S 105 Ayat 1 to 5

قوله تعالى:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَ لَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحٰابِ الْفِيلِ* أَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ -إلى قوله تعالى- فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَأْكُولٍ [1-5]

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Have you (O Muhammad) not seen how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant? Did He not make their plan go astray? And He sent against them birds in flocks, Striking them with stones of Sijjil, And made them like eaten straw.

99-/11907 _1- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ:عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا،عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى،عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ،عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ،قَالَ:قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «لَمَّا أَتَى [1]صَاحِبُ الْحَبَشَةِ بِالْخَيْلِ وَ مَعَهُمُ الْفِيلُ لِيَهْدِمَ الْبَيْتَ مَرُّوا بِإِبِلٍ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَسَاقُوهَا،فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ عَبْدَ الْمُطَّلِبِ،فَأَتَى صَاحِبَ الْحَبَشَةِ، فَدَخَلَ الْآذِنُ،فَقَالَ:هَذَا عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ،قَالَ:وَ مَا يَشَاءُ؟قَالَ التَّرْجُمَانُ:جَاءَ فِي إِبِلٍ لَهُ سَاقُوهَا يَسْأَلُكَ رَدَّهَا،فَقَالَ مَلِكُ الْحَبَشَةِ لِأَصْحَابِهِ:هَذَا رَئِيسُ قَوْمٍ وَ زَعِيمُهُمْ!جِئْتُ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ الَّذِي يَعْبُدُهُ لِأَهْدِمَهُ وَ هُوَ يَسْأَلُنِي إِطْلاَقَ إِبِلِهِ!أَمَا لَوْ سَأَلَنِي الْإِمْسَاكَ عَنْ هَدْمِهِ لَفَعَلْتُ،رُدُّوا عَلَيْهِ إِبِلَهُ.

99-/11907 _1- Muhammad ibn Yaʿqūb, from several of our companions, from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā, from Ibn Abī ʿUmair, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥumrān, from Abān ibn Taghlib, who said:

“When the Abyssinian came with the horses and the elephant to destroy the Kaʿbah, they passed by the camels of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, and they drove them away. When ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib heard of this, he went to the Abyssinian leader. The doorman entered and said: 'This is ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim.' The king of the Abyssinians said to his companions: 'This is the leader of a people and their chief! I came to destroy his house, and he is asking me to release his camels! If he had asked me to refrain from destroying it, I would have done so. Return his camels to him.'”

فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ:مَا قَالَ الْمَلِكُ؟فَأَخْبَرَهُ،فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:أَنَا رَبُّ الْإِبِلِ،وَ لِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ رَبٌّ يَمْنَعُهُ،فَرُدَّتْ عَلَيْهِ إِبِلُهُ،وَ انْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ نَحْوَ مَنْزِلِهِ،فَمَرَّ بِالْفِيلِ فِي مُنْصَرَفِهِ،فَقَالَ لِلْفِيلِ:يَا مَحْمُودُ،فَحَرَّكَ الْفِيلُ رَأْسَهُ.فَقَالَ لَهُ:أَ تَدْرِي لِمَ جَاءُوا بِكَ؟فَقَالَ [2]الْفِيلُ بِرَأْسِهِ:لاَ،فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:جَاءُوا بِكَ لِتَهْدِمَ بَيْتَ رَبِّكَ، أَ فَتَرَاكَ فَاعِلَ ذَلِكَ؟فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ:لاَ.

99-/11907 _2- Then ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said to his translator: "What did the king say?" The translator informed him, and ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said: "I am the owner of the camels, and this House has a Lord who will protect it." So, his camels were returned to him, and ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib headed back to his home. As he passed by the elephant, he said to it: "O praised one." The elephant moved its head. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib then said to the elephant: "Do you know why they brought you here?" The elephant shook its head as if to say no. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib continued: "They brought you to destroy the House of your Lord. Do you think you will do that?" The elephant shook its head again in denial.

فَانْصَرَفَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ،فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا غَدَوْا بِهِ لِدُخُولِ الْحَرَمِ،فَأَبَى وَ امْتَنَعَ عَلَيْهِمْ،فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ لِبَعْضِ مَوَالِيهِ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ:اُعْلُ الْجَبَلَ،فَانْظُرْ تَرَى شَيْئاً؟فَقَالَ:أَرَى سَوَاداً مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَحْرِ،فَقَالَ لَهُ:

يُصِيبُهُ بَصَرُكَ أَجْمَعَ؟

99-/11907 _3- ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib then went back to his home. The next morning, they came with the elephant to enter the sanctuary, but the elephant refused and stood in their way. At that point, ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib said to one of his companions: "Climb the mountain and look. Do you see anything?" The man climbed and said: "I see something black coming from the direction of the sea." ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib asked: "Is your sight clear?"

_1) -الكافي 1:25/372.

[1] في المصدر:لمّا أن وجّه.

[2] أي حرّك أو أشار.

Page 760 in Arabic

فَقَالَ لَهُ:لاَ،وَ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يُصِيبَ،فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَرُبَ قَالَ:هُوَ طَيْرٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ لاَ أَعْرِفُهُ،يَحْمِلُ كُلُّ طَيْرٍ فِي مِنْقَارِهِ حَصَاةً مِثْلَ حَصَاةِ الْخَذْفِ أَوْ دُونَ حَصَاةِ الخَذْفِ.فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:وَ رَبِّ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ مَا تُرِيدُ إِلاَّ الْقَوْمَ، حَتَّى لَمَّا صَارَتْ فَوْقَ رُؤُوسِهِمْ أَجْمَعَ أَلْقَتِ الْحَصَاةَ،فَوَقَعَتْ كُلُّ حَصَاةٍ عَلَى هَامَّةِ رَجُلٍ،فَخَرَجَتْ مِنْ دُبُرِهِ فَقَتَلَتْهُ، فَمَا انْفَلَتَ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ يُخْبِرُ النَّاسَ،فَلَمَّا أَنْ أَخْبَرَهُمْ أَلْقَتْ عَلَيْهِ حَصَاةً فَقَتَلَتْهُ».

99-/11907 _4- The companion replied: "No, and it is almost within sight." As it drew closer, he said: "It is a large number of birds, and I do not recognize them. Each bird is carrying a stone in its beak, like a pebble or smaller than a pebble."

ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib then said: "By the Lord of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, they only seek the people." When the birds were above their heads, they dropped the stones, and each stone hit the head of a person, emerging from his back, killing him. Only one man escaped from them, and when he informed the people, a stone was thrown at him and killed him.

99-/11908 _2- وَ عَنْهُ:عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا،عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ،عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ،عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ، وَ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ،عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: «لَمَّا أَقْبَلَ صَاحِبُ الْحَبَشَةِ بِالْفِيلِ يُرِيدُ هَدْمَ الْكَعْبَةِ،مَرُّوا بِإِبِلٍ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَاسْتَاقُوهَا،فَتَوَجَّهَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِمْ يَسْأَلُهُ رَدَّ إِبِلِهِ عَلَيْهِ،فَاسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ،وَ قِيلَ لَهُ:إِنَّ هَذَا شَرِيفُ قُرَيْشٍ-أَوْ عَظِيمُ قُرَيْشٍ-وَ هُوَ رَجُلٌ لَهُ عَقْلٌ وَ مُرُوءَةٌ،فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَ أَدْنَاهُ،ثُمَّ قَالَ لِتَرْجُمَانِهِ:سَلْهُ:مَا حَاجَتُكَ؟ فَقَالَ لَهُ:إِنَّ أَصْحَابَكَ مَرُّوا بِإِبِلٍ[لِي]فَاسْتَاقُوهَا فَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ تَرُدَّهَا عَلَيَّ.

99-/11908 _2- And from him, from several of our companions, from Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad, from Ibn Abī ʿUmair, from Muḥammad ibn Ḥumrān and Ḥishām ibn Sālim, from Abū ʿAbd Allāh (peace be upon him), who said:

"When the Abyssinian came with the elephant to destroy the Kaʿbah, they passed by the camels of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, and they drove them away. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib went to their leader to ask for the return of his camels. He requested permission to enter, and the leader granted him permission. It was said to him: 'This is a noble man from Quraysh—either their chief or a man of great intellect and dignity.' He honored him and brought him near. Then he said to his translator: 'Ask him what he wants.' He replied: 'Your men passed by my camels and took them. I would like you to return them to me.'"

قَالَ:فَتَعَجَّبَ مِنْ سُؤَالِهِ إِيَّاهُ رَدَّ الْإِبِلِ.وَ قَالَ:

هَذَا الَّذِي زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُ عَظِيمُ قُرَيْشٍ وَ ذَكَرْتُمْ عَقْلَهُ،يَدَعُ أَنْ يَسْأَلَنِي أَنْ أَنْصَرِفَ عَنْ بَيْتِهِ الَّذِي يَعْبُدُهُ،أَمَا لَوْ سَأَلَنِي أَنْ أَنْصَرِفَ عَنْ هَذَا [1]لاَنْصَرَفْتُ لَهُ عَنْهُ،فَأَخْبَرَهُ التَّرْجُمَانُ بِمَقَالَةِ الْمَلِكِ،فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:إِنَّ لِذَلِكَ الْبَيْتِ رَبّاً يَمْنَعُهُ،وَ إِنَّمَا سَأَلْتُكَ رَدَّ إِبِلِي لِحَاجَتِي إِلَيْهَا،فَأَمَرَ بِرَدِّهَا عَلَيْهِ.

فَمَضَى عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ حَتَّى لَقِيَ الْفِيلَ عَلَى طَرَفِ الْحَرَمِ،فَقَالَ لَهُ:مَحْمُودٌ،فَحَرَّكَ رَأْسَهُ،فَقَالَ:أَ تَدْرِي لِمَ جِيءَ بِكَ؟

99-/11908 _3- He was surprised by the request to return the camels and said: "This is the one you claim to be the great man of Quraysh, the one you mentioned for his intellect, and yet he asks me to leave my house that I worship? If he had asked me to leave this (the Kaʿbah), I would have done so." The translator informed him of the king's statement. ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib replied: "This house has a Lord who protects it, and I only asked you to return my camels because I have a need for them." The king then ordered the camels to be returned to him.

ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib went on until he met the elephant at the edge of the sanctuary. He said to the elephant: "Mahmūd," and the elephant moved its head. He then asked: "Do you know why you were brought here?"

فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ:لاَ،فَقَالَ:جَاءُوا بِكَ لِتَهْدِمَ بَيْتَ رَبِّكَ أَ فَتَفْعَلُ؟فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ:لاَ،قَالَ:فَانْصَرَفَ عَنْهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ،وَ جَاءُوا بِالْفِيلِ لِيَدْخُلَ الْحَرَمَ،فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى طَرَفِ الْحَرَمِ امْتَنَعَ مِنَ الدُّخُولِ فَضَرَبُوهُ فَامْتَنَعَ مِنَ الدُّخُولِ،فَأَدَارُوا بِهِ نَوَاحِيَ الْحَرَمِ كُلَّهَا،كُلَّ ذَلِكَ يَمْتَنِعُ عَلَيْهِمْ،فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ،فَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الطَّيْرَ كَالْخَطَاطِيفِ، فِي مَنَاقِيرِهَا حَجَرٌ كَالْعَدَسَةِ أَوْ نَحْوِهَا،ثُمَّ تُحَاذِي بِرَأْسِ الرَّجُلِ ثُمَّ تُرْسِلُهَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَتَخْرُجُ مِنْ دُبُرِهِ،حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ رَجُلٌ هَرَبَ فَجَعَلَ يُحَدِّثُ النَّاسَ بِمَا رَأَى إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ طَائِرٌ مِنْهَا فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ،فَقَالَ:هَذَا الطَّيْرُ مِنْهَا،وَ جَاءَ الطَّيْرُ حَتَّى حَاذَى بِرَأْسِهِ،ثُمَّ أَلْقَاهَا عَلَيْهِ فَخَرَجَتْ مِنْ دُبُرِهِ فَمَاتَ».

99-/11908 _4- He said with his head: "No," and ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib asked: "They brought you here to destroy the house of your Lord. Will you do it?" The elephant shook its head, signaling "No." ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib then turned away from it. They brought the elephant to enter the sanctuary, but when it reached the edge of the sanctuary, it refused to enter. They struck it, but it still refused to enter. They led it around all parts of the sanctuary, but it did not enter. Then Allah sent birds like swallows, with stones in their beaks like lentils or similar. The birds flew in line with the head of each man and dropped the stones on their heads, passing through their bodies and exiting from their behinds. None of them remained except for one man who ran away and began to tell people what he had seen. When a bird approached him, he lifted his head and said: "This is the bird," and the bird came near his head and dropped the stone on him, killing him.

99-/11909 _3- وَ عَنْهُ:عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى،عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى،عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ،عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ،عَنْ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ،عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ أَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْراً أَبٰابِيلَ* تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجٰارَةٍ مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ قَالَ:«كَانَ طَيْرٌ سَافٌّ [2]،جَاءَهُمْ مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَحْرِ،رُؤُوسُهَا كَأَمْثَالِ رُؤُوسِ السِّبَاعِ،وَ أَظْفَارُهَا كَأَظْفَارِ السِّبَاعِ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ،مَعَ كُلِّ طَيْرٍ ثَلاَثَةُ أَحْجَارٍ:فِي رِجْلَيْهِ حَجَرَانِ،وَ فِي مِنْقَارِهِ حَجَرٌ،فَجَعَلَتْ تَرْمِيهِمْ بِهَا حَتَّى جُدِّرَتْ أَجْسَادُهُمْ فَقَتَلَتْهُمْ بِهَا،وَ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ رُئِيَ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْجُدَرِيِّ،وَ لاَ رَأَوْا مِنْ ذَلِكَ الطَّيْرِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَ لاَ بَعْدَهُ؟».

99-/11909 _3- And from him: From Muhammad bin Yahya, from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa, from Hasan bin Mahbub, from Jamil bin Salih, from Abu Mariam, from Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him), who said: "I asked him about Allah's saying: 'And He sent against them flocks of birds, striking them with stones of Sijjil.' He said: 'It was a kind of bird called "Saff," which came to them from the direction of the sea. Their heads were like the heads of wild beasts, and their claws were like the claws of wild beasts. Each bird carried three stones: two in its feet and one in its beak. They would throw the stones at them until their bodies were covered with sores, and they killed them with those stones. Before that, there had been no sighting of such sores, nor had anyone seen that kind of bird before or after that day.'"

_2) -الكافي 4:2/216.

_3) -الكافي 8:44/84.

[1] في المصدر:هدّه،يقال:هدّ البناء يهدّه هدّا،إذا كسره و ضعضعه.«لسان العرب 3:432».

In the source: "Hadda," it is said: "To destroy a building is to break it and destabilize it." (From "Lisan al-Arab" 3:432).

[2] أَسَفّ الطائر:دنا من الأرض.«لسان العرب 9:153».

[2] "Asaff" of the bird: It means to approach the ground. (From "Lisan al-Arab" 9:153).

Page 761 in Arabic

قَالَ:«وَ مَنْ أَفْلَتَ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ انْطَلَقَ،حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغُوا حَضْرَمَوْتَ،وَ هُوَ وَادٍ دُونَ الْيَمَنِ،أَرْسَلَ[اللَّهُ]عَلَيْهِمْ سَيْلاً فَغَرَّقَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ».قَالَ:«وَ مَا رُئِيَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَادِي مَاءٌ[قَطُّ]قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ بِخَمْسَةِ عَشَرَ سَنَةً»قَالَ:«فَلِذَلِكَ سُمِّيَ حَضْرَمَوْتَ حِينَ مَاتُوا فِيهِ».

He said: "And whoever escaped from them that day fled, and when they reached Hadramawt, which is a valley south of Yemen, Allah sent a flood upon them and drowned them all." He said: "No water had been seen in that valley for fifteen years before that day." He said: "That is why it was called Hadramawt, because they died in it."

99-/11910 _4- الشَّيْخُ فِي(أَمَالِيهِ)،قَالَ:أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ-يَعْنِي الْمُفِيدَ-قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ الْمُهَلَّبِيُّ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ الرَّبَعِيُّ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ ابْنِ عَامِرٍ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعَلَّى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَصْرِيُّ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جُمْهُورٍ الْعَمِّيُّ،قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، قَالَ:حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سَمَاعَةَ،عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ،عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ،

99-/11910 _4- Sheikh in (Amali) said: "Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Muhammad, meaning Al-Mufid, informed us. He said: Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Bilal al-Muhallabi informed us. He said: Abd al-Wahid ibn Abdullah ibn Yunus al-Rabii informed us. He said: al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn Amer informed us. He said: al-Mu'alla ibn Muhammad al-Basri informed us. He said: Muhammad ibn Jumhur al-Ammi informed us. He said: Ja'far ibn Bashir informed us. He said: Sulayman ibn Samah informed us, from Abdullah ibn al-Qasim, from Abdullah ibn Sinan."

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ،عَنْ أَبِيهِ،عَنْ جَدِّهِ(عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: «لَمَّا قَصَدَ أَبْرَهَةُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ مَلِكُ الْحَبَشَةِ لِيَهْدِمَ الْبَيْتَ،تَسَرَّعَتِ الْحَبَشَةُ،فَأَغَارُوا عَلَيْهَا،فَأَخَذُوا سَرْحاً [1]لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ بْنِ هَاشِمِ،فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ،فَاسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَيْهِ،فَأَذِنَ لَهُ وَ هُوَ فِي قُبَّةِ دِيبَاجٍ عَلَى سَرِيرٍ لَهُ،فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ،فَرَدَّ أَبْرَهَةُ السَّلاَمَ،وَ جَعَلَ يَنْظُرُ فِي وَجْهِهِ،فَرَاقَهُ حُسْنُهُ وَ جَمَالُهُ وَ هَيْئَتُهُ.فَقَالَ لَهُ:هَلْ كَانَ فِي آبَائِكَ مِثْلُ هَذَا النُّورِ الَّذِي أَرَاهُ لَكَ وَ الْجَمَالُ؟قَالَ:نَعَمْ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ،كُلُّ آبَائِي كَانَ لَهُمْ هَذَا الْجَمَالُ وَ النُّورُ وَ الْبَهَاءُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبْرَهَةُ:لَقَدْ فُقْتُمُ[الْمُلُوكَ]فَخْراً وَ شَرَفاً،وَ يَحِقُّ لَكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ سَيِّدَ قَوْمِكَ.

99-/11910 _5- From Abu Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father, from his grandfather (peace be upon them), he said: "When Abraha ibn al-Sabbah, the king of the Abyssinians, set out to destroy the Ka'bah, the Abyssinians hastened and raided it, taking some livestock belonging to Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim. Abd al-Muttalib came to the king and sought permission to enter. He was permitted, and the king was in a golden tent on his throne. He greeted him, and Abraha returned the greeting, then began to look at his face, captivated by his beauty and appearance. He asked him: 'Was there such light and beauty in your forefathers, like what I see in you?' Abd al-Muttalib replied: 'Yes, O king, all my ancestors had this beauty, light, and grandeur.' Abraha said: 'You have surpassed the kings in pride and honor, and it is fitting for you to be the leader of your people.'"

ثُمَّ أَجْلَسَهُ مَعَهُ عَلَى سَرِيرِهِ،وَ قَالَ لِسَائِسِ فِيلِهِ الْأَعْظَمِ-وَ كَانَ فِيلاً أَبْيَضَ عَظِيمَ الْخَلْقِ،لَهُ نَابَانِ مُرَصَّعَانِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الدُّرِّ وَ الْجَوَاهِرِ،وَ كَانَ الْمَلِكُ يُبَاهِي بِهِ مُلُوكَ الْأَرْضِ-اِئْتِنِي بِهِ،فَجَاءَ بِهِ سَائِسُهُ،وَ قَدْ زُيِّنَ بِكُلِّ زِينَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ، فَحِينَ قَابَلَ وَجْهَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ سَجَدَ لَهُ،وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَسْجُدُ لِمَلِكِهِ،وَ أَطْلَقَ اللَّهُ لِسَانَهُ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ،فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْمَلِكُ ذَلِكَ ارْتَاعَ لَهُ وَ ظَنَّهُ سِحْراً،فَقَالَ:رُدُّوا الْفِيلَ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ:فِيمَ جِئْتَ؟فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي سَخَاؤُكَ وَ كَرَمُكَ وَ فَضْلُكَ،وَ رَأَيْتُ مِنْ هَيْئَتِكَ [2]وَ جَمَالِكَ وَ جَلاَلِكَ مَا يَقْتَضِي أَنْ أَنْظُرَ فِي حَاجَتِكَ،فَسَلْنِي مَا شِئْتَ.وَ هُوَ يَرَى أَنْ يَسْأَلَهُ فِي الرُّجُوعِ عَنْ مَكَّةَ،فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:إِنَّ أَصْحَابَكَ غَدَوْا عَلَى سَرْحٍ لِي فَذَهَبُوا بِهِ،فَمُرْهُمْ بِرَدِّهِ عَلِيٍّ.

Then he seated him with him on his throne and said to the keeper of his great elephant—who was a large white elephant with tusks studded with various jewels and precious stones, and the king prided himself on it over the kings of the earth—"Bring him to me." The keeper brought the elephant, beautifully adorned with every good decoration, and when it faced the face of Abd al-Muttalib, the elephant knelt before him. It did not kneel to the king. Allah enabled it to speak in Arabic, and it greeted Abd al-Muttalib. When the king saw this, he was startled and thought it was magic. He said, "Return the elephant to its place."

Then he said to Abd al-Muttalib: "Why have you come? I have heard of your generosity, nobility, and excellence, and I have seen from your appearance, beauty, and majesty that I must look into your request. Ask me whatever you wish." He thought that Abd al-Muttalib might ask him to turn back from attacking Makkah. Abd al-Muttalib said to him: "Your men came to my livestock and took them, so command them to return them to me."

قَالَ:فَتَغَيَّظَ الْحَبَشِيُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ،وَ قَالَ لِعَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ:لَقَدْ سَقَطْتَ مِنْ عَيْنِي،جِئْتَنِي تَسْأَلُنِي فِي سَرْحِكَ،وَ أَنَا قَدْ جِئْتُ لِهَدْمِ شَرَفِكَ وَ شَرَفِ قَوْمِكَ،وَ مَكْرُمَتِكُمْ الَّتِي تَتَمَيَّزُونَ بِهَا مِنْ كُلِّ جِيلٍ،وَ هُوَ الْبَيْتُ الَّذِي يُحَجُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ كُلِّ صُقْعٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ،فَتَرَكْتَ مَسْأَلَتِي فِي ذَلِكَ وَ سَأَلْتَنِي فِي سَرْحِكَ.

فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ:لَسْتُ بِرَبِّ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي قَصَدْتَ لِهَدْمِهِ،وَ أَنَا رَبُّ سَرْحِيَ الَّذِي أَخَذَهُ أَصْحَابُكَ، فَجِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ فِيمَا أَنَا رَبُّهُ،وَ لِلْبَيْتِ رَبٌّ هُوَ أَمْنَعُ لَهُ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمْ،وَ أَوْلَى[بِهِ]مِنْهُمْ.

The Ethiopian king became angry at this and said to Abd al-Muttalib: "You have fallen in my esteem. You came to ask me about your livestock, and I have come to destroy your honor, the honor of your people, and your nobility, which distinguishes you from every other tribe. It is the house to which people from all parts of the earth make pilgrimage, and you left that request aside and asked me about your livestock!"

Abd al-Muttalib replied: "I am not the lord of the house you intended to destroy. I am the lord of my livestock that your men took. I have come to ask you about what I am the lord of. The house has a lord, and He is the protector of it against all people, and He is more entitled to it than they are."

_4) -الأمالي 1:78.

[1] السّرح:المال يسام في المرعى من الأنعام.«لسان العرب 2:478».

[2] في المصدر:هيبتك.

Page 762 in Arabic

فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ:رُدُّوا إِلَيْهِ سَرْحَهُ،فَرَدُّوهُ إِلَيْهِ وَ انْصَرَفَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ،وَ أَتْبَعَهُ الْمَلِكُ بِالْفِيلِ الْأَعْظَمِ مَعَ الْجَيْشِ لِهَدْمِ الْبَيْتِ،فَكَانُوا إِذَا حَمَلُوهُ عَلَى دُخُولِ الْحَرَمِ أَنَاخَ،وَ إِذَا تَرَكُوهُ رَجَعَ مُهَرْوِلاً،فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ لِغِلْمَانِهِ:اُدْعُوا لِي

ابْنِي،فَجِيءَ بِالْعَبَّاسِ،فَقَالَ:لَيْسَ هَذَا أُرِيدُ،ادْعُوا لِيَ ابْنِي،فَجِيءَ بِأَبِي طَالِبٍ،فَقَالَ:لَيْسَ هَذَا أُرِيدُ،ادْعُوا لِيَ ابْنِي،فَجِيءَ بِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَبِي النَّبِيِّ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)،فَلَمَّا أَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِ،قَالَ:اِذْهَبْ يَا بُنَيَّ حَتَّى تَصْعَدَ أَبَا قُبَيْسٍ [1]،ثُمَّ اضْرِبْ بِبَصَرِكَ نَاحِيَةَ الْبَحْرِ،فَانْظُرْ أَيُّ شَيْءٍ يَجِيءُ مِنْ هُنَاكَ،وَ خَبِّرْنِي بِهِ.

The king said: "Return his livestock to him." So they returned it to him, and he departed for Makkah. The king followed him with the greatest elephant and an army to destroy the Ka'bah. They tried to make the elephant enter the Haram, but every time they would get it to move forward, it would kneel down, and when they left it, it would return running.

Abd al-Muttalib said to his boys: "Call my son." They brought al-Abbas to him, but he said: "This is not who I want." He then said: "Call my son." They brought Abu Talib to him, but he again said: "This is not who I want." Finally, they brought Abdullah, the father of the Prophet (peace be upon him). When Abdullah came to him, he said: "Go, my son, and climb up to Abu Qubays, then look towards the sea and see what comes from there. Tell me about it."

قَالَ:فَصَعِدَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَبَا قُبَيْسٍ،فَمَا لَبِثَ أَنْ جَاءَ طَيْرٌ أَبَابِيلُ مِثْلُ السَّيْلِ وَ اللَّيْلِ،فَسَقَطَ عَلَى أَبِي قُبَيْسٍ،ثُمَّ صَارَ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ،فَطَافَ[بِهِ]سَبْعاً،ثُمَّ صَارَ إِلَى الصَّفَا وَ الْمَرْوَةِ فَطَافَ بِهِمَا سَبْعاً،فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِلَى أَبِيهِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ الْخَبَرَ، فَقَالَ:اُنْظُرْ يَا بُنَيَّ مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ أَمْرِهَا بَعْدُ فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِهِ،فَنَظَرَهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ قَدْ أَخَذَتْ نَحْوَ عَسْكَرِ الْحَبَشَةِ فَأَخْبَرَ عَبْدَ الْمُطَّلِبِ بِذَلِكَ،فَخَرَجَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ:يَا أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ،اخْرُجُوا إِلَى الْعَسْكَرِ فَخُذُوا غَنَائِمَكُمْ.

Abdullah climbed up to Abu Qubays, and soon a flock of birds came in swarms like a flood and the night. The birds dropped onto Abu Qubays, then flew towards the Ka'bah. They circled it seven times, then flew towards Safa and Marwah, circling them seven times as well. Abdullah returned to his father and informed him of what he had seen. Abd al-Muttalib said: "Look, my son, see what will happen next and tell me." When Abdullah looked, he saw the birds heading towards the army of the Abyssinians. He informed his father, and Abd al-Muttalib went out, calling: "O people of Makkah, come out to the army and take your spoils."

قَالَ:فَأَتَوُا الْعَسْكَرَ،وَ هُمْ أَمْثَالُ الْخُشُبِ النَّخِرَةِ،وَ لَيْسَ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ إِلاَّ مَا مَعَهُ ثَلاَثَةُ أَحْجَارٍ،فِي مِنْقَارِهِ وَ رِجْلَيْهِ، يَقْتُلُ بِكُلِّ حَصَاةٍ مِنْهَا وَاحِداً مِنَ الْقَوْمِ،فَلَمَّا أَتَوْا عَلَى جَمِيعِهِمْ انْصَرَفَ الطَّيْرُ،وَ لَمْ يُرَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ وَ لاَ بَعْدَهُ فَلَمَّا هَلَكَ الْقَوْمُ بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ جَاءَ عَبْدُ الْمُطَّلِبِ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ فَتَعَلَّقَ بِأَسْتَارِهِ،وَ قَالَ:

يَا حَابِسَ الْفِيلِ بِذِي الْمُغَمَّسِ [2]حَبَسْتَهُ كَأَنَّهُ مُكَوْكَسٌ [3] فِي مَجْلِسٍ تَزْهَقُ فِيهِ الْأَنْفُسُ فَانْصَرَفَ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ فِي فِرَارِ قُرَيْشٍ وَ جَزَعِهِمْ مِنَ الْحَبَشَةِ:

طَارَتْ قُرَيْشٌ إِذْ رَأَتْ خَمِيساًفَظَلْتُ فَرْداً لاَ أَرَى أَنِيساً وَ لاَ أَحُسُّ مِنْهُمْ حَسِيساًإِلاَّ أَخاً لِي مَاجِداً نَفِيساً مُسَوَّداً فِي أَهْلِهِ رَئِيساً».

They arrived at the army, and they were like rotting wood, and with each bird was a stone, three stones: one in its beak and two in its legs. Each stone killed one of the men. When they reached all of them, the birds departed, and no more were seen before or after that. When the people were destroyed completely, Abdullah al-Muttalib came to the Ka'bah, clung to its curtains, and said:

"O One who halted the elephant at Dhil-Mughamis, You stopped him as if he were encircled in a tight embrace, In a place where souls perish, And in the flight of Quraysh, I am left alone, unable to find solace, Nor hear a sound from them, Except for my noble brother, Distinguished and exalted among his people."

/11911 _5-علي بن إبراهيم،في معنى السورة،قال:نزلت في الحبشة حين جاءوا بالفيل ليهدموا به الكعبة،فلما أدنوه من باب المسجد،قال له عبد المطلب:أ تدري أين يؤم بك؟فقال برأسه:لا،قال:أتوا بك لتهدم كعبة اللّه،أ تفعل ذلك؟فقال برأسه:لا،فجهدت به الحبشة ليدخل المسجد فأبى،فحملوا عليه بالسيوف و قطعوه وَ أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْراً أَبٰابِيلَ .قال:بعضها على أثر بعض، تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجٰارَةٍ مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ قال:كان مع كل طير ثلاثة أحجار:حجر في منقاره،و حجران في رجليه [4]،و كانت ترفرف على رؤوسهم،و ترمي أدمغتهم، فيدخل الحجر في دماغ الرجل منهم،و يخرج من دبره،و تنقض أبدانهم،فكانوا كما قال اللّه: فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَأْكُولٍ قال:العصف:التبن،و المأكول:هو الذي يبقى من فضله.

قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ): «وَ هَذَا الْجُدَرِيُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ [1]الَّذِي أَصَابَهُمْ فِي زَمَانِهِمْ».

Ali ibn Ibrahim, regarding the meaning of the Surah, said: "It was revealed concerning the Abyssinians when they came with the elephant to destroy the Ka'bah. When they brought it near the door of the mosque, Abdul Muttalib said to the elephant: 'Do you know where you are being led?' The elephant responded with a shake of its head, and Abdul Muttalib said, 'They have brought you to destroy the house of Allah. Will you do that?' The elephant shook its head again to indicate no. The Abyssinians tried to force it to enter the mosque, but it refused. They attacked it with swords and cut it. Then, Allah sent against them birds in flocks, one after another, throwing stones of baked clay at them. Each bird carried three stones: one in its beak and two in its legs. The birds would hover over their heads, dropping the stones which would enter their skulls, pass through them, and out from the other side, destroying their bodies. They were like what Allah said: 'And made them like eaten straw' — the straw is like chaff, and the 'eaten' refers to what is left over from their bodies.

Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'And this was the disease that struck them in their time.'"

_5) -تفسير القمّيّ 2:442.

[1] و هو جبل مشرف على مسجد مكّة.«معجم البلدان 4:308».

[1] It is a mountain overlooking the mosque of Mecca. (Source: Mu'jam al-Buldan, 4:308)

[2] المغمّس:موضع قرب مكّة في طريق الطائف.«معجم البلدان 5:161».

[2] Al-Mughammis: A location near Mecca on the way to Ta'if. (Source: Mu'jam al-Buldan, 5:161)

[3] يقال:كوسه على رأسه:قلبه،و تكوّس الرجل:تنكّس،و في أمالي المفيد:5/314:مكركس،أي المنكّس الذي قلب على رأسه.

[3] It is said: "Kawsa upon his head" means to turn it, and "takawwas al-rajul" refers to a man who has turned upside down. In Al-Amali of Al-Mufid (5/314), it is stated as "mukarkas," meaning the one who has been turned upside down.

[4] في المصدر:مخاليبه.

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[1] في المصدر،و«ط»نسخة بدل:و أهل الجدري من ذلك أصابهم.

In the source, "ط" is a variant reading, and it means "the people of smallpox were afflicted by that."

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