Abraha’s army continued trying to move their elephant forward when, suddenly, Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) sent flocks of birds (Ababeel) from the direction of the sea. These birds swarmed like locusts. Meanwhile, Abdul Muttalib entered Makkah, reached the Kaaba, and held the chain of its door, praying for protection against Abraha and his army. His supplication included these words:
“O Allah! This servant protects his belongings and his companions; You, too, protect Your house—the Kaaba. Let Abraha’s army fail. Their strength is nothing before Yours. Today, let the cross be defeated.”
(Abraha was a Christian, and the cross was a symbol carried by his army.)
After this, Abdul Muttalib and his people climbed Mount Hira, believing they could not defeat Abraha’s forces. Then Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) sent flocks of birds. These birds were slightly larger than sparrows. Each bird carried three stones—one in its beak and two in its claws. The birds dropped these stones on Abraha’s army. As the stones hit them, their bodies were torn apart, just like the devastation caused by modern-day bomb explosions.
Abraha’s elephant, Mahmood, however, remained unharmed. The rest of the elephants—all thirteen of them—were utterly destroyed, reduced to something akin to chewed-up straw, as described in Surah Al-Fil.
Seeing this catastrophe, Abraha and a few of his surviving soldiers fled. However, the birds did not spare them either. Regarding Abraha, it is mentioned in historical accounts that as he fled, his body began to fall apart piece by piece—one limb after another.
Meanwhile, Abdul Muttalib, waiting for the attack to occur, descended from the mountain to assess the situation when the army did not enter Makkah. He went outside the city and saw that the entire army had been annihilated. Tremendous war spoils fell into their hands, including vast amounts of gold and silver.
Among the few soldiers who had not fled was the mahout (elephant driver) of Abraha’s elephant, Mahmood. He had remained in Makkah, unable to lead the elephant forward.
The Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Birth
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was born just a few months after this event. The house in which he was born was near Mount Safa. Ka’ab Al-Ahbar (رضي الله عنه) narrated that he had read in the Torah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would be born in Makkah. (Ka’ab was a former Jew who had studied the Torah.)
When the Prophet (ﷺ) was born, he cried immediately. Abdul Rahman ibn Awf’s (رضي الله عنه) mother, who was present during the birth, recounted that she held the newborn Prophet (ﷺ). (She was likely the midwife named Shifa.) She stated, “When I held him in my hands, he cried.”
The Prophet’s (ﷺ) grandfather, Abdul Muttalib, was performing tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaaba when he received the news of the birth. He rushed home, took the newborn in his arms, and returned to the Kaaba, where he carried the baby while performing tawaf. He then handed him back to Amina.
Following the customs of the Arabs, the newborn was covered with a utensil, but it broke apart and fell away from him. At that moment, they saw the Prophet (ﷺ) sucking his thumb.
The Shaitan’s Screams
At that moment, Shaitan screamed terribly. According to Tafsir Ibn Mukhlad, Shaitan screamed only four times:
- The first time was when Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) declared him accursed.
- The second time was when he was cast down to the earth.
- The third time was when the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was born.
- The fourth time was when Surah Al-Fatihah was revealed upon the Prophet (ﷺ).
Testimony of Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه)
Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه) narrates:
“I was eight years old at the time, and I could understand what I saw and heard. One morning, in Yathrib (present-day Madinah), I saw a Jewish man climb a high mound and shout loudly. People gathered around him and asked,
‘What is the matter? Why are you shouting?’
The Jew replied,
‘The star of Ahmed has risen, and he was born last night.’”
Hazrat Hassan bin Thabit (رضي الله عنه) embraced Islam at the age of 60 and lived another 60 years as a believer, passing away at the age of 120. He was an exceptional poet who praised the Prophet (ﷺ) in his poetry and ridiculed the enemies of Islam in his verses. During battles, he stirred the Muslims with his words, earning him the title Sha’ir-e-Rasul (Poet of the Prophet).
Hazrat Ka’b Al-Ahbar’s Testimony
Hazrat Ka’b Al-Ahbar (رضي الله عنه) stated:
“I read in the Torah that Allah informed Hazrat Musa (عليه السلام) of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), and Hazrat Musa conveyed this news to the Children of Israel. He said:
‘The famous bright star among you—when it moves and begins to shift from its place, that will mark the birth of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).’
This news was passed down among the scholars of Bani Israel, and thus they were aware of the time of the Prophet’s birth and its signs.”
Testimony of a Jewish Scholar in Makkah
Hazrat Aisha (رضي الله عنها) narrated that a Jewish scholar lived in Makkah. On the night the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was born, he was sitting in a gathering of the Quraysh. He asked,
‘Has a child been born among you tonight?’
The people replied,
‘We do not know.’
The Jewish scholar said,
‘Listen carefully to what I say. Tonight, the last Prophet of this Ummah has been born, and O Quraysh, he is from among you. He is a Qurayshi. There is a mark near his shoulder (the Seal of Prophethood). It is covered with thick hair, and it is the sign of Prophethood. Another sign of this child is that he will not drink milk for two nights.’”
This information, recorded in earlier scriptures, was confirmed later. Allama Ibn Hajar states that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) indeed did not drink milk for two days after his birth.
When the Jewish scholar shared these details, the people were astonished and left to tell their families about it. News of the birth of a son to Hazrat Amina (رضي الله عنها) had already spread among the women. They informed their husbands:
‘Indeed, a son has been born to Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib tonight.’
When this news was conveyed to the Jewish scholar, he said,
‘Take me to see the child.’
The people brought him to the house of Hazrat Amina (رضي الله عنها). They requested to see the child, and Hazrat Amina handed the baby over. The scholar removed the covering from the child’s shoulder, and upon seeing the Seal of Prophethood, he fainted. When he regained consciousness, the people asked him,
‘What happened to you?’
He replied,
‘I fainted out of sorrow, for Prophethood has ended among my people. And O Quraysh, I swear by Allah that this child will dominate you, and his fame will spread from the East to the West.’”
Also Read: The Star of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) Shone Brightly | Seerat-e-Nabi (PBUH) – Part-5
