Abraha: Difference between revisions

Abraha or Abraha al-Ashram was the king of Yemen and the commander of the army of the elephants who marched to Mecca to destroy the Kaaba but was defeated by flocks of birds throwing pieces of shale. Abraha later died in Yemen from the injuries he had in that incident.  

Abraha was the ruler of Yemen and a follower of Christianity. His motive for destroying the Kaaba was to react to the disrespect of one of the Yemenis to the church he had built to prevent them from traveling to Mecca. The spread of Christianity and the interests of Rome and Abyssinia were also considered among the other motives of his attack on Mecca.

Abraha was called Ashram (having a split nose and lips) because of the wound he had received on his face during the war. However, in Dala’il al-nubuwwah, his name is recorded as “Abraha b. Ashram”. But, it is said that his father’s name was not Ashram, as his father’s name is mentioned Sabah in Mu’jam al-buldan.

Abraha was also called Abu Yaksum, “Sahib al-Fil” [“the Companion of the Elephant”], and Abraha Habashi [“Abraha of Abyssinia”].

Abraha marched to Mecca with an army of elephants in front of him to destroy the Kaaba. According to the verses of the Qur’an, flocks of birds appeared in the sky and threw stones at them. The army of Abraha returned to Yemen after the defeat. Abraha was also injured in the incident and died in Yemen after being transferred there.

In Surah al-Fil, the story of the army of the elephants and their destruction by flocks of birds throwing pieces of shale is mentioned.

Abraha was a follower of Christianity. To prevent the Yemeni Arabs from traveling to Mecca, he built a church in Sanaa and decorated it with gold and jewelry, and forced them to visit it. The church was called “Qilis” and was built to prevent Arabs from traveling to Mecca. But, one of the Yemenis disrespected this church, so Abraha swore to destroy the Kaaba. However, the spread of Christianity in the western and southern parts of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as the political and economic interests of Rome and Abyssinia, are considered to be the motives of his attack on Mecca.

Abraha was the commander of one of the two armies that the ruler of Abyssinia sent to capture Yemen. Another army was led by a man named Ariat. According to some accounts, only one army was sent to Yemen under the command of Ariat, and Abraha was one of Ariat’s corps. After the conquest of Yemen by the Abyssinian army, a war broke out between Ariat and Abraha. Abraha killed Ariat and became the ruler of Yemen.

According to Mas’udi, the killing of Ariat angered the king of Abyssinia, who decided to attack with an army and kill Abraha. But, Abraha sent gifts with a letter to the king of Abyssinia, in which, in addition to asking for forgiveness, he declared his loyalty and obedience to the king of Abyssinia. The king of Abyssinia also forgave him.