1. Alam tara kaifa fa'ala rabbuka bi ashaabil feel
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْفِيلِ
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?
The Elephant
1. Alam tara kaifa fa'ala rabbuka bi ashaabil feel
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَٰبِ ٱلْفِيلِ
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?
2. Alam yaj'al kai dahum fee tad leel
أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِى تَضْلِيلٍۢ
Did He not make their plan into misguidance?
3. Wa arsala 'alaihim tairan abaabeel
وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ
And He sent against them birds in flocks,
4. Tar meehim bi hi jaaratim min sij jeel
تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍۢ مِّن سِجِّيلٍۢ
Striking them with stones of hard clay,
5. Faja 'alahum ka'asfim m'akool
فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍۢ مَّأْكُولٍۭ
And He made them like eaten straw.
One of the many practices taught by Islam is that its followers should begin their activities in the name of God.
The character of this surah is that of a prayer. The prayer begins with praise of the One to whom our prayer is addressed.