SURAH 105 – AL-FIL

THE ELEPHANT

&

SURAH 106 – QURAISH

QURAISH

Quran Study Sessions – Session 15

Feb 9, 2020

Overview – Al-Fil

❑ This Surah is Makki.

❑It was revealed regarding an incident that happened before the birth of the Prophet (SAW):

❑A king in Yemen named Abraha tried to create an alternative to the Kaabah in his Kingdom. But he was not able to imitate the people's commitment to the Kaabah, and his building was destroyed in a fire. Because of this, he resolved to go to Makkah and destroy the Kaabah. With him he had around 10 elephants, something the Arabs were not used to. But, when he reached Makkah and was about to destroy the Kaabah, his army was destroyed, and Allah protected the Kaabah

❑This year was called the "Year of the Elephant" and the Prophet was born that year.

Introduction

❑On his path to Makkah, twice the Arab tribes gathered to fight against Abraha and his army and. They were not successful, and Abraha defeated them and reached Makkah.

❑This was so Allah could elaborate the theme of this Surah: It was Allah who helped you, not yourself nor your idols. So why worship other than the one who protected you?

Introduction

❑ "Do you not see how your Lord did with the people of the elephant?"

❑ "Do you not see" is the starting of this Surah because Allah is referencing something well-known to the Arabs. So, well known that it is as if they saw it even if they were not present at that time

❑ Allah uses "your Lord" instead of just "Lord" or "their Lord" to bring to light the fact that even after this incident, the Quraish did not worship Allah alone as their Lord. Instead, when the Prophet called them to one Lord, they rejected him.

First Verse

❑ Abraha had one large elephant that was more powerful than any of the others which is why they are referred to as "people of the elephant."

❑ He planned to use this elephant to destroy the Kaabah.

First Verse

❑"Did we not make their plan go astray?"

❑The "plan" is the plan to destroy the Kaabah, or the plan to create an alternative to it.

❑Allah made the plan useless and threw it into chaos by first destroying his alternative Kaabah, then by destroying his army along with the elephants.

Second Verse

❑"And he sent upon them birds in flocks."

❑The word "birds" is common rather than proper. It is like meaning "some birds"

❑This is to instill understanding of God's power. He can send any birds at any time. Or that he has the smallest control over the world that even the birds listen to his commands.

Third Verse

❑Every stone that hit the people destroyed them.

❑In the end, the dead people looked like nothing except eaten straw.

❑This is how Allah dealt with those who tried to destroy his House of worship completely so as to preserve it for the coming message of the Prophet (SAW).

❑Without the safety of the Kaabah, the Prophet would not have been able to give the message as effectively.

Fourth and Fifth Verse

❑This Surah is a series of questions being asked:

❑Did you not see how your Lord dealt with the People of the Elephants?

❑Did He not put their plan into chaos?

❑Did he not send flocks of birds over them that threw rocks on them?

❑Did he not make them completely destroyed?

❑For every question, the Quraish would have to answer "yes" because they themselves bragged about this to the Arabs.

❑But, Allah's point as the next Surah will elaborate is if "He" is protecting them, why aren't the making Him their Lord and worshipping Him rather than the idols?

Overall Explanation

Overview – Quraish

❑ This Surah is Makki.

❑Quraish is the name of the tribe of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This is the tribe which resided in Makkah and took care of the Kaabah and fed the pilgrims when they made pilgrimage to the Kaabah.

❑Quraish was descended from Ibrahim (AS) from his son Ismail (AS), and they lived in Makkah except for an expulsion for some time since the time of Ibrahim (AS).

❑They made their living as traders, selling and buying spice, perfumes, etc. From Yemen to Syria and vice versa. Yemen traded spices and perfumes with India. This caused them to have access to things no other Arabs could enjoy from fruits to silk.

❑It was revealed about this blessing the Quraish enjoyed both in their physical safety and economic security, and Allah tells them to worship the one who gave them those blessings rather than idols.

Introduction

❑ What security or protection does is it mean?

❑ Their security in terms of trade where they are able to have food and goods all year long.

❑ Or it is a direct continuation of the previous Surah. "We made them like eaten straw, for the protection of Quraish," or "Did you not see how your Lord dealt with the People of the elephant [...], for the protection of Quraish."

First Verse

❑Allah mentions the economic security of the Quraish.

❑They used to have trading partner for the summer (Syria) and another trading partner in the Winter (Yemen). This is so they would not have to withstand the extreme weather of either place, and so they would have plenty of goods to trade with.

❑This provided them with a lot of economic security, and able to access things no other Arabs could access. This was because of Ibrahim (AS)'s dua.

Second Verse

❑And [mention] when Abraham said, "My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day." [ Allah ] said. "And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination."

❑This is the main point of both Surahs.

❑Quraish knew it was Allah who protected them from Abraha and gave them economic security since it was Allah's House they were living near.

❑So, Allah calls them to worship Him alone as he alone defended them and protected them.

Third Verse

❑Allah not only fed the people of Makkah, but He fed them from hunger meaning without their trade routes and Allah's blessings, they would be like other Arabs and would be living from meal to mean in hunger.

❑Allah not only made them safe, He made them safe from the constant fear Arabs lived in. They had to fear no raids on their city because all Arabs considered it holy, and they had to fear no raids on their caravans since they were the keepers of the Holy House and the Arabs respected them

❑And He also made them safe from the fear they had when they saw the army of the Elephant, and Allah destroyed the army to keep them safe.

Fourth and Fifth Verses

❑Allah is asking Quraish to worship Him, the Lord of the House they live around since who is the one who fed them and protected them.

Fourth and Fifth Verses

❑This Surah is a continuation of the theme of the previous one in theme. In the previous Surah, Allah mentioned how the Quraish was protected from the army of the elephant when nothing else could stop them.

❑In this Surah, Allah adds to that and mentions the economic security the Quraish have in their trade routes.

❑They combine to form the central message: "They should worship the Lord of this House." Since he is the one who gave them this economic security and fed them and gave them safety and protected them.

❑These Surahs are a call to Tawheed (or oneness) of worship since only one God protected them.

Overall Explanation

❑http://www.islamicstudies.info/tafheem.php?sura=105&verse=1&to=5

❑https://archive.org/stream/TafseerIbnKathirenglish114SurahsComplete/106Quraish#page/n3/mode/2up

❑Arabic: https://furqan.co/alrazi/106/4

References