Section 1: Verses 1–5
Thematic progression across verses 1–5
أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلۡفِيلِ 1
Alam tara kaifa fa'ala rabbuka bi ashaabil feel
Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the People of the Elephant
أَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡ كَيۡدَهُمۡ فِي تَضۡلِيلࣲ 2
Alam yaj'al kai dahum fee tad leel
Did He not make their plan go wrong
وَأَرۡسَلَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ طَيۡرًا أَبَابِيلَ 3
Wa arsala 'alaihim tairan abaabeel
He sent against them swarms of birds
تَرۡمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةࣲ مِّن سِجِّيلࣲ 4
Tar meehim bi hi jaaratim min sij jeel
Throwing at them rocks of baked clay
فَجَعَلَهُمۡ كَعَصۡفࣲ مَّأۡكُولِۭ 5
Faja 'alahum ka'asfim m'akool
Leaving them like chewed-up leaves