Table Of Contents

Comprehensive Glossary & Vocabulary Guide For Surah Al-Fil

Delve into the historical and theological depths of Surah Al-Fil with this comprehensive dictionary, glossary and vocabulary guide. This resource provides a detailed linguistic analysis of the key Arabic words used in the Qur’an’s account of the Companions of the Elephant. By exploring the etymology, morphology, and Tafsir of significant terms like Abābīl, Sijjīl, and Kayd, readers can gain a richer appreciation for the surah’s powerful lesson on divine power, arrogance, and the protection of the sacred.

Each entry goes beyond simple translation, offering:

Etymology & Root Word Analysis – tracing the origin and linguistic foundation of each term.

Morphology – exploring grammatical patterns and word structures.

Extended Semantic Range – uncovering shades of meaning and contextual depth.

Occurrences in Surah Fil and the Qur’an – showing where and how frequently the term appears in Surah Fil and elsewhere in the Qur’an.

Exegesis (Tafsir) – connecting classical scholarly interpretations for richer understanding.

Thematic Context – placing words within the broader themes and structure of Surah Fil.

Modern & Comparative Lens – highlighting cross-cultural, linguistic, and contemporary insights.

Practical Reflection & Application – drawing lessons relevant to daily life and spirituality.

1. Abābīl (أَبَابِيل) – In flocks

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The word abābīl is a unique Qur’anic term. While it does not have a standard singular form, its root meaning relates to coming in successive groups or flocks. It describes a large number of birds coming one after another in distinct groups.

The word أَبَابِيل is considered a plural noun with no singular (ism jamʿ) and does not derive from a standard triliteral root.

• Morphology: It is a unique plural form that describes a specific manner of coming in waves or successive groups.
• Extended Semantic Range: Lexicographers have described it as meaning groups following one another from different directions, emphasizing a continuous, overwhelming, and coordinated arrival.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: This word is a hapax legomenon, meaning it appears only once in the entire Qur’an, right here in this verse. This uniqueness highlights the miraculous and extraordinary nature of the event.

Contextually, the word `abābīl` paints a vivid picture of a relentless aerial assault. It suggests that the birds did not arrive as one single mass, but as wave after wave of organized flocks, ensuring the army had no escape and emphasizing the controlled, inescapable nature of the divine punishment.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:3), this is the description of the birds that were sent as a divine army. “And He sent against them birds in flocks.” The commentators describe this as a miraculous event. These were not ordinary birds, but a special creation sent for a specific, punitive purpose. They came in continuous and overwhelming “flocks,” each carrying the stones of divine punishment. The image is one of a small and seemingly weak creature being used as the instrument of a mighty and an inescapable divine retribution.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God’s absolute and often surprising power. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The mighty army of the elephant was not destroyed by a greater, human army. It was destroyed by the smallest and the most unexpected of all soldiers: birds in “flocks.” The surah is a powerful lesson that the “soldiers of God” can come in any form, and that true power belongs to Him alone.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The story of a great and an arrogant army being defeated by a seemingly insignificant force of nature is a timeless and a universal archetype. It is a powerful narrative of the triumph of the seemingly weak over the apparently strong. The Qur’an’s use of this story is a profound statement on the nature of divine power. It is a power that is not bound by the normal, human laws of cause and effect.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a powerful reminder to never underestimate the power of God or the seemingly “small” means that He can use to enact His will. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in God, especially when we are facing a challenge that seems overwhelmingly powerful. We should remember that the Lord who can defeat an army of elephants with a “flock” of birds is surely able to grant us victory and protection in our own struggles.

---

2. A-lam tara (أَلَمْ تَرَ) – Have you not considered?

Linguistic Root & Etymology

This is a rhetorical question. A-lam is “Have not…?” Tara (root: R-ʾ-Y (ر-أ-ي)) means “you see” or “you consider.”

The Arabic root is ر-أ-ي.

• Morphology: The phrase consists of the interrogative particle A- (أَ), the negation particle lam (لَمْ) which negates the past, and the verb tara (تَرَ), the second-person jussive form of ra’ā (“to see”). The combined meaning is “Have you not seen?”
• Extended Semantic Range: The root can mean to see with the eyes (physical sight) or to see with the mind (to consider, reflect, understand). This rhetorical question invites both forms of “seeing.”
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root is very common, appearing over 320 times. The specific phrase A-lam tara is a frequent Qur’anic rhetorical device used to draw the listener’s attention to a sign of God’s power or a historical lesson.

This opening is not a question seeking information but a powerful command to reflect. For the people of Mecca at the time of revelation, the event was within living memory, so “seeing” could be taken literally. For all subsequent generations, it is an invitation to “see” with the intellect—to study this historical event and grasp its profound implications about divine power and protection.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

This is the opening phrase of the surah (105:1). “Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant?” The commentators explain that this is a direct and a powerful address to the Prophet Muhammad and to all of humanity. The verb “to see” here can be understood both as a direct, physical seeing (as the event was recent and many of the Quraysh had witnessed its aftermath) and as a “seeing” with the mind’s eye, a call to reflect and to “consider” the profound lessons of this great historical event.

Thematic Context

This is the foundational question of the entire surah. The surah is, in its essence, the answer to this question. It connects to the theme of the surah as a powerful and a direct historical proof. The theme is that the evidence for God’s power and His protection of His house is not a matter of a distant or an abstract belief; it is a matter of a recent and a verifiable historical “seeing.” The surah is a call to a faith that is grounded in the clear and the undeniable evidence of history.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The use of a rhetorical question, “Have you not considered?”, is a central feature of the Qur’anic pedagogical style. It is not a call to a blind faith, but a call to an active and a reflective one. It is an invitation to the listener to become a partner in the process of discovery, to “see” and to “consider” the evidence for themselves. It is a timeless and a universal call to an evidence-based and a thoughtful engagement with reality.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a direct and a beautiful command to be a person who “considers.” The practical application is to “look” at the events of history and of our own lives with a contemplative eye. We should not just experience the world; we should “consider” it. We should ask ourselves: “What is the lesson in this? What is the sign in this?” This is a call to a life of mindful and a deep reflection, a life that is constantly seeking the signs of its Lord.

---

3. Arsala ʿalayhim (وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ) – And He sent against them

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Arsala means “He sent.” ʿAlayhim means “against them.”

The root for Arsala is R-S-L (ر-س-ل).

• Morphology: Arsala (أَرْسَلَ) is a Form IV perfect tense verb. Form IV often indicates a causative meaning, so `arsala` means “to cause to go” or “to send.”
• Extended Semantic Range: This is a major theological root meaning “to send.” It gives us words like rasūl (رَسُول), a messenger, and risālah (رِسَالَة), a message or mission. The root implies sending something or someone with a specific purpose or mission.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root is extremely common, appearing over 500 times, central to the concept of revelation and prophethood.

The use of the verb `arsala` is significant. It portrays the birds not as a random act of nature but as a divinely commissioned army. They were “sent” by God with a specific mission, just as a Prophet (rasūl) is “sent” with a message. This frames the event as a deliberate, controlled, and purposeful act of divine intervention, not a coincidence.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:3), this is the description of the divine intervention. “And He sent against them birds in flocks.” The commentators explain that this is a statement of the direct and the purposeful nature of the divine punishment. The coming of the birds was not a random or a natural event. They were “sent” by God as a divine army to carry out His specific and just command. The verse is a powerful testament to a God who is an active and a direct agent in the affairs of the world.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God’s absolute power and His direct protection of His Sacred House. The surah is a refutation of a deistic worldview that would see God as a distant and an uninvolved creator. The theme is one of a direct and a miraculous divine intervention. The story is a powerful proof that God is a living and an active Lord who will intervene directly in the world to protect His sanctities and to enact His justice.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of a “divine intervention” is a central, though often a challenging, element of the theistic worldview. This verse is a powerful and an unambiguous Qur’anic statement of this. It is a rejection of a purely naturalistic explanation for all events. It asserts that behind the veil of the seen world, there is a divine will that can and does “send” its agents to carry out its purposes.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a source of immense hope and a profound reminder. The practical application is to have a firm and an unshakable faith in the power of God to intervene in our own lives. We should be among those who call upon their Lord with the full and certain confidence that He is a God who “sends” His help and His protection to His sincere servants. It is a call to a life that is based on a trust in the living and the active presence of God.

---

4. Aṣḥāb al-Fīl (بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ) – The Companions of the Elephant

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Aṣḥāb means companions. Al-Fīl is the elephant.

The root for Aṣḥāb is Ṣ-Ḥ-B (ص-ح-ب).

• Morphology: Aṣḥāb (أَصْحَاب) is the plural of ṣāḥib (صَاحِب), which is an active participle meaning a companion, friend, or owner.
• Extended Semantic Range: The root means to accompany or be associated with. A `ṣāḥib` is someone who has a close association with another person or thing. The Qur’an uses `aṣḥāb` to denote groups defined by a common characteristic, such as “Companions of the Garden” (aṣḥāb al-jannah) or “Companions of the Fire” (aṣḥāb al-nār).
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root appears nearly 100 times.

This title, “Companions/Owners of the Elephant,” defines the army by their greatest source of pride and worldly power. Their entire identity and confidence were invested in their association with this fearsome war machine. The surah’s narrative then systematically dismantles this identity, showing the utter failure of their mighty “companion” and proving the futility of relying on any power besides God.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:1), this is the title given to the army of Abraha. The commentators explain that they are called the “Companions of the Elephant” because their army was led by a magnificent and a powerful war elephant (named Mahmud), which was a weapon of war that was unknown and terrifying to the Arabs. Their entire identity and their pride was based on their possession of this great and seemingly invincible military asset. The surah is a story of the utter and the complete humiliation of these proud “Companions of the Elephant.”

Thematic Context

The story of the “Companions of the Elephant” is the central and the single theme of the entire surah. The surah is a direct and a powerful reminder of their fate. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The very thing that was the source of their pride (the elephant) was the very thing that refused to advance upon the Ka’bah and that became the symbol of their ultimate and humiliating defeat. It is a powerful lesson in the futility of relying on worldly power against the will of God.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The story of the “Companions of the Elephant” is a foundational event in the history of the Arabian Peninsula, an event so momentous that the year in which it occurred (around 570 CE, the year of the Prophet’s birth) was known as the “Year of the Elephant.” The story is a powerful archetype of the clash between a technologically superior, but an arrogant, military power and a spiritually protected sanctuary. It is a timeless and a universal narrative of the triumph of the sacred over the profane.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a profound and a sobering warning against the arrogance that comes with power. We should never be among the “Companions of the Elephant,” those who place their trust in their own material strength and their own advanced technology. The practical application is to place our ultimate trust and our ultimate reliance on God alone. It is a call to be a “companion” of the Ka’bah, not a “companion” of the elephant.

---

5. ʿAṣfin maʾkūl (كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍ) – Like eaten straw

Linguistic Root & Etymology

ʿAṣf is straw or the leaves of a crop. Maʾkūl (root: ʾ-K-L (أ-ك-ل)) is the passive participle, meaning that which has been eaten.

The root for ʿAṣf is ʿ-Ṣ-F (ع-ص-ف) and for Maʾkūl is ʾ-K-L (أ-ك-ل).

• Morphology: ʿAṣf (عَصْف) is a noun for straw, chaff, or dried foliage. Maʾkūl (مَأْكُول) is the passive participle of the verb akala (أَكَلَ), “to eat.”
• Extended Semantic Range: The root `ʿ-Ṣ-F` also means “to blow violently” (like the wind, ʿāṣifah); `ʿaṣf` is the dry plant matter that the wind scatters. The root `ʾ-K-L` refers to all forms of eating and consumption.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root for `ʿaṣf` appears about 9 times. The root for `akala` is very common, appearing over 100 times.

This powerful simile describes the army’s final, debased state. `ʿAṣf` is the worthless husk or stalk of a crop, what is left after the valuable grain is taken. `Maʾkūl` takes it a step further: this worthless straw has been chewed up, digested by livestock, and mixed with their saliva and dung. The image is one of utter destruction, decomposition, and vileness, a stark contrast to the army’s initial pride and power.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

This is the final verse of the surah (105:5), and it is the powerful and the visceral simile that is used to describe the final state of the army of the elephant. “And He made them like eaten straw.” The commentators explain that after the birds had pelted them with the stones, their bodies disintegrated and became like “straw” that has been “eaten” by cattle, chewed up, and then excreted. It is a powerful and a disgusting image of their complete and their utter annihilation and their final, debased state. It is a description of a total and a humiliating ruin.

Thematic Context

This is the final culmination of the surah’s theme of the complete and the total inversion of the worldly state of the arrogant. The surah has described the mighty and the proud army of the elephant. This final verse is the description of their end. The theme is one of a perfect and an ironic justice. The mighty soldiers have been turned into the most lowly and the most contemptible of all things: chewed-up and digested straw. The surah begins with a question and ends with this terrible and unanswerable image.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The use of a powerful, natural, and a somewhat disgusting simile is a hallmark of the Qur’an’s literary style. It is a powerful rhetorical device that is designed to create a visceral and a lasting sense of aversion in the listener. It is a timeless and a universal image of a complete and a total and a humiliating defeat. It is the ultimate “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a profound and a sobering warning against the dangers of arrogance and of opposing the signs of God. The practical application is to live a life of humility and of submission, so that we may be among those who are honored by God, not among those who are turned into “eaten straw.” It is a call to a life that leads to a beautiful and a noble end, not to a debased and a humiliating one.

---

6. Faʿala (فَعَلَ) – He did

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The root is F-ʿ-L (ف-ع-ل), which is the general verb for doing or acting. The verb faʿala means “He did.”

The Arabic root is ف-ع-ل.

• Morphology: Faʿala (فَعَلَ) is the basic Form I perfect tense verb. It is the simplest and most general verb for “to do an action.”
• Extended Semantic Range: This root is so fundamental that it is used in Arabic grammar as the template for conjugating all other verbs (e.g., the pattern faʿala, yafʿalu).
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root appears over 100 times, often referring to God’s actions and His power to do whatever He wills.

The surah opens by asking the listener to consider “how your Lord *did*.” The use of this simple, all-encompassing verb `faʿala` highlights God’s absolute agency. The event was not a random occurrence but a deliberate, purposeful `fiʿl` (act or deed) of God. The entire surah is an exposition of this single divine action.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In the opening verse of the surah (105:1), the surah asks the Prophet, “Have you not considered how your Lord did with the Companions of the Elephant?” The commentators explain that the choice of this simple and direct verb is a powerful one. It is a call to reflect on the “action” of God. The story is not just a random event; it is a direct, a purposeful, and a powerful “deed” of the Lord. The surah is a call to understand the “how” of this divine action.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God as a direct and an active agent in the world. The surah is a refutation of a deistic worldview that would see God as a distant and an uninvolved creator. The theme is one of a direct and a miraculous divine intervention. The story is a powerful proof of a God who “does” things in the world to protect His sanctities and to enact His justice.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of “divine action” in the world is a central, though often a challenging, element of the theistic worldview. This verse is a powerful and an unambiguous Qur’anic statement of this. It is a rejection of a purely naturalistic explanation for all events. It asserts that behind the veil of the seen world, there is a divine will that can and does “act” to carry out its purposes.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a call to a faith that is based on the recognition of the “actions” of God in the world around us. The practical application is to look for the hand of God in our own lives and in the events of history. We should see the blessings in our lives not as random accidents, but as a direct and a loving “deed” of our Lord. This transforms our worldview from a mundane one to one that is filled with the signs of a living and an active God.

---

7. Fa-jaʿalahum (فَجَعَلَهُمْ) – And He made them

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The root is J-ʿ-L (ج-ع-ل), which means to make or to cause to become. The phrase fa-jaʿalahum means “and He made them.”

The Arabic root is ج-ع-ل.

• Morphology: Jaʿala (جَعَلَ) is a perfect tense verb. The prefix fa- (فَ) indicates a consequence (“and so…”). The suffix -hum means “them.”
• Extended Semantic Range: The verb `jaʿala` is highly versatile, meaning to make, create, appoint, or, as here, to transform something from one state into another. It implies a powerful change in nature or condition.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: This is a very common root, appearing over 340 times.

This verb highlights God’s transformative power. He did not merely destroy the army; He `jaʿalahum`—He *made them become* like eaten straw. This emphasizes a complete change of state from something mighty and fearsome to something debased and worthless. The use of `jaʿala` conveys the absolute and effortless nature of this divine transformation.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

This is the opening phrase of the final verse of the surah (105:5), and it is the description of the final state of the army of the elephant. “And He made them like eaten straw.” The commentators explain that this is a statement of the ultimate and the transformative power of God. He did not just destroy them; He “made them” into something else entirely. He transformed their mighty and arrogant bodies into the most lowly and the most contemptible of all things. It is a statement of a complete and a total and a humiliating transformation.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of the complete and the total inversion of the worldly state of the arrogant. The surah has described the mighty and the proud army of the elephant. This final verse is the description of their end. The theme is one of a perfect and an ironic justice. The mighty soldiers have been “made” into the most lowly and the most contemptible of all things: chewed-up and digested straw. The surah begins with a question and ends with this terrible and unanswerable image.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of a “divine transformation” is a powerful one. This verse is a terrifying and a powerful expression of this. It is a literary and a theological device to convey the sheer and absolute nature of the divine power. It is a power that does not just destroy, but can “make” something into its complete and utter opposite. It is the ultimate and the most profound of all possible transformations.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a profound and a sobering warning against the dangers of arrogance and of opposing the signs of God. The practical application is to be a person who asks God to “make us” into something beautiful, not something ugly. We should ask Him to “make us” among the righteous, to “make us” among the grateful, and to “make us” among the inhabitants of Paradise. It is a call to a life that is a beautiful and a noble transformation, not a debased and a humiliating one.

---

8. Al-Fīl (الْفِيل) – The Elephant

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Al-Fīl is the Arabic word for the elephant.

The word al-Fīl (الْفِيل) is generally considered a loanword in Arabic and does not derive from a standard triliteral root. Its origin is likely from Persian (pil) or Aramaic (pila).

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

This word gives the surah its name, and it refers to the great and mighty war elephant that was at the head of Abraha’s army (105:1). The commentators explain that the “elephant” was a symbol of the immense and the seemingly invincible worldly power of the army of Abraha. It was a weapon of war that was unknown and terrifying to the Arabs. The entire surah is a story of the utter and the complete humiliation of the proud “Companions of the Elephant.”

Thematic Context

The “elephant” is the central symbol of the surah. It connects to the theme of the futility of all worldly power in the face of the divine will. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The very thing that was the source of their pride (the elephant) was the very thing that, by God’s command, refused to advance upon the Ka’bah and that became the symbol of their ultimate and humiliating defeat. It is a powerful lesson in the futility of relying on worldly power against the will of God.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The “elephant” as a symbol of a great and a seemingly unstoppable force is a universal one. The story of the “Companions of the Elephant” is a foundational event in the history of the Arabian Peninsula, an event so momentous that the year in which it occurred (around 570 CE, the year of the Prophet’s birth) was known as the “Year of the Elephant.” The story is a powerful archetype of the clash between a technologically superior, but an arrogant, military power and a spiritually protected sanctuary.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a profound and a sobering warning against the arrogance that comes with power. We should never be among the “Companions of the Elephant,” those who place their trust in their own material strength and their own advanced technology. The practical application is to place our ultimate trust and our ultimate reliance on God alone. It is a call to be a “companion” of the Ka’bah, not a “companion” of the elephant.

---

9. Ḥijāratin min sijjīl (بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ) – With stones of baked clay

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Ḥijārah is stones. Min sijjīl means “of baked clay.” Sijjīl is an arabicized Persian word meaning a hard, baked clay, like a brick.

The root for Ḥijārah is Ḥ-J-R (ح-ج-ر). Sijjīl (سِجِّيل) is a loanword.

• Morphology: Ḥijārah (حِجَارَة) is a collective noun for stones, from the singular ḥajar (حَجَر). Sijjīl is a noun describing the material: hard, baked clay.
• Extended Semantic Range: The root `Ḥ-J-R` means “to prevent” or “to forbid,” as stones form barriers. `Al-Ḥijr` is a forbidden place or the name of a place mentioned in the Qur’an.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root for stone appears about 35 times. `Sijjīl` appears 3 times, once here and twice in the story of the destruction of the people of Prophet Lot, linking the two events as similar forms of divine punishment.

The weapons of God’s army were not swords or arrows but `ḥijāratin min sijjīl`. This detail is significant. `Sijjīl` denotes a substance prepared and hardened by fire, suggesting these were no ordinary pebbles but divinely fashioned projectiles designed for destruction. The fact that an army with elephants was destroyed by small pellets of baked clay is the ultimate demonstration of ironic divine power.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:4), this is the description of the weapons that were carried by the miraculous birds. “Pelting them with stones of baked clay.” The commentators explain that these were not ordinary stones. They were small, specially-prepared “stones of baked clay,” each one decreed for a specific soldier. Each stone, when it hit its target, would completely annihilate him. It is a description of a divine and a miraculous weapon, a punishment of a unique and a terrible nature.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God’s absolute and often surprising power. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The mighty army of the elephant, with its great and powerful weapons, was destroyed by these small and seemingly insignificant “stones of baked clay.” The surah is a powerful lesson that the “soldiers of God” and the “weapons of God” can come in any form, and that true power belongs to Him alone.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The story of a great and an arrogant army being defeated by a seemingly insignificant force is a timeless and a universal archetype. The Qur’an’s use of this story is a profound statement on the nature of divine power. It is a power that is not bound by the normal, human laws of cause and effect. The story of the “stones of baked clay” is also a direct parallel to the story of the destruction of the people of Lot, who were also destroyed by a rain of these very stones.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a powerful reminder to never underestimate the power of God or the seemingly “small” means that He can use to enact His will. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in God, especially when we are facing a challenge that seems overwhelmingly powerful. We should remember that the Lord who can defeat an army of elephants with “stones of baked clay” is surely able to grant us victory and protection in our own struggles.

---

10. Kaydahum (كَيْدَهُمْ) – Their plot

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The root is K-Y-D (ك-ي-د), which means to plot or to scheme. Kayd is a plot or a stratagem. Kaydahum is “their plot.”

The Arabic root is ك-ي-د.

• Morphology: Kayd (كَيْد) is a verbal noun (masdar) meaning a plot, scheme, or cunning plan. The suffix -hum means “their.”
• Extended Semantic Range: The verb kāda means to plot, conspire, or outwit. It can carry a negative connotation of deceitful scheming, but it is also used for God’s divine planning, which overpowers all other plots.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root appears about 35 times. A recurring theme is that while humans plot, God is the best of planners (“they plot, and Allah plots, and Allah is the best of plotters” – Qur’an 8:30).

The verse states that God made “their plot” (`kaydahum`) go astray. This identifies the entire military expedition not as a straightforward attack but as a cunning `kayd` intended to destroy the Ka’bah and establish Abraha’s own sanctuary in Yemen as the new center for pilgrimage. God’s intervention did not just defeat them militarily; it completely nullified their strategic objective, making their grand scheme backfire spectacularly.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:2), the surah asks, “Did He not make their plot go astray?” The commentators explain that the “plot” of the Companions of the Elephant was their carefully laid-out and seemingly foolproof plan to destroy the Ka’bah. They had the numbers, the power, and the great elephant. From a human perspective, their “plot” was a certain success. This verse is a statement of the ultimate and the ironic failure of that plot. God did not just defeat them; He made their own “plot” go “astray” (fī taḍlīl), turning their own plans into the very cause of their own ruin.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of the ultimate and the inescapable triumph of the divine will. The surah is a sustained argument against the arrogance of the powerful. The theme is that all human “plotting” is utterly powerless against the divine plan. The surah is a powerful and a historical proof that the one who is the best of all planners is God Himself.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of the “divine plan” that overrides and ultimately defeats the plans of evil is a central element of the theology of hope in the Abrahamic traditions. This verse is a particularly powerful and confident expression of this. It is a timeless statement on the futility of opposing a divinely-ordained reality. It suggests that history is not just a clash of human wills, but a stage upon which a divine plan is unfolding, a plan that will always bring the “plots” of the arrogant to ruin.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a source of immense strength and a cure for anxiety about the plots of our enemies. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in the “plan” of God. We should not be overwhelmed with fear or worry by the “plots” of the powerful. We should find our peace and our confidence in the knowledge that our affair is in the hands of the one who can make any and all of their “plots go astray.”

---

11. Kayfa (كَيْفَ) – How

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Kayfa (كَيْفَ) is an interrogative adverb, meaning “how.” It does not derive from a root. It is used to inquire about the manner, state, or condition of something.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In the opening verse of the surah (105:1), the surah asks the Prophet, “Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant?” The commentators explain that the choice of this specific interrogative is a powerful one. The surah is not just asking *what* God did, but *how* He did it. It is a call to reflect on the amazing, the miraculous, and the unexpected “manner” of the divine punishment. The “how” of the story—the use of the small birds to defeat the great elephant—is the very heart of the lesson.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of the surprising and the overwhelming nature of the divine power. The surah is a call to a deeper and a more profound reflection on the nature of divine action. The theme is that the “ways” of God are not our ways. He can use the weakest of all means to bring about the greatest of all ends. The surah is a magnificent and a historical commentary on the “how” of the divine justice.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The question “how?” is the fundamental question of all scientific and all historical inquiry. The Qur’an’s use of this question here is a powerful call to a deep and a reflective engagement with the past. It is not a call to a blind acceptance of a story, but an invitation to “consider” the “how” of the event, and to derive from it the profound lessons that it contains.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a direct and a beautiful command to be a person who asks “how.” The practical application is to look at the events of history and of our own lives with a contemplative and an inquisitive eye. We should not just experience the world; we should consider “how” it works. We should ask ourselves: “How is the hand of my Lord at work in this?” This is a call to a life of mindful and a deep reflection, a life that is constantly seeking to understand the “how” of the divine plan.

---

12. Rabbuka (رَبُّكَ) – Your Lord

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Rabb is the Lord, Cherisher, and Sustainer. Ka is the suffix “your.”

The root for Rabb is R-B-B (ر-ب-ب).

• Morphology: Rabb (رَبّ) is a noun for Lord. The suffix -ka (ـكَ) is the second-person masculine singular possessive pronoun.
• Extended Semantic Range: The term Rabb implies a nurturing master and sustainer who lovingly guides His creation. It is the root of tarbiyah (upbringing and education).
• Occurrences in Qur’an: Rabb is the most common attribute for God after Allāh, appearing over 970 times.

The direct address to the Prophet ﷺ, “your Lord” (`Rabbuka`), makes the historical account deeply personal and reassuring. It tells him that the same Lord who performed this mighty act in the past is *his* personal, nurturing Lord. This serves as a powerful message of support: just as `your Lord` protected His House from a great army then, `your Lord` is fully capable of protecting you from your opponents now.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In the opening verse of Surah Al-Fil (105:1), the surah asks, “Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant?” The commentators explain that the use of the intimate and the personal term “your Lord” is a direct address to the Prophet Muhammad, and by extension, to every listener. The surah is reminding us that the magnificent and the terrifying event that is about to be described is not the action of a distant and an unknown god. It is the direct and the purposeful action of our own, personal “Lord,” the one who has created us and who sustains us. This is designed to make the event more personal and more profound.

Thematic Context

The theme of the personal and loving care of the “Lord” is central to the Qur’an. This surah uses this theme to create a sense of both awe and of comfort. The theme is that the final judgment and the protection of the sacred is in the hands of “your Lord.” This is a source of awe for all, and a source of profound comfort and reassurance for the believer. The same “Lord” who protected the Ka’bah is the one who is protecting His final Prophet.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of God as a “personal Lord” is a central one in the Abrahamic faiths. The Arabic term “Rabb” is a particularly rich and a comprehensive one. It is not just a master, but also a loving caretaker and a guide. It is a relational term that is at the very heart of the Qur’an’s theology. It establishes a relationship that is based not just on power, but also on love, care, and a benevolent providence.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse should frame our entire understanding of our own relationship with God. He is not just “the Lord”; He is “our Lord.” The practical application is to cultivate a deep and a personal relationship with our “Rabb.” We should turn to Him with our needs, we should seek His guidance, and we should trust in His loving care, with the same confidence and the same intimacy that is modeled in the Qur’an.

---

13. Taḍlīl (تَضْلِيلٍ) – Astray

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The root is Ḍ-L-L (ض-ل-ل), which means to be lost or to go astray. Taḍlīl is the verbal noun, the act of making something go astray.

The Arabic root is ض-ل-ل.

• Morphology: Taḍlīl (تَضْلِيل) is the verbal noun (masdar) of the Form II verb ḍallala (ضَلَّلَ), which is the causative form of the root. It means “to cause to go astray,” “to lead into error,” or “to render null and void.”
• Extended Semantic Range: The base root `ḍalla` means to be lost or to err. `Ḍalālah` is the state of misguidance. `Taḍlīl` is the act of actively causing this misguidance or ruin.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root is very common, appearing over 190 times. The noun `taḍlīl` appears 10 times.

The verse states that God made their plot `fī taḍlīl`—literally “in a state of being led astray.” This is a profound statement of divine power. God did not simply meet their force with a greater force; He corrupted their plan from within, causing it to go completely off course and lead to their own ruin. Their meticulously planned path to glory was divinely diverted into a path of utter destruction.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:2), the surah asks, “Did He not make their plot go astray?” The commentators explain that this is a statement of the ultimate and the ironic failure of the plot of the Companions of the Elephant. God did not just defeat them; He made their own “plot” go “astray.” This means that their own, carefully laid-out plans became the very cause of their own ruin. Their journey, which was meant to end in the glory of destroying the Ka’bah, ended in their own, humiliating destruction. Their path was made to go “astray” from its intended goal.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of the ultimate and the inescapable triumph of the divine will. The surah is a sustained argument against the arrogance of the powerful. The theme is that all human “plotting” is utterly powerless against the divine plan. The surah is a powerful and a historical proof that the one who is the best of all planners is God Himself, and He can easily make the plans of His enemies go “astray.”

Modern & Comparative Lens

The concept of a “plan going astray” is a universal one. This verse gives this concept a divine and a purposeful dimension. It is a timeless statement on the futility of opposing a divinely-ordained reality. It suggests that history is not just a clash of human wills, but a stage upon which a divine plan is unfolding, a plan that will always bring the “plots” of the arrogant to ruin.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a source of immense strength and a cure for anxiety about the plots of our enemies. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in the “plan” of God. We should not be overwhelmed with fear or worry by the “plots” of the powerful. We should find our peace and our confidence in the knowledge that our affair is in the hands of the one who can make any and all of their “plots go astray.”

---

14. Tarmīhim (تَرْمِيهِم) – Pelting them

Linguistic Root & Etymology

The root is R-M-Y (ر-م-ي), which means to throw or to pelt. The verb tarmīhim means “pelting them.”

The Arabic root is ر-م-ي.

• Morphology: Tarmīhim (تَرْمِيهِم) is a verb phrase. Tarmī (تَرْمِي) is the third-person feminine singular imperfect tense verb of ramā (رَمَى), “to throw.” The feminine form refers back to the birds (`ṭayran`, a collective noun). The suffix -him means “them.”
• Extended Semantic Range: The root means to throw, cast, shoot, or pelt. It is used for throwing stones, shooting arrows, and also for making accusations.
• Occurrences in Qur’an: The root appears about 37 times. A famous usage is in Surah Al-Anfal 8:17, regarding the Battle of Badr: “And you did not throw when you threw, but it was Allah who threw.”

The verb `tarmī` depicts an active, continuous, and targeted assault. The birds were not just passively dropping stones; they were actively “pelting” the army. The imperfect tense suggests the action was ongoing and sustained. This imagery transforms the birds from a simple flock into a disciplined squadron of divine archers, carrying out a precise and deadly bombardment.

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:4), this is the description of the action of the miraculous birds. “Pelting them with stones of baked clay.” The commentators explain that this is a description of the divine and the miraculous weapon that was used to destroy the army. The birds were not just flying; they were actively “pelting” the soldiers with these deadly stones. The image is one of a divinely-ordained and a perfectly targeted aerial bombardment. Each stone was a guided missile that found its mark and annihilated its target.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God’s absolute and often surprising power. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The mighty army of the elephant, with its great and powerful weapons, was destroyed by these small birds that were “pelting” them with small stones. The surah is a powerful lesson that the soldiers of God can come in any form, and that true power belongs to Him alone.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The story of a great and an arrogant army being defeated by a seemingly insignificant force is a timeless and a universal archetype. The Qur’an’s use of this story is a profound statement on the nature of divine power. It is a power that is not bound by the normal, human laws of cause and effect.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a powerful reminder to never underestimate the power of God or the seemingly “small” means that He can use to enact His will. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in God, especially when we are facing a challenge that seems overwhelmingly powerful. We should remember that the Lord who can defeat an army of elephants with “pelting” birds is surely able to grant us victory and protection in our own struggles.

---

15. Ṭayran abābīl (طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ) – Birds in flocks

Linguistic Root & Etymology

Ṭayr is the plural of bird. Abābīl means in successive groups or flocks. The root for Ṭayr is Ṭ-Y-R (ط-ي-ر), which means “to fly.” (For a detailed analysis of Abābīl, see entry #1).

Classical Exegesis (Tafsir)

In Surah Al-Fil (105:3), this is the description of the divine army that was sent against the Companions of the Elephant. “And He sent against them birds in flocks.” The commentators describe this as a miraculous event. These were not ordinary birds, but a special creation sent for a specific, punitive purpose. They came in continuous and overwhelming “flocks,” each carrying the stones of divine punishment. The image is one of a small and seemingly weak creature being used as the instrument of a mighty and an inescapable divine retribution.

Thematic Context

This connects to the surah’s central theme of God’s absolute and often surprising power. The theme is one of a profound and an ironic reversal. The mighty army of the elephant was not destroyed by a greater, human army. It was destroyed by the smallest and the most unexpected of all soldiers: “birds in flocks.” The surah is a powerful lesson that the “soldiers of God” can come in any form, and that true power belongs to Him alone.

Modern & Comparative Lens

The story of a great and an arrogant army being defeated by a seemingly insignificant force of nature is a timeless and a universal archetype. It is a powerful narrative of the triumph of the seemingly weak over the apparently strong. The Qur’an’s use of this story is a profound statement on the nature of divine power. It is a power that is not bound by the normal, human laws of cause and effect.

Practical Reflection & Application

This verse is a powerful reminder to never underestimate the power of God or the seemingly “small” means that He can use to enact His will. The practical application is to place our full and our complete trust in God, especially when we are facing a challenge that seems overwhelmingly powerful. We should remember that the Lord who can defeat an army of elephants with a “flock” of birds is surely able to grant us victory and protection in our own struggles.