Allah Yang Maha Kuasa berfirman:

Allah the Almighty says:

{Tidakkah engkau (wahai Muhammad ﷺ) melihat bagaimana Tuhanmu bertindak terhadap golongan pemilik gajah? [Tentera gajah yang datang dari Yaman di bawah pimpinan Abrahah Al-Ashram, dengan niat hendak memusnahkan Ka'bah di Makkah]. Tidakkah Dia menjadikan tipu daya mereka sia-sia? Dan Dia menghantar kepada mereka burung-burung yang berkawan-kawanan, yang melontar mereka dengan batu-batu dari tanah yang dibakar (sijjil). Lalu Dia menjadikan mereka seperti daun-daun yang dimakan (ulat), (seperti jerami yang telah dimakan binatang ternakan)}. (Al-Fil, 1-5)

{Have you (0 Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not seen how your Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? [The Elephant army which came from Yemen under the command of Abraha Al-Ashram intending to destroy the Ka`bah at Makkah]. Did He not make their plot go astray? And He sent against them birds, in flocks. Striking them with stones of Sijjil (baked clay). And He made them like (an empty field on stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle)}. (Al-Pil, 1-5)

At-Tabari berkata: Orang pertama yang menjinakkan gajah ialah Ifridun bin Athqiyan, yang membunuh Ad-Dahhaq. Dialah yang pertama menggunakan pelana pada kuda. Akan tetapi, orang pertama yang menjinakkan dan menunggang kuda ialah Tahmuris, raja ketiga di muka bumi. Ada juga yang mengatakan bahawa Isma'il bin Ibrahim (semoga sejahtera ke atas mereka berdua) ialah orang pertama yang menunggang kuda. Mungkin dialah orang pertama dari kalangan bangsa Arab yang menungganginya, dan Allah lebih mengetahui.

At -Tabari said: The first one to tame elephants was Ifridun Ibn Athqiyan who killed Ad- Dahhaq. He was the first to use saddle for horses. But, the first one to tame and ride on horses was Tahmuris, the third king on earth. It is also said that Isma'il Ibn Ibrahim (Peace be upon them) was the first to ride horses. It is probably that he was the first one to ride on them from among the Arabs, and Allah knows the best.

Dikatakan: Walaupun gajah itu sangat besar, ia takut kepada kucing. Oleh itu, sebahagian panglima perang, semasa peperangan mereka menentang orang India, membawa beberapa ekor kucing ke medan perang, perkara yang memaksa gajah-gajah itu melarikan diri.

It is said: Though the elephant is so huge, he fears from cats. Thereupon, some warlords, during their fight against the Indians, brought some cats to the battlefield the matter that forced the elephants to bolt.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: gabenor atau wakil raja, Abraha Al-Ashram, membina sebuah gereja yang besar dan sangat tinggi, lalu menulis surat kepada raja Abyssinia, Najashi, yang berbunyi: "Saya telah membina untuk tuanku sebuah gereja yang tiada tandingannya, dan saya berniat untuk mengalihkan ibadah haji dari Makkah ke Abyssinia."

Ibn Ishaq said: the governor or viceroy, Abraha Al-Ashram built a huge and very lofty churcb, and wrote to the king of Abyssinia, Negus that "I have built you a church that is unprecedented, and I am intending to divert pilgrimage from Mecca to Abyssinia " .

Berkata Al-Suhaili: Abraha Al-Ashram menundukkan orang-orang Yaman untuk membina gereja yang hina itu dan memaksa mereka merasai beberapa jenis kehinaan. Dia biasa memotong tangan sesiapa yang datang lewat untuk bekerja sehingga matahari terbit. Dia mengambil banyak barang berharga dari istana Bilqis untuk ditambah kepadanya. Dia mengambil marmar, batu permata dan barang-barang bagasi yang bernilai. Selain itu, dia mendirikan salib-salib emas dan perak, membina mimbar-mimbar kayu eboni dan gading, serta meninggikan ketinggian gereja dan memperluaskan lebarnya. Selepas itu, apabila Abraha dibunuh, sesiapa sahaja yang cuba mengambil apa-apa dari badan atau hiasannya, jin enggan dan ragu-ragu untuk mencederakannya. Ini kerana gereja itu dibina di atas kubur dua berhala yang bernama Ku'aib dan isterinya, yang ketinggiannya sekitar enam puluh hasta. Maka, orang-orang Yaman membiarkannya tidak tersentuh sehingga zaman Al-Saffah, khalifah Abbasiyah yang pertama. Dia, Al-Saffah, menghantar sekumpulan ulama yang warak dan berpendirian teguh, yang merobohkannya sepenuhnya, dan ia musnah sejak itu sehingga hari ini.

Al-Suhaili said: Abraha Al-Ashram subjugated the Yemenites to build that mean church and forced them to taste several sorts of humiliation. He used to cut off the hand of the one who comes late for labor till the sun rises. He took many valuable things from the palace of Bilqis to add thereto. He took marbles, precious stones, and valuable luggage. Moreover, he erected gold and silver crosses, built ebony and ivory pulpits, and raised the church's stature and expanded its width. Afterwards, when Abraha was killed, whosoever tried to take anything out of its body or ornaments, the Jinn were reluctant and hesitant to do him harm. For, it was built above the burial of two idols called Ku'aib and his wife, the height of which was about sixty cubits. So, the Yemenites left it untouched till the era of Al-Saffah, the first Abbaside Caliph. He, Al-Saffah, sent a group of pious scholars of will firm who totally demolished it, and it was destroyed then till the present day.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: Ketika orang-orang Arab mendengar tentang surat Abrahah yang dikirim kepada Negus, seorang lelaki dari Kinanah menjadi marah. Dia berangkat hingga sampai ke gereja itu, lalu dia buang air kecil di dinding-dindingnya. Tiada seorang pun yang melihatnya, dan setelah itu dia pulang ke rumahnya dengan selamat. Berita itu sampai kepada Abrahah, lalu dia bertanya tentang pelakunya. Dia dijawab:

Ibn Ishaq said: When the Arabs heard of the letter of Abraha sent to Negus, a man from Kinanah got angry. He set out till he reached the church where he urinated on its walls.l No body noticed him, and upon that he returned home safely. The news reached Abraha who asked about the doer. He was answered:

Perbuatan ini dilakukan oleh salah seorang Arab yang menunaikan haji ke Ka'bah di Makkah, ketika dia mendengar tentang niat yang kamu nyatakan, bahawa kamu akan mengalihkan haji dari Rumah Suci mereka ke gereja kamu (yang baru dibina). Dia (orang Arab itu) menjadi marah lalu datang dan membuang najis di dalamnya, dengan mengisytiharkan bahawa gereja itu tidak layak (untuk peristiwa tersebut). Setelah mendengar hal ini, Abrahah meletus kemarahannya dan bersumpah bahawa dia akan merobohkan Ka'bah. Kemudian, dia memerintahkan orang-orang Abyssinia (Kristian) supaya bersiap untuk berperang.

this was done by one of those Arabs who perform pilgrimage to the Ka'bah at Mecca when he heard of your declared intention that you would divert pilgrimage from their Sacred House to your (recently-built) church. He (the Arab) got angry and came to excrete therein declaring it to be unqualified (to the event). Upon hearing this, Abraha burst with rage and took oath that he would demolish the Ka'bah. Then, he ordered the Abyssinians (Christians) to get prepared for war.

Beliau mengetuai satu ekspedisi besar menuju Mekah, dengan seekor gajah atau beberapa ekor gajah dalam rombongannya. Orang Arab mendengar berita itu dan mereka sangat ketakutan, tetapi mereka memutuskan untuk melawannya apabila disahkan bahawa beliau berniat untuk memusnahkan Baitullah. Seorang lelaki dari kalangan pembesar Yaman bernama Dhu Nafar keluar menentangnya bersama kaumnya sendiri dan mereka yang menyahut seruannya untuk berperang melawan Abrahah. Kedua-dua pihak bertemu; Dhu Nafar dan pengikutnya dikalahkan dan beliau sendiri ditawan sebagai tawanan perang. Dia kemudian dibawa menghadap Abrahah yang hampir membunuhnya, tetapi Dhu Nafar berkata: "Wahai raja! Jangan bunuh aku, kerana aku mungkin berguna kepadamu." Abrahah tidak membunuhnya, dan dia menahannya dalam keadaan terikat. Kemudian Abrahah meneruskan perjalanan untuk mencapai tujuan yang diniatkannya. Beliau tiba di negeri Khath'am, di mana beliau bertemu dengan Nufail Ibn Habib Al-Khath'ami yang sedang memimpin dua suku kaumnya, Shahran dan Nahis, bersama pengikutnya dari kalangan orang Arab. Nufail dikalahkan dan ditawan sebagai tawanan perang untuk dibawa menghadap Abrahah. Abrahah berniat untuk membunuhnya, tetapi Nufail berkata: "Wahai raja! Jangan bunuh aku. Aku mungkin boleh menunjukkan jalan kepadamu ke tempat yang kamu ingini. Ini dia! Baiah setiaku." Abrahah membebaskannya dan mengambilnya sebagai penunjuk jalan. Ketika mereka melintasi Taif, datanglah kepadanya Mas'ud Ibn Mu'tab Ibn Malik Ibn Ka'b Ibn 'Amr Ibn Sa'd Ibn 'Auf Ibn Thaqif bersama pengikutnya, yang berkata: "Wahai raja! Kami tidak lain hanyalah hamba-hambamu, kami mendengar dan mentaati, tiada permusuhan antara kami dan kamu, dan rumah kami bukanlah yang kamu mahukan, iaitu Al-Lat; kamu hanya mahukan Rumah di Mekah. Oleh itu, kami akan mengirimkan bersamamu seseorang yang akan menunjukkan jalan ke sana."

He led a big expedition against Mecca accompanying an elephant or elephants in his train. The Arabs heard of the news and they were terrified, but they decided to fight him when the news was affirmed that he intended to destroy the Sacred House. A man from among the noblemen of Yemen called Dhu Nafar set out for him accompanied with his own clan and those who answered his call to fight against Abraha. The two parties met, Dhu Nafar and his followers were defeated and he himself was taken as a prisoner of 'war. He was then brought before Abraha who was about to kill him, but Dhu Nafar said: "0 king! Don't kill me, I may be of any use to you." Abraha did not kill him and he kept him tied up in custody. Then Abraha went on intending what he set out for. He arrived at the land of Khath'am where he encountered with Nufail Ibn Habib Al-Khath' ami who was leading his two tribes -Shahran and Nahis- along with his followers from among the Arabs. Nufail was defeated and taken as a prisoner of war to be brought before Abraha. Abraha intended to kill him, but Nufail said: "0 king! Don't kill me. I may guide you to the destination you desire. Here you are! My pledge of allegiance. `Abraha set him free and took him as a guide. When they passed by Ta'if, there came to him Mas' ud Ibn Mu' tab Ibn Malik Ibn Ka' b Ibn 'Amr Ibn Sa'd Ibn 'Auf Ibn Thaqif along with his followers who said: "0 king! We are nothing but your slaves, we listen and obey, no hostility is ever there between you and us, and our House is not that which you want -i.e. Al-Lat - you only want the House in Mecca. Hence, we send with you someone who leads you thereto.

Sebagai tanda menunjukkan kemarahan dan ejekan.

1As a sign of showing anger and mockery.

Ibn Ishaq berkata: Al-Lat adalah sebuah rumah 'suci' di Ta'if; bagi mereka ia sama seperti Ka'bah bagi orang Arab yang lain. Mereka mengutus seorang lelaki bernama Abu Rughal untuk menunjukkan kepada Abraha jalan ke Mekah. Mereka terus berjalan sehingga tiba di sebuah tempat bernama Al-Maghmas, di mana Abu Rughal mati. Abu Rughal dikebumikan di situ dan selepas itu, orang Arab biasa melontar batu ke atas kuburnya. Namun, saya telah menyebut dalam kisah Thamud bahawa Abu Rughal termasuk dalam rombongan Abraha dan bahawa dia berlindung di Rumah Suci (Ka'bah), dan apabila dia keluar, sebiji batu menimpanya dan dia pun mati. Nabi ﷺ bersabda kepada para sahabatnya: "Sebagai tanda ke atas perkara ini, dia dikebumikan bersama dua dahan emas." Mereka menggali dan sesungguhnya mereka menemuinya. Untuk menyatukan antara ini dan riwayat Ibn Ishaq, saya katakan: Abu Rughal yang kemudian itu mempunyai nama yang sama dengan nenek moyangnya yang lebih tinggi, yang kuburnya biasa dilontar batu oleh orang Arab. Lagipun, orang ramai biasa melontar batu ke atas kuburnya sebagaimana mereka melontar batu ke atas kubur yang terdahulu itu.

Ibn Ishaq said: Al-Lat was a 'sacred' House in Ta'if, it was to them just as the Ka' bah was to the rest of the Arabs. They sent a man called Abu Rughal to show him (Abraha) the way to Mecca. They went on till they arrived at a place called Al-Maghmas where Abu Rughal died. Abu Rughal was buried there and afterwards, the Arabs used to stone his grave. However, I mentioned on the Story of Thamud that Abu Rughal was among the train of Abraha and that he sheltered himself with the Sacred House (Ka' bah) and when he came out, a stone hit him and he was dead. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) told his Companions: "As a sign on this, he was buried with two branches of gold". They dug and verily, they found them. To compromise between this and the narration of Ibn Ishaq I say: the later Abu Rughal had the same name as his higher ancestor whose grave used to be stoned by the Arabs. Moreover, the people used to stone his grave as they stone that of the former.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: Apabila Abrahah tiba di Al-Maghmas, dia menghantar seorang lelaki bernama Al-Aswad Ibnu Maqsud dengan pasukan berkuda. Al-Aswad merampas sebahagian harta orang Arab, termasuk dua ratus ekor unta milik 'Abdul Muttalib, bapa saudara Nabi ﷺ, yang ketika itu merupakan pemimpin utama kalangan bangsawan. Maka Quraisy, Kinanah dan Hudhail berpakat untuk memerangi Abrahah, tetapi mereka menyedari bahawa mereka tidak mampu melakukannya, lalu mereka membatalkan niat itu. Kemudian Abrahah menghantar Hanatah Al-Himyari ke Makkah dengan perintah supaya dia bertanya tentang ketua kaum itu dan menyampaikan kepadanya: "Aku (raja) tidak datang untuk memerangi kamu, aku hanya datang untuk menghancurkan Baitullah. Jika kamu tidak menghalang jalan kami, kami tidak akan mencederakan sesiapa pun daripada kamu. Abrahah menambah kepada utusannya: 'Dan jika dia tidak berkehendak untuk berperang, bawa dia kepadaku.' Apabila Hanatah memasuki Makkah, dia bertanya tentang ketua dan tuannya. Dia diberitahu bahawa ketuanya ialah 'Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim. Dia menemui 'Abdul Muttalib dan menyampaikan pesanan itu. 'Abdul Muttalib berkata: "Demi Allah! Kami tidak berniat untuk berperang. Sesungguhnya kami tidak mampu melakukannya. Ini adalah Baitullah milik Allah dan milik kekasih-Nya (Khalil) Ibrahim (ʿalaihis-salam), hanya Dia sahaja yang dapat melindunginya jika Dia menghendaki." Mendengar itu, Hanatah berkata: "Ikutlah aku menemui dia (Abrahah), dia telah memerintahkan aku untuk membawamu." 'Abdul Muttalib pergi bersamanya dengan diiringi beberapa orang anaknya hingga mereka menghampiri kem. Dia bertanya tentang Dhu Nafar yang merupakan sahabatnya. Dia masuk menemui Dhu Nafar di penjaranya dan berkata: "Wahai Dhu Nafar! Tidakkah engkau dapat berbuat sesuatu untuk kami dalam keadaan kami yang sukar ini?" Dhu Nafar berkata: "Apalah yang dapat dilakukan oleh seorang tawanan sementara menunggu kematian datang sama ada pada waktu pagi atau malam? Apa yang dapat aku lakukan hanyalah menghantar pesanan kepada penjaga gajah, Anis, yang merupakan sahabatku, supaya dia memperkenalkan engkau, menyebut kebaikanmu, memohon syafaat untukmu di hadapannya, dan meminta izin supaya engkau dapat bertemu Abrahah." 'Abdul Muttalib berkata: "Itu sudah memadai bagiku." Dhu Nafar mengutus utusan kepada Anis yang berkata: Sesungguhnya 'Abdul Muttalib ialah ketua kaum Quraisy, dia dermawan kepada manusia dan binatang, dan raja (Abraha) telah merampas dua ratus ekor unta miliknya. Maka, mintalah izin untuknya bertemu Abraha dan lakukanlah apa sahaja yang kamu lihat berguna baginya. Anis berkata: Sesungguhnya, aku akan melakukannya. Anis pun menghadap Abraha lalu berkata: Wahai tuanku raja! Ketua kaum Quraisy ada di sini dan ingin menghadap tuanku, maka izinkanlah dia, tolonglah! Abraha pun memberikan persetujuannya.

Ibn Ishaq said: When Abraha arrived at Al-Maghmas, he sent a man called Al-Aswad Ibn Maqsud with a cavalry dispatch. Al-Aswad seized some of the Arab's property which included two hundred camels that belonged to 'Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle, who was, then, the principal man among the nobility. Upon this, Quraish, Kinanah and Hudhail decided to fight against Abraha, but they comprehended that they cannot afford that and thus quitted the idea. Then, Abraha sent Hanatah Al-Himiari to Mecca ordering him to ask about the chief of the people and tell him: "I (the king) did not come to fight against you, 1 only came to destroy the Sacred House. If you do not stand in our way, we will not harm any of you all. `Abraha added to his messenger: 'And if he showed his desire not. to fight, bring him to me.' When Hanatah entered Mecca, he asked about its chief and master. He was told: it is 'Abdul Muttalib Ibn Hashim. He saw him and thus delivered the message. 'Abdul Muttalib said: "By Allah! We do not intend to fight. Really we cannot afford it. This is the Sacred House of Allah and His Khalil (friend) Ibrahim (Peace be upon him), only Him Alone can protect it if He wills to." Upon hearing this, Hanatah said: "Come with me to meet with him (Abraha), he ordered me to do so." 'Abdul Muttalib set out for him accompanied with some of his sons till they approached the camp. He asked about Dhu Nafar who was a friend of his. He entered upon him in his prison and said: "0 Dhu Nafar! Can't you do anything for us in this plight of ours?" Dhu Nafar said: "What can a prisoner do while waiting for death to come either in the morning of at night? All that 1 can do is to send to the stableman of the elephant, Anis, who is a friend of mine to recommend you, say a good word of you, intercede for you before him, and to seek permission for you to meet with Abraha." 'Abdul Muttalib said: "That's enough with me." Dhu Nafar sent to Anis saying: Verily, 'Abdul Muttalib is the chief of the Quraishites, he is generous to both humans and animals and the king (Abraha) seized two hundred camels that belong to him. So, seek permission for him to meet Abraha and do whatever you see useful for him. Anis said: Surely, 1 will do. Anis presented himself before Abraha and then said: 0 king! The chief of Quraish is here and wants to present himself before you,so give him permission to, please! Abraha gave his consent.

'Abdul Muttalib sangat tampan dan berwibawa, dan apabila dilihat oleh Abraha, Abraha menunjukkan penghormatan yang besar dan sangat kagum. Maka, dia enggan menyuruhnya duduk di bawah di hadapannya, dan juga tidak suka membiarkan orang-orang Habsyah melihatnya membenarkan dia duduk di atas kerusinya sendiri (takhta). Akibatnya, dia turun dari kerusinya dan duduk di sisinya di atas permaidani yang mewah. Kemudian, dia berkata kepada juru bahasanya: Tanyakan kepadanya apa yang dia mahu? Namun, Abraha terkejut apabila mendengar daripada 'Abdul Muttalib melalui juru bahasa bahawa apa yang dia mahukan hanyalah pampasan untuk dua ratus ekor untanya, tetapi dia tidak meminta supaya Abraha membiarkan Ka'bah bersendirian. Apabila Abraha menyatakan keterkejutannya, 'Abdul Muttalib menjawab: "Saya adalah tuan kepada unta-unta itu, manakala rumah ibadah Ka'bah mempunyai Tuhannya sendiri untuk mempertahankannya". Abraha berkata: Tiada sesiapa pun yang dapat mempertahankannya daripada aku. 'Abdul Muttalib berkata: Kalau begitu, terserahlah kepada kamu! Akhirnya, Abraha mengembalikan unta-unta itu kepadanya.

'Abdul Muttalib was very handsome and grand and when seen by Abraha, Abraha showed great respect and was highly impressed. So, he refused to make him sit lowly in front of him, and also disliked to let the Abyssinians see him allowing him to sit on his own chair (throne). Consequently, he descended from above his chair and sat besides him on the rich carpet. Then, he said to his interpreter: Ask him what does he want? However, Abraha was surprised to hear from 'Abdul Muttalib through the interpreter that all he wanted was a compensation for his two hundred camels, but did not ask him to leave the Ka' bah alone. When Abraha expressed surprise, 'Abdul Muttalib answered: "I am the master of the camels, whereas the Ka' bah house of worship -has its lord to defend it". Abraha said: No one can defend it from me. 'Abdul Muttalib said: You are on your own! Finally, Abraha gave him the camels back.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: Dikatakan bahawa apabila 'Abdul Muttalib menemui Abrahah, dia disertai oleh Ya'mur bin Nafa'ah bin 'Adiy bin Ad-Dail bin Bakr bin 'Abd Manah bin Kinanah, ketua suku Banu Bakr, dan Khuwailid bin Wa'ilah, ketua suku Hudhail. Mereka menawarkan kepada Abrahah satu pertiga daripada harta benda di daerah Tihamah sebagai balasan untuk dia pulang dan membiarkan Ka'bah. Namun, Abrahah menolak tawaran mereka. Ibnu Ishaq menambah: "Saya tidak pasti tentang kesahihan riwayat ini!" Apabila 'Abdul Muttalib pulang ke rumah, dia memberitahu kaum Quraisy tentang apa yang berlaku antara dirinya dengan Abrahah dan memerintahkan mereka supaya meninggalkan Mekah dan berpindah ke pergunungan. Kemudian, dia bersama beberapa orang lelaki berdiri sambil memegang gelang pintu Ka'bah, memohon kepada Allah dan mengharapkan pertolongan-Nya terhadap Abrahah dan tenteranya.

Ibn Ishaq said: It is said that when 'Abdul Muttalib entered upon Abraha he was accompanied with Ya'mur Ibn Nafa'ah Ibn 'Adiy Ibn Ad-Dail Ibn Bakr Ibn 'Abd Manah Ibn Kinanah the chief of the Banu Bakr tribe and Khuwailid Ibn Wa'ilah the chief of the Hudhail tribe who offered Abraha one-third of the properties of Tihamah district in return for his going back and leaving the Ka'bah alone. But, Abraha refused their offer. Ibn Ishaq added: "I am not certain about the authenticity of this!" When 'Abdul Muttalib returned home he told the Quraishites about what happened between him and Abraha and ordered them to evacuate Mecca and move to the mountains. Then, he accompanied with some men stood holding the ring of the Ka 'bah' s door invoking Allah and seeking His Aid against Abraha and his troops.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: kemudian, 'Abdul Muttalib melepaskan gelang pintu itu dan bersama para sahabatnya pergi ke gunung-gunung untuk berlindung, sambil menunggu apa yang akan terjadi seterusnya. Pada waktu pagi, Abrahah bersiap untuk memasuki Makkah, lalu menyiapkan gajahnya dan tenteranya. Nama gajah itu ialah Mahmud. Ketika ia diarahkan ke Makkah, Nufail bin Habib mendekatinya dan membisikkan ke telinganya: Berlututlah, Mahmud, dan pulanglah dengan selamat, sesungguhnya engkau berada di Tanah Haram Allah. Dia melepaskan telinganya dan gajah itu pun berlutut.

Ibn Ishaq said: then, 'Abdul Muttalib let the door's ring and set out with his companions to the mountains seeking shelter and awaiting for what would happen next. In the morning, Abraha got prepared to enter Mecca, and got his elephant and troops prepared. The elephant's name was Mahmoud. When he was directed towards Mecca, Nufail Ibn Habib came near him and whispered in his ear: Kneel down Mahmoud and go back home safe, you are in Allah's Sacred Town. He let go his ear and the elephant kneeled down.

As-Suhaili berkata: ini bermakna gajah itu rebah ke tanah, kerana gajah tidak melutut. Dikatakan: bahawa sebahagian gajah mungkin melutut sebagaimana unta. Dan Allah lebih mengetahui.

As-Suhaili said: this means that the elephant fell to the ground, as elephants do not kneel down. It is said: that some elephants might kneel down just as camels. And, Allah Knows Best.

Nufail Ibn Habib pergi dan mendaki gunung sehingga dia berada jauh dan selamat. Orang-orang Habsyah memukul gajah itu sehingga memaksanya berdiri, tetapi dia menolak. Mereka memukul kepalanya dengan senjata seperti kapak, tetapi dia tetap menolak. Mereka berusaha sedaya upaya untuk memaksanya berdiri, tetapi tidak berjaya. Mereka menghalakan mukanya kembali ke arah Yaman, lalu dia berdiri dan berlari ke sana. Mereka menghalakannya ke arah Syam, kemudian ke arah timur, lalu dia berdiri dan berlari ke sana. Mereka sekali lagi menghalakannya ke arah Makkah, tetapi dia menolak.

Nufail Ibn Habib went away and climbed up the mount till he was far and safe. The Abyssinians beat the elephant forcing him to stand up to his feet, but he refused. They hit his head with axe-like weapons, but he refused. They tried their best to force him to stand up to his feet, but they could not. They directed his face back towards the Yemen and he stood up and ran thereto. They directed him towards the Sham (Syria) and then towards the east and he stood up to his feet and ran thereto. They again directed him towards Mecca, but he refused.

Maka Allah Yang Maha Tinggi menurunkan ke atas mereka burung-burung dari tepi laut yang menyerupai burung helang. Setiap burung membawa tiga biji batu: satu di paruhnya dan dua di kedua-dua kakinya. Batu-batu itu seperti kacang buncis dan kacang dal, dan tiada seorang pun dari kalangan orang Habsyah yang terkena batu, melainkan dia pasti mati. Lebih-lebih lagi, burung-burung itu tidak mengenai mereka semua.

Thereupon, Allah the Almighty sent upon them birds from the seaside resembling hawks. Each bird held three stones: one in his beak and two in his two legs. The stones were like chick-peas and lentils, and none from among the Abyssinians was hit by a stone, but he was killed. Moreover, the birds did not hit them all.

Yang lain melarikan diri, mencari jalan yang mereka lalui sebelumnya, dan bertanya tentang Nufail bin Habib untuk membimbing mereka kembali ke Yaman.

The rest of them fled away seeking the way they first came from and asking about Nufail Ibn Habib to guide them back to Yemen.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: Orang-orang Habsyah melarikan diri, sementara maut mengejar mereka di setiap jalan dan dengan setiap cara, dan Abrahah juga terkena batu. Mereka membawanya, dan tubuhnya mulai hancur sedikit demi sedikit hingga mereka sampai di San'a. Tidak lama kemudian, dadanya pecah (sebagaimana didakwakan oleh para sejarawan) dan dia pun mati.

Ibn Ishaq said: the Abyssinians fled away while death pursuing them on every path and in every way and Abraha was hit with a stone as well. They carried him and his body began to tear up part after part till they reached San'aa. After a short while, his chest cracked (as claimed by historians) and he died.

Ibn Ishaq berkata: Ya'qub Ibn 'Utbah telah memberitahu saya bahawa tahun itu adalah tahun pertama campak, cacar, dan pokok-pokok pahit seperti buah handal dan rue Afrika muncul di Semenanjung Arab.

Ibn Ishaq said: I have been told by Ya' qub Ibn 'Utbah that that year was the first in which measles, small-box, and bitter trees such as colocynth and African rue appeared in the Arab Peninsula.

Ibnu Ishaq berkata: Ketika Allah Yang Maha Tinggi mengutus Nabi-Nya Muhammad ﷺ, Dia mengingatkan orang-orang Quraisy akan Nikmat dan Karunia-Nya yang dianugerahkan kepada mereka melalui kekalahan orang-orang Habsyah, dan Dia menantang mereka dengan firman-Nya: {Tidakkah engkau (wahai Muhammad ﷺ) memperhatikan bagaimana Tuhanmu bertindak terhadap pasukan bergajah? [Pasukan bergajah yang datang dari Yaman di bawah pimpinan Abrahah Al-Asyram dengan niat menghancurkan Ka'bah di Makkah]. Bukankah Dia telah menjadikan tipu daya mereka sia-sia? Dan Dia mengirimkan kepada mereka burung-burung yang berbondong-bondong (Ababil). Yang melempari mereka dengan batu dari tanah yang dibakar (Sijjil). Lalu Dia menjadikan mereka seperti daun-daun yang dimakan (ulat)}.

Ibn Ishaq said: When Allah the Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), He reminded the Quraishites with His Grace and Favor bestowed on them through defeating the Abyssinians and defying them saying: {Have you (0 Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not seen how your Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? [The Elephant army which came from Yemen under the command of Abraha Al-Ashram intending to destroy the Ka'bah at Makkah]. Did He not make their plot go astray? And He sent against them birds, (Ababil) in flocks. Striking them with stones of Sijjil (baked clay). And He made them like (an empty field of) stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle)}.

Kemudian, Ibn Hisham dan Ibn Ishaq mula mentafsirkan surah ini dan yang berikutnya, sebagaimana yang dinyatakan berikut: Ibn Hisham berkata: Perkataan "Ababil" bermaksud "dalam kumpulan-kumpulan", walaupun orang Arab tidak pernah menggunakan perkataan itu sebelum turunnya Al-Qur'an yang Mulia. Adapun perkataan "Sijjil", saya diberitahu oleh Yunus An-Nahwi dan Abu' Ubaidah bahawa ia digunakan oleh orang Arab dengan maksud: padat dan kuat. Selain itu, sebahagian pentafsir mendakwa bahawa perkataan ini asalnya dua perkataan dalam bahasa Parsi, tetapi orang Arab menjadikannya satu perkataan, iaitu "Sinj" dan "lil". "Sinj" bermaksud batu dan "lil" bermaksud tanah liat, dan batu keras terdiri daripada kedua-dua bahan ini, iaitu batu dan tanah liat. Beliau menambah, "`Assf" bermaksud daun-daun. Al-Kasa'i berkata: Saya pernah mendengar sebahagian ahli nahu berkata:

Then, Ibn Hisham and Ibn Ishaq started to interpret this Surah and the next stated as follows: Ibn Hisham said: The word "Ababil" means "in flocks", though the Arabs never used that word before the Revelation of the Glorious Qur'an. But as for the word "Sijjil", I was told by Yunus An-Nahwi and Abu' Ubaidah that it was used by the Arabs to mean: solid and strong. Moreover, some interpreters claimed that this word was originally two in Persian, but the Arabs rendered them a single word that is "Sinj" and "lil". 'Sinj' means stone and lil' stands for clay and hard stones consist of these two materials, stone and clay. He added, “`Assf” stands for leaves. AI-Kasa'i said: I have heard some grammarians saying:

Bentuk tunggal bagi 'Ababil' (kumpulan) ialah 'Abil'. Selain itu, ramai daripada ulama terdahulu kita berkata: 'Ababil' ialah kumpulan burung yang berhimpun kelompok demi kelompok dari sana sini.

"The singular form of 'Ababil' (flock) is `Abil'. Besides, many of our early scholars said: `Ababil' are flocks of birds gathering group after group from here and there.

Diriwayatkan daripada 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (semoga Allah meridai mereka): Paruh mereka seperti paruh burung dan kaki mereka seperti kaki anjing. Selain itu, 'Ikrimah meriwayatkan: kepala mereka seperti kepala singa dan mereka datang dari tepi laut dan warna mereka hijau. Juga, 'Ubaid Ibn 'Umair berkata:

Narrated 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them): Their beaks were like those of the birds and their legs were like those of the dogs. In addition, 'Ikrimah transmitted: their heads were like those of the lions and they came from the seaside and their color was green. Also, 'Ubaid Ibn 'Umair said:

mereka adalah burung hitam laut, yang membawa batu di paruh dan kaki mereka. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (semoga Allah meridhainya) juga berkata: mereka menyerupai burung Phoenix, dan batu terkecil yang mereka bawa sebesar kepala manusia, sementara batu-batu lain sebesar unta. Pandangan yang sama dipegang oleh Yunus Ibn Bakir selepas Ibn Ishaq. Sebahagian ahli tafsir berkata: batu-batu itu terlalu kecil.

they were marine black birds, holding stones in their beaks and legs. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) said also: they looked like the Phoenix, and the smallest stone they carried was equal to the head of a human being and other stones were equal to camels. The same view was held by Yunus Ibn Bakir after Ibn Ishaq. Some interpreters said: The stones were too small.

Allah lebih mengetahui! Ibn Abu Hatim berkata: Abu Zar'ah menceritakan kepada kami daripada Muhammad bin 'Abdullah bin Abu Shaibah, daripada Mu'awiyah, daripada Al-A'mash, daripada Abu Sufyan, daripada 'Ubaid bin 'Umair, yang berkata: Apabila Allah Yang Maha Agung hendak membinasakan pemilik-pemilik gajah, Dia mengutus kepada mereka burung-burung dalam kawanan dari arah laut, menyerupai burung helang. Setiap seekor daripadanya membawa tiga biji batu: satu di paruhnya dan dua di kedua-dua kakinya. Mereka terbang sehingga berada betul-betul di atas tentera itu, lalu mereka menjerit dan melepaskan batu-batu itu. Batu-batu itu akan memotong atau meretakkan sesiapa yang terkena, dari kepalanya hingga ke hujung kakinya. Selain itu, Allah Yang Maha Agung mengutus angin kencang yang menghentam batu-batu itu lalu menambah kelajuan dan kekuatannya, perkara yang menyebabkan kebanyakan tentera itu binasa.

Allah knows best! Ibn Abu Hatim said: Abu Zar'ah told us on the authority of Muhammad Ibn 'Abdullah Ibn Abu Shaibah after Mu'awiyah after Al-A'mash after Abu Sufyan after 'Ubaid Ibn 'Umair saying: When Allah the Almighty wanted to destroy the owners of the elephant He sent against them birds in flocks from the seaside resembling hawks, each one of them carried three stones: one in his beak and two in his two legs. They flew over till they were directly above the .army, then they screamed and let go of the stones. The stones used to cut off or crack whom they hit from his head to his toes. In addition, Allah the Almighty sent a severe wind that hit the stones and added to their speed and strength, the matter that caused the majority of the army to perish.

Ibn Ishaq berkata sebagaimana disebutkan sebelum ini, tidak semua mereka terkena lemparan batu.

Ibn Ishaq said as stated earlier that not all of them were hit by the stones.

Sebaliknya, sebahagian daripada mereka berjaya kembali ke Yaman dan menceritakan kepada kaum mereka apa yang telah menimpa mereka dan seluruh tentera itu. Abraha sendiri terkena batu dan dibawa sehingga sampai ke Yaman, dan di sana dia mati; semoga Allah Yang Maha Kuasa melaknatnya! Ibn Ishaq meriwayatkan, katanya: `Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr menceritakan kepadaku daripada Samurah, daripada 'A'ishah (semoga Allah meredai dirinya), bahawa beliau berkata: "Aku telah melihat penunggang gajah dan penjaga kandang gajah itu di Mekah, buta, lumpuh, dan meminta-minta makanan daripada orang ramai." Walau bagaimanapun, telah disebutkan sebelum ini bahawa penjaga kandang gajah itu bernama Anis, tetapi penunggang gajah itu tidak dikenal pasti. Allah lebih mengetahui! Dalam Tafsir-nya, An-Naqqash menyebut bahawa banjir itu menghanyutkan mayat-mayat mereka dan mencampakkannya ke dalam laut. Pada tahun yang sama dengan peristiwa besar ini, Nabi Muhammad ﷺ dilahirkan. Sebahagian ulama berpendapat bahawa peristiwa itu berlaku dua tahun sebelum kelahiran baginda ﷺ.

Rather, some of them managed to return to the Yemen and related to their people what had happened to them and to the whole army. And Abraha himself was hit with the stones and was carried till he reached the Yemen where he died, may Allah the Almighty damn him! Narrated Ibn Ishaq saying: I was told by `Abdullah Ibn Abu Bakr after Samurah after 'A'ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) that she said: "I have seen the rider and stableman of the elephant at Mecca blind, crippled and asking the people to feed them up." However, it was mentioned earlier that the stableman was called Anis, but the rider was unidentified. Allah knows best! In his Tafsir (interpretation), An-Naqqash mentioned that the flood carried away their dead bodies and threw them into the sea. At the same year of this great incident, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was born. Some scholars say that it took place two years' prior to his (Peace be upon him) birth.

Kemudian, Ibn Ishaq memetik syair-syair yang disusun oleh orang Arab berkenaan peristiwa besar itu, ketika Allah Yang Maha Tinggi memenangkan Rumah Suci-Nya yang ingin Dia muliakan, angkat martabatnya, sucikan dan hormati dengan mengutus Rasul-Nya Muhammad ﷺ serta Syariat yang Dia turunkan bersama beliau. Salah satu rukun asas Syariat ini ialah solat, yang arah kiblatnya dihadapkan ke arah Kaabah yang mulia. Apa yang Allah Yang Maha Tinggi lakukan terhadap pemilik gajah itu sama sekali bukan demi orang-orang Quraisy itu sendiri. Ini kerana orang Kristian yang diwakili oleh orang Habsyah sebenarnya lebih dekat dengan Kaabah berbanding golongan musyrik Quraisy, tetapi kemenangan itu dikurniakan kepada Rumah Suci itu sendiri sebagai persediaan bagi kedatangan Nabi Muhammad ﷺ.

Then, Ibn Ishaq cited the poetry the Arabs composed pertaining to that great incident in which Allah the Almighty made victorious His Sacred House which He wanted to grant honor, dignity, purification and respect through sending His Messenger Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and the Legislation He sends with him. One of the fundamental pillars of this Legislation is the Prayer whose Qiblah direction would be made to the honorable Ka' bah. That which Allah the Almighty did to the owners of the elephant was never for the sake of the Quraishites themselves. As the Christians who were represented in the Abyssinians were really nearer to the Ka' bah than the polytheists of Quraish, but the victory was granted to the Sacred House itself in preparation for the advent of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Ditambah oleh Ibn Ishaq dan lain-lain: Selepas kematian Abraha, orang Habsyah diperintah oleh anaknya, Yaksum, kemudian oleh saudaranya, Masruq Ibn Abraha yang merupakan raja terakhir mereka.

Added Ibn Ishaq and others: After the death of Abraha, the Abyssinians were ruled by his son, Yaksum, then by his brother, Masruq Ibn Abraha who was their last king.

Peristiwa gajah berlaku pada bulan Al-Muharram, 882 mengikut Kalendar Rom. Selepas kematian Abraha dan dua orang anaknya yang menggantikannya, pemerintahan Habsyah ke atas Yaman berakhir, dan gereja yang dibina oleh Abraha itu ditinggalkan. Tiada seorang pun yang dapat mendekatinya kerana ia dibina di atas tanah perkuburan dua berhala, iaitu berhala Ku'aib dan isterinya. Kedua-dua berhala itu diperbuat daripada kayu, tingginya kira-kira enam puluh hasta, dan ia disentuh oleh jin. Oleh sebab itulah tiada seorang pun berani mengambil risiko untuk mendekati gereja itu atau mengambil apa-apa daripada bangunan atau hiasannya, kerana takut akan kejahatan jin. Gereja itu kekal terbiar sehingga zaman khalifah Abbasiyah yang pertama, As-Saffah, yang sampai kepadanya khabar tentang kekayaan yang terdapat di dalam gereja itu. Beliau lalu mengutus gabenornya di Yaman, Al-'Abbas bin Ar-Rabi', untuk memusnahkannya dan membawa kepadanya segala barang berharga yang mungkin dijumpai di sana.

The incident of the elephant took place in Al-Muharram, 882 according to the Roman Calendar. Following the death of Abraha and his succeeding two sons, the Abyssinian rule over the Yemen came to an end, the church built by Abraha was deserted. No one could even approach it for it was built over the burial place of two idols -that of Ku'aib and his wife. The two idols were made of wood, their height was about sixty cubits and they were touched with the jinn. For this very reason, no one could take the risk to come near the church or to take anything of its building or ornaments fearing the evils of the jinn. It stayed deserted till the time of the first Abbaside Caliph, As-Saffah whom the news of the riches found inside the church reached. He sent his ruler over the Yemen, Al-'Abbas Ibn Ar-Rabi' to destroy it and bring him all the precious objects he might find there.

Akhirnya, hendaklah seseorang mengangkat tangannya kepada Allah Yang Maha Kuasa dan berdoa, dengan berkata: "Ya Allah! Segala puji hanya bagi-Mu; Engkaulah Cahaya langit dan bumi. Dan segala puji hanya bagi-Mu; Engkaulah Pemelihara langit dan bumi. Segala puji hanya bagi-Mu; Engkaulah Tuhan langit dan bumi serta apa yang ada di dalamnya. Engkau adalah Kebenaran, dan Janji-Mu adalah benar, dan Firman-Mu adalah benar, dan pertemuan dengan-Mu adalah benar, dan Syurga adalah benar dan Neraka (Api) adalah benar dan semua nabi adalah benar dan Hari Kiamat adalah benar. Ya Allah! Aku berserah diri kepada-Mu, dan beriman kepada-Mu, dan bergantung kepada-Mu, dan bertaubat kepada-Mu, dan demi agama-Mu aku berjuang dan dengan perintah-Mu aku memerintah. Maka ampunilah dosaku yang telah lalu dan yang akan datang, serta dosa-dosa yang aku lakukan secara sembunyi atau terang-terangan. Hanya Engkaulah yang aku sembah, tiada yang berhak disembah melainkan Engkau."

Finally, one should raise his hands to Allah the Almighty and supplicate, saying: "0 Allah! All the Praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. And all the Praises are for You; You are the Keeper of the Heavens and the Earth. All the Praises are for You; You are the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is therein. You are the Truth, and Your Promise is the Truth, and Your Speech is the Truth, and meeting You is the Truth, and Paradise is the Truth and Hell (Fire) is the Truth and all the prophets are the Truth and the Hour is the Truth. 0 Allah! I surrender to You, and believe in You, and depend upon You, and repent to You, and in Your cause I fight and with Your orders I rule. So please forgive my past and future sins and those sins which I did in secret or in public. It is You Whom I worship, None has the right to be worshipped except You. "