The Najran Pact,

Mobaahelah (Mubahilah)

Part 9

Now let us learn more about Abraha- this other “hero” of the people of Najran- and the Elephant:

“Abraha was a commander for the Axumite king Kaleb of Axum, who became the Aksumite Christian viceroy in southern Arabia.” (Again as mentioned before unless otherwise specified the quotations are taken from the English Wikipedia Encyclopedia which are cited from other christian and … sources)

It is noteworthy to mention that some sources state that the Axumite king at the time was Ella-Asbeha instead of king Kaleb; also in place of Axum (Aksum) the name Abyssinia is stated. The point to keep in mind is that Ella-Asbeha is another name for king Kaleb, and Axum is the same as Abyssinia:

 “Kaleb (c. 520) is perhaps the best-documented, if not best-known, king of Axum situated in modern day Eritrea and Ethiopia. Procopius of Caesarea calls him "Hellestheaeus", a variant of his throne name Ella Atsbeha or Ella Asbeha (Histories, 1.20). Variants of his name are Hellesthaeus, Ellestheaeus, Eleshaah, Ella Atsbeha, Ellesboas, and Elesboam …”

“Procopius of Caesarea (… c. AD 500 – c. AD 565) was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palaestina Prima … He became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History. He is commonly held to be the last major historian of the ancient world.”

“In the 7th century the Muslims, who originated in Mecca, sought refuge from Quraysh persecution by traveling to Aksum (Abyssinia), a journey famous in Islamic history as the First Hijra. Aksum's ancient capital, also called Aksum, is in northern Ethiopia. The Kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the 4th century.” (Stuart Munro-Hay (1991). Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity. University Press. p. 57.)

Let us again remember that the Book of Himyarites said:

“ … Later, an army of 7,000 men led by Abraha al-Ashram, the Christian viceroy of the Negus of Abyssinia defeated Dhu Nuwas's forces and restored Christian rule in Najran.”

This is what the Dictionary of African Christian Biographies, 2007, under "Abraha" states:

 “Abraha was reported to have led his army of 100,000 men with hundreds of elephants to successfully crush all resistance of the Yemeni army and then, following the suicide of Dhu Nuwas, seized power and established himself at Sana‘a [Yemen]. He aroused the wrath of Kaléb, however, by withholding tribute who then sent his general 'Ariat to take over the governorship of Yemen. 'Abraha rid himself of the latter by a subterfuge in a duel resulting in 'Ariat being killed …”

“Abraha b. as-Saba'h, was an Ethiopian Christian viceroy in southern Arabia for the Kingdom of Aksum, and later became the King of Saba' (Yemen).”

“According to Procopius (Histories 1.20), 'Abraha seized the control of Yemen from Esimiphaeus (Sumuafa' Ashawa'), the Christian Himyarite viceroy appointed by Kaléb, with the support of dissident elements within the Aksum occupation force who were eager to settle in the Yemen, then a rich and fertile land. ("Abraha." Dictionary of African Christian Biographies. 2007.) Stuart Munro-Hay, who proposes a 518 date for the rise of Dhu Nuwas, dates this event to 525, (S. C. Munro-Hay, Aksum: An African Civilization of Late Antiquity (Edinburgh: University Press, 1991), p.87) while by the later chronology (in which Dhu Nuwas comes to power in 523), this event would have happened about 530, although a date as late as 543 has been postulated by Jacques Ryckmans. ("Abraha." Dictionary of African Christian Biographies. 2007.)”

Thus according to these historians, the christian Axumite (Abyssinian) Abraha, after restoring christian rule in Najran and thus becoming their “hero”, went ahead and seized the control of Yemen and became the King of Saba' (Yemen). Another point to pay attention is that Abraha always used elephants in his battles. Abraha with elephants also attacked Mecca, hoping to make the cathedral of San‘a to become as Arab’s destination of pilgrimage in place of the Ka’ba, and also hoping to control the trade, and … . and of course Umayya who wanted to destroy the bani Hashim and the House of God had instigated Abraha to attack Mecca. It is very important to pay attention to this undeniable fact that both Umayya and Abraha who are considered as “heroes” in the history of Najran, were “enemies” of the Prophet Mohammad’s (SBUH&HA) forefathers …

“Islamic tradition credits Abraha with a military expedition against the Quraysh of Mecca in an invasion of Hejaz in 570, (Walter W. Müller, "Outline of the History of Ancient Southern Arabia," in Werner Daum (ed.), Yemen: 3000 Years of Art and Civilization in Arabia Felix. 1987.) known as the Year of the Elephant. The tafsir (exegesis) of the surat al-Fil [the Elephant] states that he perished. The traditions also say that Abraha is said to have built a cathedral at San'a' known as "al-Qullays" (from the Greek Ekklesia) (Edward Ullendorff, The Ethiopians: an Introduction to Country and People, second edition (London: Oxford University Press, 1960), p. 56.) to rival the Kaaba at Mecca and specifically came with his forces of elephants to destroy the Kaaba.”

“One of the notable events that took place during the incumbency of Abdul Muttalib as the guardian of Kaaba, was the invasion of Makkah by an Abyssinian army led by the Christian general, Abraha. The attempt to capture Makkah failed as reported in the following verses of the Holy Qur’an:

"And He sent against them flights of birds, Striking them with stones of baked clay, Then He made them like an empty field of stalks and straw, all eaten up." (Chapter 105, Verses 3, 4, 5.)

Since the invaders had brought some elephants with them, the year of their campaign came to be known as the "Year of the Elephant". The Year of the Elephant coincides with the year A.D. 570 which also happens to be the year of the birth of Muhammad, the future prophet.” (From: The Life and Times of Muhammad, Sir John Glubb, as cited in Restatement of History of Islam and Muslims)

The Shi’ah Tafsirs such as Qommi, Majma’ al-Bayaan and … confirm that he who with the elephant wished to destroy Ka’bah was Abraha the king of Yemen, at the time before Najashi.

In the Shi’ah Tafsir Noor al-Thaqalayn (Surah 105), Amaali Shaikh Mofidpp. 312-315, Behaar al-Anwaar 15/132 and … the event is narrated from Imams Baaqer, Saadeq and Kaazem … (SBUT).

Abraha with his forces left for Mecca to plunder it and to destroy the Ka’bah. In the way they captured ‘Abd al-Muttalib’s camels.

‘Abd al-Muttalib went to Abraha’s camp. The glow and light of his face, and his awe captured Abraha. Abraha asked ‘Abd al-Muttalib whether his fathers had also possessed such a beauty and light. ‘Abd al-Muttalib responded that all his fathers, to Ibrahim and Ismael (SBUT), had possessed the same brightness. Abraha said that with such honor and greatness it was rightfully proper and deserving that ‘Abd al-Muttalib was the master and chief of his people. Abraha then seated ‘Abd al-Muttalib next to himself.

Abraha had a special Elephant which was white and adorned with many jewels. This Elephant was Abraha’s boast.

When the Elephant saw ‘Abd al-Muttalib, it prostrated, while it had never done this for the king. Allah opened its tongue and it said salaam to ‘Abd al-Muttalib. Abraha seeing this, became frightened and thought that it was magic.

Abraha asked ‘Abd al-Muttalib why he, with all that glory and honor, had gone to him. ‘Abd al-Muttalib told Abraha that his forces had captured his camels and he was there to take them back.

Abraha became angry and told ‘Abd al-Muttalib that his esteem had lowered in his opinion, because he (Abraha) had come to destroy ‘Abd al-Muttalib’s and his people’s honor, to destroy that which distinguished them from all others, to destroy the House of worshipped which was the pilgrimage destination from all places, and ‘Abd al-Muttalib was only asking for his camels! [Abraha did not comprehend the firm faith of ‘Abd al-Muttalib in Allah, the Lord of all things.]

‘Abd al-Muttalib in response said that he was not the owner of the House that Abraha was set to destroy, rather he was the owner of the camels; thus he was only there to inform Abraha that he was the owner of the camels stolen by his forces, and that the House had its Lord, the Creator Allah, the Protector of His House against all His creations. Abraha then agreed to return the camels while he was arrogantly thinking that nothing could stop him from demolishing the Ka’bah. ‘Abd al-Muttalib left his tent while they were getting ready to set toward Ka’bah to destroy it.

When leaving, ‘Abd al-Muttalib passed by the Elephant and asked it whether it was aware of the reason it was brought there, the elephant said no, ‘Abd al-Muttalib told it that it was brought there to destroy the House of its Lord, and then he asked it whether it saw itself doing that and the Elephant said no.

‘Abd al-Muttalib  set toward Ka’bah, circumambulated the Ka’bah seven times and performed the Sa’i, the seven times ritual walk between Safa and Marwa [as done by Ibrahim, Ismael, Haajar and … (SBUT)].

Following ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Abraha and his special Elephant leading his forces marched toward Mecca.

When the Elephant was being directed toward the area of the Haram it stopped and did not move; when the men would push and beat it, it would sit firmly, and when the men would leave it, it would Harwalah (quickly walk) backward.

‘Abd al-Muttalib asked for his son; when two of the sons were brought to him he said that they were not he whom he was after and repeated that he wanted his son, then ‘Abdullah was brought to him. ‘Abd al-Muttalib sent his son ‘Abdullah (Mohammad’s -SBUH&HA- father) to the top of the Abu Qubays mountain and told him to look in the direction of the sea and report back what he saw. It was not long before he saw a large flock of birds, like a flood as black as the night, came over the mountain then flew toward the Ka’bah, circumambulating it seven times and then flying back and forth seven times between Safa and Marwa. ‘Abdullah descended from the mountaintop and gave the news to his father. His father told him to watch and see what the birds would do; and ‘Abdullah saw them flying toward Abraha and his forces. He reported that to his father too.

‘Abd al-Muttalib gathered his people and asked them to pray, and the affliction was warded off the people of Mecca. [In the Sunni Murawej al-Dhahab of Mas’oodi 2/105, and in the sunni Sirah of ibn Heshaam  1/51, it is written that ‘Abd al-Muttalib prayed to Allah and said that they were out to oppressively destroy them and implored Allah to overpower their force and cross and to defend the people of His House …]

The unusual birds , never seen before this event and nor afterward [perhaps not from this world], were each carrying three stones [perhaps from Hell], two in their claws and one in their beaks. The birds flew over Abraha and his forces and cast each stone directly on each and every one. The stones killed them. One of the stones hit Abraha and he escaped and reached San'a narrating what had happened and then died.

When all the enemies were killed ‘Abd al-Muttalib went next to Ka’bah and addressing the Lord, humbly and thankfully said that He was the One Who had stopped, in a severe manner, the forces of the Elephant in Maghmas outside Mecca.

Then ‘Abd al-Muttalib in regard to Quraysh [including those affiliating themselves upon Quraysh such as the bani Umayya], said that as soon as they saw Abraha and his forces, they escaped from left and right and left him by himself (except for his brother [perhaps Asad his brother, the maternal grandfather of Hadrat ‘Ali (SBUT)] … who remained), so much so that he could not even hear a sound from them. [The sunni Ya’qoobi in his Tarikh, 1/ 250-254, has also mentioned that Quraysh ran away and that ‘Abd al-Muttalib and his sons and companions were the only ones left by the Ka’bah.]

It is noteworthy to say that the sunni Mas’oodi in Murawej al-Dhahab 2/106 has narrated a poem from ‘Abd al-Muttalib in which he has recited that they, the Prophets and the children of Ibrahim (SBUT), were the Allah worshipping “Aalullah” (Progeny chosen by Allah), and it was so since Ibrahim (SBUH), and that the Aalullah have been the Hojjats (Proofs) of Allah through and by whom Allah has warded off calamities and afflictions. [These sunni documents in regard to the event of Abraha are as cited in The Beliefs of Islam in the Karim Qur’an, vol. 3, pp. 869-878, ‘Allaamah ‘Asgari.]

As it is obvious, even from sunni documents,  ‘Abd al-Muttalib and his fathers were monotheists. As we shall Inshaa’Allah cover in other writings, this is also so in regard to his sons ‘Abdullah and Abu Talib (SBUT); in spite what the sunni try to falsely claim otherwise.

The dreadful and miraculous event of Abraha’s attempt to destroy Ka’bah is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an in the following verses:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the possessors of the Elephant?

Did He not make their plan go astray?

And send down upon them birds in flocks,

who showered them with stones of baked clay?

So He rendered them like straw eaten up?

(Surah al-Pheel (the Elephant), Qur’an 105:1-5 [1-6, counting “In the Name of Allah …” as verse number 1 as instructed by the Amir al-Mo’menin (SBUH)])

To be continued …