وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ 3
Translations
And He sent against them birds in flocks,
Transliteration
Wa arsala 'alaihim tayiran ababil
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah sent against the elephant army flocks of birds in successive waves to destroy them with stones of baked clay. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that these were small birds (likely swifts or similar species) that came in organized groups (ababil means flocks or groups), each carrying stones that struck the soldiers with precise accuracy. This miraculous intervention demonstrates Allah's power to protect His House (the Kaaba) through seemingly insignificant means, teaching that victory comes from Allah alone regardless of apparent military strength.
Revelation Context
This ayah refers to the historical event of the Year of the Elephant (approximately 570 CE), when Abrahah, the Christian king of Yemen, marched toward Mecca with his elephant army to destroy the Kaaba. The entire surah commemorates how Allah miraculously defeated this invasion, reinforcing Meccan confidence in divine protection during the early Islamic period.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports from Ibn Abbas that the birds dropped stones upon the soldiers, killing them in groups (in groups of hundreds). Additionally, hadith collections mention that none of the elephant army reached Mecca, and that Abrahah himself was struck with a fatal illness upon his retreat, confirming the miraculous nature of this event.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that no worldly power, however impressive in appearance, can override Allah's will and protection over what He has consecrated. For modern readers, it instills faith that sincere devotion to Allah's purpose brings divine assistance in times of crisis, and that victory depends not on numbers or weaponry but on alignment with divine truth.