الفيل
The true story of the Year of the Elephant. When an army came with an elephant to destroy the Kaaba, Allah sent birds with stones to protect His House.
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Have you not seen what your Lord did to the people of the elephant?
Did He not turn their evil plan into failure?
He sent against them flocks of birds,
pelting them with stones of hard baked clay,
and made them like straw that has been eaten up.
About Al-Fil
Al-Fil means "the elephant." It is the 105th surah, and it tells one of the most exciting true stories in the Quran.
Long ago, in the year the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born, a powerful ruler named Abraha marched a huge army toward Mecca. He even brought a giant elephant, and his plan was to destroy the Kaaba, Allah's sacred House.
But Allah protected His House. He sent flocks of birds, each carrying small stones of hard baked clay. The birds dropped the stones on the army, and the mighty soldiers were destroyed, left like chewed-up straw. This surah reminds children that no power on earth is greater than Allah, and that He protects what is His.
This surah tells of a real event that happened in the Year of the Elephant, the same year the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born. An entire army with an elephant could not harm the Kaaba, because Allah protected it.
Read Quraysh, the partner surah →More short surahs to learn
Al-Fil pairs beautifully with Quraysh. These short surahs are wonderful next steps too:
For Parents
What does Al-Fil mean?
Al-Fil (الفيل) means "the elephant."
The surah is named after the elephant that an army brought when they tried to destroy the Kaaba.
What is Surah Al-Fil about?
It tells a true story: an army led by a ruler named Abraha came with a great elephant to knock down the Kaaba in Mecca.
Allah protected His House by sending flocks of birds that dropped stones on the army, destroying them.
What was the Year of the Elephant?
The Year of the Elephant is the year this event happened, around 570 CE.
It is very special because it is the same year the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born.
Who was Abraha?
Abraha was a powerful ruler who wanted people to stop honoring the Kaaba.
He marched an army with elephants to destroy it, but Allah stopped him before he could.
What were the birds and stones?
Allah sent flocks of small birds, each carrying little stones of hard baked clay.
The birds dropped the stones on the army, and the mighty army was destroyed, becoming like chewed-up straw.
How does Al-Fil connect to Surah Quraysh?
Al-Fil comes right before Surah Quraysh. The safety that Quraysh thanks Allah for is connected to this very event, when Allah protected Mecca from the elephant army.
The two surahs are often read together.
How long is Surah Al-Fil?
Al-Fil is five verses long and takes only a few seconds to recite.
Its exciting story and short length make it a favorite for children to learn.
How can my child memorize Al-Fil?
Children love this surah because of its dramatic story. Talk about the story first, then play the audio often and recite together.
Most children learn all five verses within a few days.