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Prıncıples of Hamîduddîn al-Farâhî’s Exegesıs of the Qur’an and Interpretatıon of Surah al-Fil
  
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4. Arab History 
According to Farâhî, there is not sufficient information about Arabs before Islam. 
Therefore, in order to reach for such information, the Qur’an needs to be consulted.
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Arabs were the Qur’an’s first interlocutors. As a result, many surahs, which envisage 
amendments in numerous issues, were related to their beliefs, ethics and tradition to 
better understand these verses, the indisputable and verifiable facts in Arab history 
required to be well known. For example, the content of verses such as “Indeed, the 
postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which 
those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray”
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 or “And enter houses from their 
doors. And fear Allah that you may succeed”,
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 can be understood by having 
knowledge about Arabs tradition and lifestyle at the time these verses were revealed. 
For example, Farâhî bases his claim that the Quraysh destroyed the Elephant Army 
instead of birds on the history of past tribes 
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Qur’an sometimes refers to the disasters suffered by Aad, Th’amûd, Midian and 
Lut tribes. The Qur’an also sometimes refers to Ishmael and Abraham’s visit and stay 
in Mecca and their construction of Kaaba. Sometimes it makes mention about turning 
points in history of divine religions. In sum, the Qur’an narrates historic facts though 
it is not a history book. We must have knowledge about the history of nations and 
special circumstances to better understand the Qur’an. Otherwise, the lessons and 
conclusions in the Qur’an remain in darkness for readers.
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 5. Arab Poetry  
Arab poetry can be considered as an important principle to interpret Qur’an. Because 
Arabic dialect of Qur’an is best reflected by them. Farâhî puts forward evidence from past 
poets and pre-Islamic literature in his exegesis of various verses that give information 
about the Arabs’ ethics and tradition. For example, the examples given from Arab poetry 
regarding the word tayr and remy-i cemerat Surah al-Fil were significant
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Hamîd al-Dîn al-Farâhî put forward a different approach than mainstream 
glossators in his al-Fil surah and his exegesis principles, as was mentioned before. 
According to Farâhî, Quraysh attacked Abraha’s army with stones and other guerrilla 
tactics. Birds came there only to feed on Abraha’s army’s corpses rather than to stone 
them. However, mainstream glossators argue that Meccans took refuge in mountains 
instead of fighting with Abraha’s army and Allah (c.c.) sent a flock of birds carrying 
stones in their peaks to crush Abraha’s army and as a result Abraha’s troops were 
destroyed. Now, let’s look at Islamic sources to see how this event was narrated. 
                                                 
39
 al-Farâhî, Mecmûâ’yı Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, pp. 39-40. 
40
 Tevbe, 9/37. 
41
 Bakara, 2/189. 
42
 al-Farâhî, Tafsir-i Nizâmi’l-Qur’ân, p. 439; al-Farâhî, Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 383. 
43
 al-Farâhî, Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 383. 
44
 al-Farâhî, Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, pp. 392-395.  

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Ass. Prof. Hayrettin Öztürk
  
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II. Companions of the Elephant Incidence at Islamic Resources: 
Abraha, Yemen governor of Byzantines builds a colossal church named el-
Kulleys, to shift the direction of the trade from Mecca to San’a city and to block the 
business of Mecca by around A.D. 570. Showing sabotage against the church as a 
reason; they start moving towards Mecca to destroy Kaaba with an elephant called 
“mamut” in front of his massive army.
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 Although some Arab tribes attack Abraha, 
Abraha defeats them
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 and growing stronger, reaches Tâ’if. People of Tâ’if are in 
competition with people of Quraysh
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hence they help Abraha and give Abû Righâl to 
Abraha as guide. Abû Righâl brings the army of elephants up to Mugammas and dies 
there. Arabs are angry at Abû Righâl and they stone his tomb every year.
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Rumour is that Abraha sends Ethiopian al-Asvad b. Maksûd to Mecca along with 
a battalion and they bring all goods in Quraysh to Abraha among which there are 200 
camels of ‘Abd al-Muttalib who is the leader of Quraysh and that ‘Abd al-Muttalib 
appeared before Abraha and wanted his camels be returned to him.
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 Besides, rumor 
is that during above incidence, Abraha said “I am here to destroy the holy temple of 
your ancestors and you came up asking for your camels” to ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and 
‘Abd al-Muttalib replies “I am the owner of the camels and I want them back. Kaaba’s 
owner is Allah and Allah no doubt knows how to protect his home”
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 therefore 
threatening Abraha reminding him of Allah. 
The next day Abraha commands his soldiers to move towards Kaaba. But the 
leading elephant (mamut) would not move. Then birds come from red-sea side, each 
one carrying stones which are smaller than chickpea but larger than lentil, and they 
destroy Abraha’s army by throwing down these stones to Abraha’s soldiers.
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 This 
event and defeat of Abraha’s army is given extensive place in various interpretation 
resources. All resources agree on that people of Mecca sought shelter on the 
mountains instead of fighting and the birds defeated Abraha’s army.
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45
 Fayda, Mustafa, “Fil Vakası”, DİA, İstanbul 1996, XIII, pp.70-71. 
46
 at-Taberî, Muhammed b. Jarîr, Jâmi ‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, Dâru’l-Ma’rife, 2. Edition, Beyrut-
Lübnan, 1392/1972, (1. Edition 1986), XXX, 194; İbn Hishâm, Abd al-Malik, es-Sîratü’n-Nabaviyye, 
Beyrut 1994, I, 79; al-Azrakî, Ebu’l-Velid Muhammad, Kâ’be ve Mekke Tarihi, trc: Y. Vehbi Yavuz, 
Çağrı Press, İstanbul 1974, p. 141. 
47
 İbn İshak, Muhammed b. Yesar, Sîretü İbn İshak, thk: Muhammad Hamidullah, Konya 1981, p. 38; 
Ebu’z-Zahra, Muhammad, Son Peygamber Hz. Muhammed. Translation: Mehmet Keskin, 3. Edition, 
İstanbul, 1997, I, p.138. 
 
48
 al-Azrakî, Kâ’be ve Mekke Tarihi, p. 142; İbn Hishâm, es-Sîratü’n-Nabaviyye, I, 81; at-Taberî, Jâmi 
‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, p.194. 
49
 İbn Hishâm, es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I, 81-83; at-Taberî, Jâmi ‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, pp.194-195. 
50
 İbn Hishâm, es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I, 83; al-Azrakî, Kâ’be ve Mekke Tarihi, p. 143, et-Taberî, Jâmi 
‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, 195; İbn İshak, Sîretü İbn İshak, p. 39 
51
 at-Taberî, Jâmi ‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, p. 196; İbn Hishâm, es-Sîretü’n-Nebeviyye, I, 86; 
İbn İshak, Sîretü İbn İshak, p. 40 
52
 at-Taberî, Jâmi ‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, pp. 195-196; al-Bagavî, Ebû Muhammad al-
Hüseyin b. Mes’ûd, Ma’âlimü’t-Tanzîl, Dâru’l-Kütübi’l-‘İlmiyye, 1. edition, Beyrut, 1415/1995, VI, 

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