بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Fil 105:2
The Elephant · Juz 30 · Page 601
أَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡ كَيۡدَهُمۡ فِي تَضۡلِيلٖ ٢
Tafsir · in English
Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
Change
Commentary on 105:1–5
Abraha was a Christian ruler of Yemen in southern Arabia in the sixth century A.D. Out of religious fanaticism, he attacked Makkah in the year 570 A.D. (the year of the Prophet’s birth) with a view to destroying the Kabah by demolishing it. He had with him an army of sixty thousand soldiers and about a dozen elephants. That is why they were called ‘the People of the elephant’. As these people approached Makkah, the elephants refused to move ahead. Besides that, flocks of birds flew over them carrying pebbles in their beaks and claws. They showered these pebbles on Abraha’s army and the whole army was afflicted by a strange disease. The army was terrified and took flight. But many of its soldiers, including Abraha died on the way. This was a sign that whoever set himself against the Prophet or his mission would be defeated like the army of the elephants. This was Almighty God’s way of showing that the Prophet was associated with domination. The divine book revealed to him would be preserved by God for all time to come for the guidance of all mankind.
Page 601
سورة العصر
Al-'Asr
The Declining Day · Meccan · 3 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
103:1
وَٱلۡعَصۡرِ ١
By time,1
1 translator’s note
- An oath in which Allāh swears by time throughout the ages. ↩
103:2
إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ لَفِي خُسۡرٍ ٢
Indeed, mankind is in loss,
103:3
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ ٣
Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
سورة الهمزة
Al-Humazah
The Traducer · Meccan · 9 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
104:1
وَيۡلٞ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٖ لُّمَزَةٍ ١
Woe to every scorner and mocker
104:2
ٱلَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالٗا وَعَدَّدَهُۥ ٢
Who collects wealth and [continuously] counts it.1
1 translator’s note
- Rather than spending in the way of Allāh. ↩
104:3
يَحۡسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُۥٓ أَخۡلَدَهُۥ ٣
He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.
104:4
كـَلَّاۖ لَيُنۢبَذَنَّ فِي ٱلۡحُطَمَةِ ٤
No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., Hellfire, which crushes and destroys all that enters it. ↩
104:5
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡحُطَمَةُ ٥
And what can make you know what is the Crusher?
104:6
نَارُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡمُوقَدَةُ ٦
It is the fire of Allāh, [eternally] fueled,
104:7
ٱلَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى ٱلۡأَفۡـِٔدَةِ ٧
Which mounts directed at the hearts.1
1 translator’s note
- Covering them and penetrating them. ↩
104:8
إِنَّهَا عَلَيۡهِم مُّؤۡصَدَةٞ ٨
Indeed, it [i.e., Hellfire] will be closed down upon them
104:9
فِي عَمَدٖ مُّمَدَّدَةِۭ ٩
In extended columns.1
1 translator’s note
- Interpreted to be either columns of fire or columns of iron to which are chained the inmates of Hell. ↩
سورة الفيل
Al-Fil
The Elephant · Meccan · 5 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
105:1
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡفِيلِ ١
Have you not considered, [O Muḥammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., the army under the command of Abrahah al-Ashram which was accompanied by a huge elephant and came with the intention of destroying the Kaʿbah at Makkah. ↩
105:2
أَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡ كَيۡدَهُمۡ فِي تَضۡلِيلٖ ٢
Did He not make their plan into misguidance?1
1 translator’s note
- Causing them to perish. ↩
105:3
وَأَرۡسَلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ طَيۡرًا أَبَابِيلَ ٣
And He sent against them birds in flocks,
105:4
تَرۡمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٖ مِّن سِجِّيلٖ ٤
Striking them with stones of hard clay,
105:5
فَجَعَلَهُمۡ كَعَصۡفٖ مَّأۡكُولِۭ ٥
And He made them like eaten straw.1
1 translator’s note
- i.e., husks which have been chewed by cattle. This event took place in the year of the Prophet's birth. ↩