّ هَٰذَا ٱلۡبَيۡتِ

Let them worship the Lord of this House,

Quran 106:3

Reported by Ibn Ishaq, al-Sirah

He trusted the biggest animal on earth. Allah answered with some of the smallest. The House he came to destroy still stands.

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡفِيلِ

Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?

Quran 105:1