From the Pride of Wealth to the Fall of Abraha's Army: What Warnings Do Three Quranic Surahs Give Humanity?

Abraha's army marched on Mecca with war elephants and a massive force to destroy the Kaaba, but ultimately failed to achieve its goal, as recounted in Surah al-Fil. Alongside this story, the short surahs al-Asr and al-Humazah warn against wasting the capital of life, attachment to wealth, and contempt for others, presenting a picture of the consequences of human conduct. These three short surahs speak of responsibility, ethics, and the limits of material power.

According to the Missionary Thought and Culture Base, the three Surahs of Asr, Hamza and Fil, despite the short verses, contain a series of deep messages about the individual and social life of man. Surah Asr talks about the loss of man in the passage of time and the necessity of faith and righteous deeds; Surah Hamzah condemns wealth accumulation with self-aggrandizement and contempt for others, and Surah Fil tells the story of an army that relied on its military capabilities to destroy the house of God, but did not achieve its goal.

According to Fars' narration, these three surahs examine the relationship of man with faith, morality, wealth and power from different angles and remind that having material facilities alone is not a guarantee of salvation and success.

Surah Asr; Qur'an's warning about capital that does not return

Surah Asr begins with the oath "Wal al-Asr"; An oath that draws the audience's attention to its time and importance. Allameh Tabataba'i, in his interpretation of al-Mizan, while examining the meaning of Asr and its example, pays attention to the central message of this surah about human harm.

In the second verse, we read: "Insomuch as a son-in-law"; Indeed, man is at a loss.

The concept of loss in this verse cannot be limited to the loss of money, social status or life opportunities. Humans have a capital that is constantly decreasing and it is not possible to restore the moments that have passed. This capital is life; An opportunity that will be lost if not used in the right way.

However, the Qur'an does not condemn all human beings to loss, and in the next verse, it introduces a way out of this situation: "Only those who believe and do good and seek truth and seek patience"; Except those who believe, do righteous deeds and enjoin each other to truth and patience.

According to this verse, human salvation is not limited to individual faith; Rather, faith should be manifested in his behavior and actions and lead to doing worthy deeds. In addition, the mutual order to the right shows the social responsibility of man, and the emphasis on patience reminds us of the necessity of persevering in the path of truth.

From this point of view, indifference to the moral and intellectual status of others can deprive the society of one of the most important fields of growth and liberation. The message of Surah Asr is that the right use of life, along with faith and righteous deeds, comes with responsibility towards others and standing up for the truth.

Surah Hamzah; When wealth becomes a tool of self-aggrandizement

With a warning tone, Surah Hamzah condemns those who are used to finding fault and humiliating others: "Woe to you." Woe to every sarcastic fault-finder.

The content of this verse goes beyond obvious insults and includes behaviors that target the dignity and honor of others. In this sura, the Qur'an puts such an approach alongside a wrong view of wealth; A view that considers material possessions as a measure of superiority and a means of feeling secure and lasting.

In the next verse it is stated: The same person who collects money and counts it continuously.

Then the Qur'an says about the wrong idea of such a person: He thinks that his touch will make him immortal.

Here, it is not simply about having wealth or trying to increase wealth; Rather, the problem begins when a person sees his wealth as a sign of superiority over others and becomes dependent on it as if wealth can protect him from death and the consequences of his actions.

In such a view, instead of being a tool for life and meeting needs, wealth becomes a factor for self-aggrandizement and humiliation of others. Surah Hamzah challenges this notion and reminds that material facilities cannot replace ethics and responsibility.

In the following, the Qur'an reveals the end of this behavior: If not, it will definitely be thrown into the rubble.

"Hatama" means crushing and in this surah it refers to the fire that is described in the following verses. The Qur'an refers to it as "the fire of God". He remembers the fire kindled by God and says that this fire penetrates to the hearts and embraces them.

In this way, Surah Hamza establishes a connection between wrong moral behavior in this world and its consequences in the hereafter. The message of this surah is that wealth, if it is accompanied by the humiliation of humans and a sense of superiority, is not only a guarantee of permanence, but can also be the basis for the moral downfall of man.

Surah Fil; The defeat of the army that came to destroy the Kaaba

Surah Al-Fil, unlike the previous two surahs, which focus more on the behavior and individual destiny of humans, deals with a historical event that had a special place in the memory of the people of Mecca: Abraha's campaign to destroy the Kaaba.

According to the famous historical and exegetical narrative, Abraheh, the ruler of Yemen, prepared a large army with war elephants and marched towards Mecca to destroy the House of God. This event, which is known as "Aam al-Fail" in historical sources, has become one of the prominent events in the narratives related to the history of the Kaaba.

The Qur'an begins the story with this question: "Alam Ter Kaif Fa Faal Rabbuk Bi Asahab Al Fail"; Did you not see what your Lord did to the companions of the elephant?

This question refers the audience to an event whose outcome was known among the people of Mecca. It is also stated in the next verse: "Alam Yajaal Keidahum fi Tazleil"; Didn't it make their plan ineffective and ruined?

The Abrahe Army had set out relying on the number of its forces and equipment, but its goal was not achieved. In the famous historical and commentary reports, it is stated that the elephant refused to move towards the Kaaba and then, groups of birds were sent to the army. The Qur'an says about this: "And a bird was sent to them by Ababil"; And he sent birds to them in groups.

In the following, the verses talk about the stones that these birds used to throw on the army and finally describe it to a situation that is stated in the final verse: And he made them like chewed straw and leaves.

This interpretation presents an image of the collapse of an army that had moved to achieve a great goal by relying on its apparent power and military capabilities, but failed to achieve it.

The message of Surah Fil is not only a retelling of a historical event; This surah draws the audience's attention to the limitation of material power and shows that having military force, population and equipment does not necessarily mean victory. Abrahe wanted to destroy the sanctity of the Kaaba, but his campaign did not succeed. This event was also a reminder for the Quraish of the divine protection of the Kaaba and the blessing that was shown to them in this event.

Three surahs and a common message; Wealth and power are not the ultimate criteria

Surah Asr, Hamza and Fil, each from a different perspective, deal with the issue of human choice and the consequences of his actions. Surah Asr talks about the limitation of life and the necessity of using this opportunity properly; Surah Hamzah condemns dependence on wealth and turning it into a tool for humiliating others, and Surah Fil depicts the history of the army that relied on its military power to destroy the Kaaba, but did not achieve its goal.

The common denominator of these three surahs is to pay attention to one's responsibility towards life, others and God. Life is a limited opportunity that must be used in the path of faith and righteous action; Wealth finds its true value when it does not become a means to seek superiority and humiliate others, and power cannot be a justification for aggression and destruction.

Finally, these verses remind us that neither wealth alone guarantees salvation nor material power can guarantee success. What is important in this view is choosing the right path, adhering to ethics and accepting responsibility before God and humans; A criterion that is emphasized in all three surahs, from individual life to social behavior and the fate of great powers.

See and hear the recitation of the verses of these three surahs, which are on page 601 of the Holy Quran.