Among the numerous fables deceitfully written into fake “Islamic” history, the tale about the Companions of the Elephant (Sura 105), may be one of the biggest whoppers of them all.
In the Meccan tradition, the story they pretend announced the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him), purportedly goes something like this:
A Yemeni governor named Abraha commenced a military expedition, on behalf of the Christian king of Habasha/Abyssinia, to destroy the pagan temple in Mecca, the present-day version of which is deceitfully referred to as “the Kaba”.
The primary reason for this conquest? To allegedly reroute the pagan pilgrimage and its lucrative business income from polytheistic Mecca in Saudi Arabia, to Sanaa in Yemen. An amazing irony given that the hadith – the sole source for this story – was actually fabricated hundreds of years after the alleged death of Muhammad for that exact purpose, to create and maintain the lucrative Meccan business of idol worship and idol sales, that still goes on to this day in their God-forbidden mosque (Masjid al-Haram).
Depending upon which version of the story is told, Abraha allegedly drove an army of elephants, a group of thirteen elephants, or just one elephant (the number probably reduced over time once its impossible nature was questioned), along with tens of thousands of men (the numbers vary greatly, usually between 20,000 – 60,000 men), over more than 1000 km of barren desert and mountainous terrain toward Mecca, attacking others along the way, stealing camels that were conveniently given back, and recruiting into his army from among the locals.
But once Abraha was within reach of Mecca, the largest elephant, dubbed “Mahmood”, stopped in its tracks, allegedly under Divine order to protect the pagan temple in the town of Mecca. A flock of birds, “like swallows and herons”, is assumed to have then dive-bombed the group, delivering three pebbles each, “the size of chickpeas and lentils”, to send the elephants running, and killing every man in Abraha’s party that was hit.
Of course there are a few giant problems with this fantasy (Sura 31:30), not the least of which is the fact there is no mention of Abraha, nor of the expedition, nor of its use of elephants or its timing, found anywhere in the Koran (Quran), nor in the Bible that the Koran was sent to confirm.
There are also very obvious problems with where the elephants came from, and driving elephants (even just one) on a 1000+ km (over 650 miles) trek across the Arabian mountains and desert, in a country that has no permanent rivers. You see, African or Asian elephants – neither of which live in the Arabian deserts and mountains – consume between 100-270 kg (200-600 lbs) of food, and drink up to 200 litres (50 gallons) per day, all of which would need to be carried by the expedition. That’s roughly 450 kg (1000 lbs) of food and water per elephant every day!
Multiply these figures by at least a 30-day interval for the trip there, and by thirteen elephants instead of just one (the more popular version of the story), and the amount of food and water that would need to be carried just to arrive at Mecca could have approached a staggering 180 metric tons. Double that if the elephants were to be fed and watered on the return trip. And don’t forget to include hundreds of tons of food and water for tens of thousands of men and their camels too. The rest of the story is similarly for the birds. Literally.
Links included below to a few of the many retellings of this cherished fairy tale:
The Story of the Owners of the Elephant (From Surah Al-Fil) – By Ibn Kathir
Tafsir of Surah al Fil – The Elephant (Surah 105)
The story of the Companions of the Elephant
Route of Abraha’s army that came to destroy the Holy Kaaba retraced
There is even a feature length film promoting this shameless propaganda:
Muhammad: The Messenger of God (2015).
Before anyone mindlessly cries in reply “but Allah can do anything” which of course He can, one needs to ask WHY Allah would save an overtly pagan temple from destruction, that He has repeatedly condemned (e.g. in Sura 9:107-111)? And if Muhammad’s alleged birth was so important, why didn’t Allah tell us about it in HIS Book?
There was no angelic announcement, nor any virgin, miracle birth for any of God’s Prophets other than Jesus, to make sure Jesus stood out (Sura 19:19-21). That is because Jesus is The Way, superior to all others, that anyone with Faith (Acts 5:29-32) MUST follow, exactly as God said in His Koran.
Sura 3:55. Behold! GOD SAID: “O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee SUPERIOR to those who reject faith, to The Day of Resurrection: then shall ye all return unto Me, and I will judge between you of the matters wherein ye dispute.
The (ir)rationalization usually given in reply to this question is that Abraham purportedly made a similarly impossible trip over 2000 years earlier, to physically build the foundations of a pagan temple, in the middle of a barren wilderness area that wouldn’t become a city for another 2800+ years. Didn’t Allah tell us hundreds and hundreds of times that His Holy House was in Jerusalem, and that Abraham was NOT of the pagans?
Sura 3:95-96
3:95. Say: “God speaketh the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the SANE in Faith; he was not of the Pagans.”
3:96. The chief House (of worship) appointed for men was that at The Holy Place (of Tears/Baca/Bakka – Psalm 84:6 – Mt. Moriah): full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:
We do not need ANY of these ridiculous and unscriptural attempts to explain any of God’s Word, including Sura 105. We only need to trust in God, read His Scriptures and follow His instructions, so that God Himself can explain its meaning to us.
The Koran repeatedly reminds us that it was sent to CONFIRM what came before it in the Old Covenant and New Covenant (see Sura 2:97-98, Sura 3:1-3, Sura 4:47, Sura 5:51, Sura 6:92-94, Sura 6:154-157, Sura 10:37, Sura 12:111, Sura 22:52, Sura 35:31, Sura 46:12, Sura 61:6-7), and that we should NOT be in doubt of the true Bible reaching us (Sura 15:9-10, Sura 32:23). This alone eliminates the fable of Mahmood helping to save the pagan temple in Mecca, which isn’t found anywhere in the Scripture of TRUTH, i.e. the Bible and the Koran.
The word “confirm” means “to give new assurance of the validity of: remove doubt about by authoritative act or indisputable fact (Sura 32:23)”. It does NOT mean “correct” nor “supersede”, nor “disregard”.
Among the confirmations found in the Koran is that of Enoch/Idris, God’s first prophet, whom God made a point of telling us He raised to a lofty station (Heb. 11:5, Sura 19:56-57), to emphasize the importance of God’s Message to Enoch. And, unsurprisingly, that’s exactly where we find the true explanation of Sura 105, augmented with a few references from The Law and the Gospel.
The Elephant (al-Fil) – Surah 105.
105:1. Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the Companions of the Elephant (Enoch 85:6)?
105:2. Did He not make their treacherous plan go astray?
105:3. And He sent against them “Flights of Birds” (Exod. 19:4, Matt. 24:28),
105:4. Striking them with stones of baked clay (Sura 10:7).
105:5. Then did He make them like an empty field of stalks and straw, (of which the corn) has been eaten up (Enoch 88:8).
The Story of the Elephants and their Companions – Enoch 85-87, 88:1-8:
85:1 Again I looked with my eyes, while sleeping, and surveyed heaven above.
85:2 And behold a single star fell from heaven (Samyaza).
85:3 Which being raised up, ate and fed among these cows.
85:4 After that, I perceived other large and black cows; and beheld all of them change their stalls and pastures, while their young began to lament one with another. Again I looked in my vision and surveyed heaven; when behold I saw many stars (the Watchers) which descended, and projected themselves from heaven to where the first star (Samyaza) was.
85:5 Into the midst of those young ones; while the cows were with them, feeding in the midst of them.
85:6 I looked at and observed them; when behold, they all protruded their parts of shame like horses, and began to ascend the young heifers, all of whom became pregnant, and brought forth elephants (giants), camels, and asses (Gen. 6:4, Enoch 7:11).
85:7 At these all the cows (men) were alarmed and terrified; when they began to bite them with their teeth, swallowing and striking with their horns.
85:8 They began also to devour (eat) the cows (men); and behold all the children of the Earth trembled, shook with terror at them, and suddenly fled away.
86:1 Again I perceived them, when they began to strike and to swallow each other; and the Earth cried out. Then I raised my eyes a second time towards heaven, and saw in a vision, that, behold, there came forth from heaven as it were the likeness of white men. One came forth from there; and three with him (Archangels).
86:2 Those three (the “eagles” – see Exod. 19:4, Matt. 24:28), who came forth last, seized me by my hand; and raising me UP from the generations of the Earth, elevated me to a high station (Sura 19:56-57).
86:3 Then they showed me a lofty tower on the Earth (Mt. Ararat), while every hill became diminished. And they said: Remain here, until thou perceivest what shall come upon those elephants, camels, and asses (giants), upon the stars (the Watchers of heaven), and upon all the cattle (humans) – (the Flood).
87:1 Then I looked at that one of the four who had the likeness of white men, who came forth first (Michael).
87:2 He seized the first star which fell down from heaven.
87:3 And, binding it hand and foot, he cast it into a valley; a valley narrow, deep, stupendous, and gloomy.
87:4 Then one of them drew his sword, and gave it to the elephants, camels, and asses, who began to strike each other. And the whole Earth shook on account of them.
87:5 And when I looked in the vision, behold, one of those four angels, who came forth; HURLED FROM HEAVEN, collected together, and took all the great stars, whose parts of shame resembled those of horses; and binding them all hand and foot, cast them into the cavities of the Earth (2 Pet. 2:4).
88:1 Then one of those four went to the white cows, and taught them a secret. It was born, and while the cow (Lamech) was trembling (Enoch 105:3), became a man, and built for himself a large ship (Noah’s Ark). In this he dwelt, and three cows (Ham, Shem, and Japheth) dwelt with him in that ship, which covered them (Gen. 7:7).
88:2 Again I lifted up my eyes towards heaven, and saw a lofty roof. Above it were seven cataracts, which poured forth much water on a certain village.
88:3 Again I looked, and behold there were “mountains” (governments) open on the Earth in that large village.
88:4 The water began to boil up, and rose over the Earth; so that the village was not seen, while its whole soil was covered with water.
88:5 Much water was over it, darkness, and clouds. Then I surveyed the height of this water; and it was elevated above the village.
88:6 It flowed over the village, and stood higher than the earth.
88:7 Then all the cows which were collected there, while I looked upon them, were drowned, swallowed up, and destroyed in the water.
88:8 But the ship floated above it. ALL the cows, the elephants, the camels, and the asses, were drowned on the Earth, and all cattle. Nor could I perceive them. Neither were they able to get out, but perished, and sunk into the deep.
The Treacherous Plan of the Companions of the Elephants (Giants) Revealed – Enoch 7
7:1 It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful (Gen. 6:1-2).
7:2 And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other: Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.
7:3 Then their leader Samyaza said to them; I fear that you may perhaps not be disposed to the performance of this enterprise;
7:4 And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a crime.
7:5 But they answered him and said: We all swear;
7:6 And bind ourselves by mutual oaths, that we will not change our intention, BUT EXECUTE OUR PROJECTED UNDERTAKING.
7:7 Then they swore all together, and all bound themselves by mutual oaths. Their whole number was two hundred, who descended upon Ardis, which is the top of Mount Armon.
7:8 That mountain, therefore, they called Armon, because they had sworn upon it, and bound themselves by mutual oaths.
7:9 These are the names of their chiefs: Samyaza, who was their leader, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danyal, Azkeel, Sarakuyal, Asael, Armers, Batraal, Anane, Zavebe, Samsaveel, Ertael, Turel, Yomyael, Arazyal. These were the prefects of the two hundred angels, and the remainder were all with them.
7:10 Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantation, and the dividing of roots and trees.
7:11 And they conceiving brought forth giants (Gen. 6:4-6, Enoch 85:6);
7:12 Whose stature was each three hundred cubits. These devoured all which the labour of men produced; until it became impossible to feed them;
7:13 So they then turned themselves against men, in order to devour them;
7:14 And began to injure birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, to eat their flesh one after another, and to drink their blood.
7:15 Then the Earth reproved the unrighteous (by the climate and diseases).
The Flights of “Birds” (Angels, aka “the Eagles”) – Exodus 19:3-4
19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the “I AM” called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the “House of Jacob”, and tell the children of Israel;
19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you “ON EAGLES’ WINGS”, and brought you unto Myself.
Lamentations 4:19 Our persecutors are swifter than THE EAGLES OF THE HEAVEN: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Matthew 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will THE EAGLES be gathered together.
Luke 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body [is], there will THE EAGLES be gathered together.
The Stones of Baked “Clay”– Sura 2:23-24
2:23. And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides God, if your (doubts) are true.
2:24. But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot– then fear The Fire WHOSE FUEL IS MEN AND STONES (Enoch 10:7),- which is prepared for those who reject Faith.
Sura 6:2. He it is Who created you (men/humans/the Adamic race) FROM CLAY, and then decreed a stated term (for you). And there is in His Presence another determined term; yet ye doubt within yourselves!
Sura 7:11-12
7:11. It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the (fallen) angels submit to Adam, and you submitted (Luke 9:55); not so Iblis (Lucifer); he refused to be of you who submitted.
7:12. (“I AM”) said: “What prevented thee from submitting when I commanded thee?” He said: “I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire (energy), and him from clay.”
Sura 15:26-29
15:26. WE CREATED MAN FROM SOUNDING CLAY, from mud moulded into shape;
15:27. And the Being (of light) race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.
15:28. Behold! Thy Lord said to the (fallen) angels: “I am about to create man, from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape;
15:29. When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down into submission inside him.”
Genesis 2:7 And the “I AM” God formed man [of] the dust of the ground (clay), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became alive and was given a soul [spirit Being] (human+being).
Enoch 10:1-9
10:1 Then the Most High, the Great and Holy One spoke;
10:2 And sent Arsayalalyur to the son of Lamech
10:3 Saying: Say to him in My name; Conceal thyself.
10:4 Then explain to him the consummation which is about to take place; for all the Earth shall perish; the waters of a deluge shall come over the whole Earth, and all things which are in it shall be destroyed.
10:5 And now teach him how he may escape, and how his seed may remain in all the Earth (Gen. 6:11-22).
10:6 Again the Lord said to Raphael: Bind Azazyel hand and foot; cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in Dudael, cast him in there.
10:7 THROW UPON HIM HURLED AND POINTED STONES (Sura 2:24); covering him with darkness;
10:8 There shall he remain for ever; cover his face, that he may not see the Light.
10:9 And in the great Day of Judgement let him be cast into The Fire (Rev. 20:10; Sura 2:24).
Enoch 53:1-6
53:1 Then I looked and turned myself to another part of the Earth, where I beheld a deep valley burning with fire.
53:2 To this valley they brought monarchs and the mighty.
53:3 And there my eyes beheld the instruments which they were making, fetters of iron in which there was not weight.
53:4 Then I inquired of the angel of peace, who proceeded with me, saying: For whom are these fetters and instruments prepared? (Jude 1:6).
53:5 He replied: These are prepared for the host of Azazyel, that they may be delivered over and adjudged to the lowest condemnation; AND THAT THESE ANGELS MAY BE OVERWHELMED WITH HURLED STONES, as the Lord of spirits has COMMANDED (Enoch 10:7; Sura 2:24).
53:6 Michael and Gabriel, Raphael and Phanuel shall be strengthened in that day (Dan. 12:1), and shall then cast them into a furnace of blazing fire, that the Lord of spirits may be avenged of them for their crimes; because they became ministers of satan (Lucifer/Iblis), and seduced (Sura 7:27) those who dwell upon Earth.
Scriptural Precedent
Where God has Commanded His Angels (the “Eagles”) to rain down (brim)stones as hard as baked clay before, during the times of Abraham and Lot (on Sodom and Gomorrah):
Sura 11:82. When Our Decree issued, We turned (the cities) upside down, and rained down on them brimstones hard as baked clay, spread, layer on layer,-
Sura 51:31-34
51:31. (Abraham) said: “And what, O ye Messengers, is your errand (now)?”
51:32. They said, “We have been sent to a people (deep) in sin;-
51:33. To bring on, on them, (a shower of) stones of clay (brimstone),
51:34. Marked as from thy Lord for those who trespass beyond bounds.
The Scriptures, as always, speak for themselves.
From the Gospel of Jesus, according to John, with the words of Christ-Jesus in blue:
John 5:39 Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life: and they are they which testify of me.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am The Way, the Truth, and the Life: NOT one man cometh unto the Father, EXCEPT by me (Sura 3:55).
Leave the blind guides of organized religion alone. They are the blind leading the blind.
Learn The Way home or face The Fire fueled with men and stones.
Scripture is from The King of kings’ Bible.