The Attack of the Ababil
In the year 535 A.D., Ibraha, the Abyssinian, the ruler of Yemen, became independent of the Abyssinian Empire.
Ibraha behaved as an emperor, he wanted to widen the area of his country by occupying the lands others.
In that period of time there was a severe conflict between the Empire of Persia and the Empire of Rome.
The Romans encouraged Ibraha to gain his independence, and they strengthened their links with him. As for the Persians, they supported the Christians who opposed Ibraha's rule, they also backed the Jews in Yemen.
The Jews supported the Abyssinians occupying Yemen. They provoked Dhu Nu'as to persecute the Christians of Najran, so the Abyssinians came and occupied Yemen.

Al-Qalees
Ibraha thought that he would be able to enter al-Hijaz to control the land route of trade, and then he would be able to communicate with the Empire of the Romans.
The Romans encouraged Ibraha to achieve this aim, for they would be able to strengthen their influence in the areas neighboring the Empire of the Persians.
So they sent preachers to spread Christianity in those areas. Ibraha, the Abyssinian, thought of building the biggest church in the region, for he wanted to prevent the Arabs from performing the hajj to the kaaba and to make them Christians.
When the biggest church was finished, Ibraha invited the Arabs to visit it, but the Arab trade caravans insisted on going to the Sacred Kaaba.
Ibraha, the Abyssinian, decided to destroy the Kaaba, so he formed a big army and prepared a well trained African elephants.
Ibraha headed his colossal army and left San'a.
Some Arab tribes tried to hinder the advance of the army, but Ibraha was able to defeat them, so he advanced towards Mecca to occupy it and to destroy the Kaaba.
The Abyssinian army occupied all the lands through which it passed. When the army was close to Mecca, it found the camels of "Abd al-Muttalib bin Hashim and took them.
The people of Mecca heard of the news of the military expedition, so they left the city and went to the tops of the mountains. There was no person in the city except "Abd al-Muttalib, the grandfather of our Holy Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.).

Lord will protect His House
'Abd al-Muttalib, the Leader of Mecca, advised the people to leave the city to save them from the Abyssinian soldiers.
'Abd al-Muttalib was a notable figure. It was he who dug the Well of Zamzam in 540 A.D. So the people respected him and supported him leadership.
'Abd al-Muttalib went to the Kaaba and begged Allah, the Glorified, to protect his House, saying: "My Lord, the person defends his house, so defend Your House!" The person defends his house when he is attacked, so, my Lord, defend Your House against the aggression of the Abyssinians.
The troops of the Abyssinians arrived at the outskirts of Mecca and camped there to get ready to attack Mecca.
Ibraha asked someone: "Who is the leader of Mecca?" The person answered: "Its leader is an old man called 'Abd al-Muttalib, who belongs to Ibrahim's children."
Ibraha wanted to meet "Abd al-Muttalib, so he ordered a person from Himyar to go to him. The Himyari came to 'Abd al-Muttalib and said to him: [The king said]:"I have come not to wage war against you. I have come to demolish the Kaaba only. If you do not resist my soldiers, we will not attack the people of Mecca.
In this respect 'Abd al-Muttalib explained: "We also do not want to wage war against you, and we are unable to resist the army of Abyssinia."
Then 'Abd al-Muttalib referred to the Kaaba and said: "That is the Sacred House of Allah, and of His friend Ibrahim. Only Allah has the power to defend His House. We have no army."
The Himyari said: "If you do not intend to wage war against us, then come with me because the King wants to meet you." Thus, 'Abd al-Muttalib went out of Mecca to meet Ibraham the Abyssinian.
Ibraha was sitting on his royal throne in a tent furnished with costly carpets. When he saw 'Abd al-Muttalib, he rose and received him warmly. Then he sat him on his royal throne and said to him: "Our only aim is to demolish the Kaaba."
Ibraha turned to the translator and said to him: "Ask 'Abd al-Muttalib about his need."
'Abd al-Muttalib said: "The army has taken my two hundred camels, so I ask it to bring them back to me."
When Ibraha heard the translation, he looked at 'Abd al-Muttalib with astonishment and said: "When I saw you, I respected you. When you talked, I turned away from you. Why do you ask me to bring back your camels and leave the House you and your fathers adore?"
'Abd al-Muttalib looked at Ibraha and answered: "I defend my camels, and my Lord defends His House!"
Ibraha said with mockery: "I do not think so."
'Abd al-Muttalib said with firm faith" "We'll see!"
Ibraha was bothered when he heard these words of 'Abd al-Muttalib, so he rose to end the meeting.
As for 'Abd al-Muttalib, he rose and returned to the Kaaba. When he arrived at the Holy Gate of the Kaaba, he caught its ring, shook it strongly, wept, and said: "My Lord, the person defends his house against aggression, so defend Your House against the aggression!"

The Attack
In the early hours of that morning, the Abyssinian army put the white elephant in front of it and advanced towards the Kaaba to destroy it.
Ibraha stood at the hills and looked at his army that advanced towards the Kaaba, which the Arabs adored, to demolish it.
Ibraha had said to his fighters: "Let the elephant shake the walls of the Kaaba, and then demolish them with your hoes and spears."
The people of Mecca stood on the tops of the mountains and looked at what was happening in the valley.
They looked with sorrow at the House Ibrahim had built. 'Abd al-Muttalib was more sorrowful than them.
The merchants of Mecca were also sad, but they feared for their personal interests, for Mecca was an important trade center.
'Abd Allah, son of 'Abd al-Muttalib, had gone to Syria and left his wife in 'Abd al-Muttalib's house. She was with the people of Mecca and thought about her blessed baby.

The Elephant disobeyed
When the elephant was close to the Kaaba, it stopped and disobeyed its driver.
The diver lashed the elephant across the back with his whip, but all his attempts came to nothing, for the elephant tried to retreat.
Ibraha, the commander-in-chief, was astonished to see the elephant refuse to advance towards the Kaaba, so he shouted with anger.
The elephant driver did his best to force the elephant to advance towards the Kaaba, but the elephant did not advane towards it even a step.
A wonderful thing happened. The elephant kneeled down. Thus, the driver's task became very difficult. The elephant disobeyed the driver and he was unable to control it.
If Ibraha had had an atom of faith, he would have asked himself: "Why does the elephant refuse to advance towards the Kaaba in spite of the strong whips?"
However, Ibraha was self-conceited; he thought about nothing except his ambitions.

The Hellish Attack
Suddenly, somthing like black clouds appeared in the horizon. The thing was not clouds; it was flocks of birds called Ababil carrying burning stones in their beaks.
The birds hovered over the Abyssinian army and attacked it with the burning stones. The birds went away, and then other flocks of birds came and attacked the army, so the members of the army were in chaos and fell on the ground like flies.
'Abd al-Muttalib watched what had happened, so he was full of humbleness, and his eyes blazed with faith. He said to himself: "This is Allah's power!"
Ibraha lashed his horse across the back with his whip, but the birds followed him and attacked him with their burning stones.
Ibraha arrived in his capital San'a', but he fell off his horse at the gate of the capital. His eyes were wide with terror.

The Eaten Straw
'Abd al-Muttalib went to the Kaaba and considered carefully the area around it, which had turned into a battle field full of burned corpses.

The Birth of the Holy Prophet(S.A.W.)
'Abd al-Muttalib gave good news to the people of Mecca, saying: "Allah has destroyed the aggressors and saved the Kaaba from them." When he gave good news to them, a person came and gave him good news of the birth of a blessed baby-boy. The person said to him: "Amina has given birth to a baby-boy!"
'Abd al-Muttalib took his grandson into his arms and said: "I have named him Mohammed(S.A.W.)."
The people wondered and said: "Why have you given him this name?"
'Abd al-Muttalib answered: "I have given him this name because I want him to be praised in heaven and on earth."

The Year of the Elephant
The people of Mecca returned to their homes and were full of happiness. As for 'Abd al-Muttalib, he went to the Kaaba to clean from it the filth of the aggressors.
The news spread through the Arab tribes and they respected the Kaaba very often.
The people called that year 'the Year of the Elepahnt. Our Holy Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.) was born in that year.
When our Holy Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W) became forty years old, Jabrael came down to him and gave him good news of the Message. The Sura of the Feel (Elephant) was among the early suras that reminded the people of Mecca of the Year of the Elephant:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?
Did he not cause their war to end in confusion,
And send down (to prey) upon them birds in Flocks,
Casting against them stones of baked clay,
So He rendered them like straw eaten up?

The Hanafites
'Abd al-Muttalib believed in the religion of the Hanafites, which was the religion of his grandfather Ibrahim, Allah's friend.
When Allah, the Glorified, saved the Kaaba from the aggression of the Abyssinians, the people knew 'Abd al-Muttalib's high position with Him.
'Abd al-Muttalib did not pray to the idols for saving the Kaaba; he prayed to Allah, the Glorified, for saving it.
So Allah, the Glorified, accepted 'Abd al-Muttalib's prayers and destroyed the aggressors.

The Trade
Mecca became an important trade cenrer, so the trade caravans of Quraysh went to Syria in summer and the Yemen in winter.
The traders of Quraysh were safe from the assaults of the tribes, for all the Arabs circled the Kaaba.
When Allah, the Glorified, appointed Mohammed (S.A.W.) a prophet, He reminded the Quraysh of His favor in saving the Kaaba from the aggression and destruction. He also reminded them of His favor in making their trade caravans safe from the assaults of the tribes. In this connection, Allah, the Most High, Said:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
For the protection of Quraysh -
Their protection during their trading caravans in winter and summer -
So let them serve the Lord of this House,
Who feeds them against hunger and gives them security against fear."
Today, the Kaaba has become a symbol for the Oneness of Allah and the unity of Moslems all over the world.
When we perform our daily prayers, we must remember the Kaaba, the Sacred House of Allah, the House Ibrahim and Isma'il built.
We must know that the Kaaba is the symbol of our power and glory.
The Kaaba is the pearl of Islam.
The Kaaba is the core of the Islamic world and the qibla (direction) of all Moslems everywhere.