53 BH(570 CE)
The Year of the Elephant
عام الفيل
Summary
Abrahah al-Ashram, the Abyssinian governor of Yemen, marched with a great army and elephants to destroy the Ka'bah. Allah sent flocks of birds (Ababil) that pelted them with stones of baked clay, destroying the army. This event is recorded in Surah al-Fil (105).
Details
Abd al-Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was the chief of Quraysh at the time. When Abrahah's army took his camels, Abd al-Muttalib went to reclaim them. When asked why he did not plead for the Ka'bah, he famously replied: 'I am the lord of the camels, and the House has a Lord who will protect it.' The destruction of Abrahah's army elevated the status of the Quraysh and the sanctity of Makkah throughout Arabia.
Source References
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