Prıncıples of Hamîduddîn al-Farâhî’s Exegesıs of the Qur’an and Interpretatıon of Surah al-Fil
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itself, but respective interpretations are derived from various reliable and unreliable
rumours.
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Farâhî thinks that, all of the glossators have explained the details of the
story through rumours not caring much about the difference between the reliable and
non-reliable rumours. Generally, this method impedes reaching a true interpretation.
What matters in this context is Quranic explanation. The Quran
is very concise on this
incident and does not involve the details. Mentioned general rumour is due to the fact
that this incident is very popular. Moreover; Arabs started their history with this event
and they referred to the incident in their poetry. Accordingly, the verse starts with the
expression “
alam tara qayfa fa’ala rabbuka”.
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Farâhî addresses the relevant rumours under three titles:
1. Abraha’s attack and relevant rumours.
2. Stoning of Companions of the Elephant.
3. Hunter birds
1. Abraha’s attack and relevant rumours:
Farâhî thinks that the rumours from classic Islamic
resources are doubtful and
questionable. Farâhî even thinks that all such rumours are baseless. Regarding their lack
of proof, they must not be taken into consideration. Also, all these rumours root from Ibn
Ishak. And Ibn Ishak accepts rumours from The Jewish and non-reliable resources.
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Also
Nesim Islahi, one of the most famous disciples of the Farâhî School, supports his teacher
by stating that Imam Malik once called Muhammad b. Ishak “dajjal”.
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Farâhî thinks that the truth behind the rumours is that:
a) Abraha and ‘Abd al-Muttalib meeting: Rumour
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is that Abraha’s men
collected all the camels of Quraysh. 200 of these belonged to ‘Abd al-Muttalib. ‘Abd
al-Muttalib appeared before Abraha to request his camels to be returned to him, and
Abraha respected him and allowed him to sit next to him and negotiations started.
Meanwhile, Abraha said “I
am here to destroy the Kaaba; holy temple of your father
and grandfathers and you didn’t say a single word on this” 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 shall protect his home”. Then ‘Abd al-Muttalib prays at the
gate of the Kaaba and climbs up to the mountains along with the people of Mecca, to
hide.
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Farâhî says; how can it be possible for ‘Abd al-Muttalib to ask for his camels
instead of speaking for Kaaba?
73
67
al-Farâhî,
Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 382.
68
al-Farâhî,
Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 382.
69
al-Farâhî,
Mecmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 383
; al-Farâhî,
Tafsir-i Nizâmi’l-Qur’ân, p. 45.
70
Tahkîkât-ı İslâmî (magazine), volume no: 6, number: 2, Nisan-Haziran, Aligerh, 1987, pp. 62-63; İbn
İshak, ibidem
., (Mukaddime)
71
İbn İshak,
Sîretü İbn İshak, p. 39; İbn Hishâm,
es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I, pp. 84-85.
72
at-Taberî,
Jâmi ‘al-Beyân fî Tafsîr al-Qur’ân, XXX, 195-196; İbn Hisham,
es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I,
83; İbn İshak,
Sîretü İbn İshak, p. 39
73
al-Farâhî,
Mecmû’âyi Tefâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 384.
Ass. Prof. Hayrettin Öztürk
234
b) War of Arabs vs. Abraha: Farâhî says; Abraha, upon leaving for Kaaba to fight,
was attacked by small groups of Arab tribes. Arabs were ready to fight Abraha who
wanted to destroy their holy place. Even some poets have written poems on this
incident. One of the primary era poets, Dhû’l-Rumma says:
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“Our arrows have clearly hit Abraha,
There was a column of dust and dirt in the sky.
Amr
walked onto him, shredding his ribs
As the horses go by, with sore of an open wound.”
Mawlana Farâhî, in regard to this poem, says that someone from Dhû’l-Rumma's
tribe shot Abraha with an arrow and that this incidence occurred on a day at which a
large amount of dust was flying in the air because Allah had sent wind and thrown
pebbles on them, therefore destroying the army of elephants.
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c) Abraha’s attack: Farâhî claims that Abraha's attack was during pilgrimage
(hajj) time and that Abraha’s men captured also the sacrificial
lambs of Quraysh and
submits as a proof below poem from Ikrime b. Hisham:
“Dear Allah, bring disgrace upon al-Asvad b. Maksud who catches many camels
which were obviously meant for sacrifice.”
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d) Betrayal of Sakhif tribe: Farâhî thinks that Arab poets satirised the Sakhif tribe
for its cooperation with the opposing forces during the protection of Kaaba.
Accordingly, Dirar b. Hattab expressed the situation in his poem as follows:
“Sakhif, like a hopeless fugitive; fled to the side of their own deity, Laat.”
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All the rumours with the subject of Abraha and the cooperation of Sakhif tribe
are consistent and Abû Righâl Sakhafi's tomb is stoned
because he had shown
directions to Abraha’s army. If just like the Sakhif; Arabs as well have escaped, what
was the Sakhif's fault to be satirised?
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e) Farâhî’s
“kayd” explanation and Abraha’s plan: According to Farâhî; Abraha
had chosen Haram months to attack Mecca. He was planning to attack Mecca during
a time Arabs would be busy with Hajj; more specifically he
wanted to attack during
the time when they would be busy with sacrifices at Mina or
tashrik (the eve of a
bairam) days during which they would be tired of traveling.
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But Allah (c.c.) brought
their plans to end up with naught. First, he stopped Abraha at Batn Muhassir. Arab’s
used Muhassir’s stones as weapons and then Allah sent forth a wind towards Abraha’s
army who came to destroy Kaaba, a wind with a rain of pebbles in it. Obvious from
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al-Farâhî,
Macmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 384.
75
al-Farâhî,
Tafsîr-i Sûre-i Fîl, p. 48; al-Farâhî,
Macmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 384.
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al-Farâhî,
Macmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 383; İbn Hishâm,
es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I, 85.
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İbn Hishâm,
es-Sîretü’n-Nabaviyye, I, p. 81.
78
al-Farâhî,
Macmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 385.
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al-Farâhî,
Tafsîr-i Sûre-i Fîl, p. 51; al-Farâhî,
Macmû’âyi Tafâsîr-i Farâhî, p. 386.