THE YEAR OF THE ELEPHANT

The sun beat down on the desert parched
as over it Abraha's army marched.
Its aim to destroy Ka'ba with the elephant's might
and kill many Meccans in a fierce fight!
As the elephant approached Ka'ba most fair
it stopped in defiance and just stood there.
Somehow, even the poor dumb elephant knew
the destruction of Ka'ba is strictly taboo.
Beaten so hard because it refused
with bars of iron, severely abused,
but nothing would make the elephant march
even though its beating was terribly harsh.
Abdul Muttalib, the noble, the wise
said to the Quraysh in haste - "Go and hide,
Allah will protect Ka'ba this day
go now to the hills not far away!"
Suddenly, the sky was filled with birds
the Quraysh stared in amazement - lost for words!
Allah had sent birds with stones
to pelt the army and break their bones.
Abraha, the wicked leader of them all
was hit hard by the stones that fell in the squall,
his death didn't come straight away
in pain he lingered for many a day.
Allah had saved Ka'ba in a miraculous way
and no one forgot the events of that day.
The Meccans returned to their homes once more
in wonderment of the miracle they saw.
That was the Year of the Elephant,
a year in which there was another event!
A babe was born, the last Prophet to be
Muhammad* his name, sent for you and me!

*Praise and peace be upon him

A poem by
Khadeijah Stephens