The Almighty says

{ أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولِ } (الفيل 1 : 5)

{ Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant? Did He not bring their scheme to nothing? And He sent against them birds in flocks, striking them with stones of baked clay, leaving them like eaten straw. } (Al-Fil 1:5)

The Comment

1 - God—the Almighty—dedicated an entire surah (chapter) to elephants—albeit a short one—naming it after them. Yet, elephants are by no means the most formidable of animals; there are lions, tigers, and other predators that God—the Almighty—mentions only within individual verses, rather than dedicating an entire, separate surah to them as He did for the elephants.

2 - The year in which good triumphed over evil among the Arabs during the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah) was known as the "Year of the Elephant."

3 - The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in the Year of the Elephant—an honor in itself.

4 - Allah (the Exalted) did not create anything in vain. Even if the primary functions of certain animals appear to be limited to eating, drinking, and procreation, modern science has demonstrated that many animals play a significant role in the environment—all animals, at the very least, contribute to biodiversity. Some, however, play an even more profound role—elephants being a prime example.

4 - Beyond their environmental impact, elephants also hold a place in our social consciousness. One should firmly grasp that Allah (the Almighty) created nothing without purpose; every animal possesses its own unique behavior and distinct way of life. You may have heard, for instance, that an elephant might use endearing gestures to secure food, or that a lion will not consume leftover prey. The point is that elephants offer us lessons: they maintain deeply interconnected, nuclear-style family structures, with successive generations remaining closely bonded. Consequently, if a young elephant witnesses poachers killing its kin for their tusks—driven by the pursuit of mere money—it can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If left untreated by specialists, the animal may even die—not merely from physical trauma, but from the sheer intensity of its bond with its parents and its multi-generational family unit. Furthermore, elephants travel in groups precisely because of these strong familial ties—a phenomenon from which we, too, can learn.

5 - Elephants possess a memory that can span up to twenty years; they may seek revenge against those who once harmed them, even after such a long time—if an elephant encounters someone who caused it harm—even two decades prior—it may attempt to kill them.

6 - Like some other animals, elephants have begun a countdown toward extinction in certain parts of the world. Meanwhile, in the West, there are efforts to bring back the mammoth—a type of elephant that existed millions of years ago—using genetic material (DNA) through various methods, such as the CRISPR gene-editing tool, genetic engineering, or cloning. The point here is that it is non-Muslims—not Muslims—who are striving to keep the ecosystem stable to the best of their ability, even though we, as Muslims, are commanded to do so, yet we fail to act.

The Almighty says

"فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ" (116)

"If only there had been among the generations before you people of virtue who forbade corruption on the earth—except for the few among them whom We saved. But those who did wrong pursued the luxuries in which they lived, and they became criminals." (116)

This noble verse tells us that:

1- Only a very small number of people—those whom God, Blessed and Exalted be He, saved—possessed the awareness to recognize the corruption unfolding around them; these are the ones referred to as the "saved group.

2 - If you type the word "corruption" into a search engine, you will encounter various forms—financial, political, social, and environmental. In light of this verse, consider yourself directly addressed by the Lord of the Worlds, called upon to rescue animals from the clutches of inhumane organizations that subject them to painful and unjust experiments.

3 - More importantly, those who sit in comfort, enjoying the bounties God has bestowed upon them, yet fail to defend—for instance—nations suffering under the weight of climate injustice, may be deemed "criminals." (And, of course, God knows best.)

4 - We must not overlook the fact that environmental corruption is but one form of corruption, yet it profoundly impacts the lives of millions—leading to climate-induced migration, the displacement of children forced to seek a livelihood, and the plight of young men trapped for years at the borders of Western nations. Unable to return to their homelands or enter the Western countries, they remain stranded there—until such time as God, the Blessed and Exalted, wills otherwise.

The Mammoth

The woolly mammoth is an extinct species of elephant that thrived during the Pleistocene Ice Age. Larger than modern-day elephants, woolly mammoths could grow to a height of about 10 to 12 feet and weigh between 6 and 8 tons. They possessed a unique set of characteristics, including large, downward-curving tusks and a hump of fat on their backs used to store water and energy. Most distinctively, however, they were covered in the long, thick fur from which they derive their name.

The scientific evidence suggests that some mammoths may have survived as recently as 4,300 years ago. Because they were preserved in permafrost—ground that remains permanently frozen—many woolly mammoth carcasses have been found in remarkably intact condition. These well-preserved remains provide a wealth of information, enabling scientists to collect and sequence the DNA of the woolly mammoth. In fact, some have suggested that recent advancements in genetics and cloning technology could potentially allow scientists to bring the woolly mammoth back to life, enabling it to roam the Earth once again.

Now,

What role do elephants play in improving the ecosystem?

Numerous studies indicate that we must step up our efforts when it comes to protecting elephants. For instance, the Great Elephant Census—the largest wildlife survey in the world—confirmed a 30% decline in the global African elephant population over the past few decades. And it is not only African elephants that are facing such challenges. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the population of Asian elephants has declined by at least 50% since the early 20th century.

1- The elephants are seed dispersers

The African elephant is the largest herbivore in the world. Although the Asian elephant is smaller in stature, it is still considered one of the heavyweights among herbivores in the animal kingdom. It is, therefore, no surprise that these animals consume a significant amount of plant matter every day. After chewing on vegetation—which often contains seeds—elephants carry this plant material through their digestive tracts and eventually deposit it in piles of dung. In this way, plant matter can be transported thousands of meters away from where it was originally consumed. In fact, some studies have suggested that elephants can disperse seeds over distances exceeding 60 kilometers.

2- The Elephant Dung

This is an ideal fertilizer, as it is rich in nutrients that enable seeds to germinate and grow. The dispersal of seeds by elephants provides plants with the opportunity to colonize new areas, ultimately creating new habitats and food sources for a variety of other animals.

3- They provide an abundant food source

As elephants pass dung, dung beetles can be seen swarming toward it, hoping to secure a share of the nutrient-rich solids and liquids it contains. Elephant dung offers plenty for these beetles to consume; beyond feeding on it, they also bury the dung underground, where their larvae can feed and grow. In the process, the beetles loosen compacted soil and transport the nutrient-rich elephant manure to where it is most needed—the soil layers where plants begin to grow. Thus, elephant dung supports the survival of a wide variety of life forms.

4- Elephants also break down branches

As they move through their habitat, elephants break down branches that might otherwise be too high for smaller animals to reach, thereby granting those animals access to additional food. In this way, these large, floppy-eared mammals support the survival of other organisms and contribute to the biodiversity of species within their ecosystems.

5- They can dig water holes

The elephants dig wells to reach groundwater. Using their feet, trunks, and tusks, they excavate holes deep enough to tap into subterranean water sources. These holes, created by the elephants, subsequently become available for other animals to drink from.

6- The elephants modify their environments

Given their immense size, few things can stand in an elephant’s way. In forests, elephants create open, green spaces by trampling the vegetation. These gaps allow more light to reach the forest floor, giving understory plants a better chance to grow. Since different animal species rely on different types of plants, this can enhance biodiversity and provide new niches for organisms to inhabit.

7- Elephants also modify savanna habitats

by uprooting trees and breaking apart thorny shrubs. This helps maintain the savanna as an open plain—dotted with, rather than overrun by, trees and shrubs—and supports the types of species that thrive in the savanna biome.