OCCASION OF REVELATION
THE STORY OF THE OWNERS OF THE ELEPHANT
The commentators and historians have narrated this story in different ways. We will brief it according to the popular narrations by Sireye Ebne Hesham, Boloughelarab, Beharol Anvar, Majmaol Bayan.
Dhu Nuwas, king of Yemen, instructed for harsh persecution of Christians living in Najran to dissent from Christianity. 
After this great crime, a man called Dous weathered the massacre, went to Roman Caesar who was a Christian and related the story for him.
Caesar wrote a letter to Negus, king of Ethiopia, to revenge the Christians of Najran from Dhu Nuwas and sent a letter to Negus with the same person. 
Negus delegated a host consisting of more than seventy thousands people commanded by a man called Eriat to Yemen. Abraha too was one of the commanders of the host.
Dhu Nuwas was defeated, and Eriat substituted him as the ruler of Yemen. After a while, Abraha rose against him, overthrew and substituted him. 
Negus was informed of the event. He decided to suppress Abraha. For saving himself, Abraha shaved his head and sent his hair with some soils of Yemen as a symbol of complete submission and paid allegiance to him. 
Negus forgave him and let him to continue his position.
For ostentation, Abraha constructed a very luxurious and royal church, which was unique at that time. Then, he decided to call people of Arabia Peninsula towards it instead of Kaaba and make it a center of Haj for the Arabs. 
For this purpose, it sent many missioners to the surroundings and among the Arab tribes in Hejaz. 
According to some narrations, a group of people fired the church secretly and according to another narration, they tainted it secretly. 
Abraha was enraged and decided to destroy completely Kaaba in order to revenge and also attract the Arab's attention towards the new temple. He departed towards Mecca with a massive host, some of whom were riding on elephants. 
When he was near to Mecca, he sent a group of his host to plunder the camels and properties of Meccans, among which two hundred camels belonged to Abdolmotalleb. 
Abraha sent someone to Mecca. His envoy entered Mecca and asked for the chieftain of Mecca. All introduced Abdolmotalleb to him. He related the story for Abdolmotalleb and said him: You shall come with me. When Abraha saw Abolmotalleb, he was so impressed that he stood up and sat on the earth. Then, he said to his translator, ask him what he wants? 
Abdolmotalleb said: I want you to instruct for restoring me my two hundred plundered camels.
Abraha asked his translator to say him: When I saw you, I found you very majestic, but now you lost your position for saying this request. You are talking about your two hundred camels, but nothing about Kaaba which is your precedents'religion and I have come to destroy it! 
Abdolmotalleb said: I am the owner of my camels and this House has an owner, who defends it. Abraha was impressed by this phrase and pondered for a while. 
Abdolmotalleb came back to Mecca and informed people to shelter in the surrounding mountains. He along with some others went to Kaaba and prayed and sought assistance. Then, he recited his well-known poems, including: 
O God! Anyone defends his house; Thee protect Thy House!
Never should their cross and power overcome Thy powers!
Then, Abdolmotalleb went to one of the valleys around Mecca, where Qureysh sheltered. He instructed one of his children to go to the top of Abou Ghobeis mountain and see what happens.
His son came to the father fast and said: Father! I am seeing a dark cloud from the sea side (Red sea) moving towards our territory. Abdolmotalleb delighted and called: O, People of Qureysh! Return to your homes. The Divine Assistance is supporting you.
On the other hand, Abraha riding on his known elephant called Mahmoud along with his massive host departed to Mecca for destroying Kaaba, but the elephant did not move forward. When he turned it towards Yemen, it moved very fast. Abraha was surprised!
Then, the birds from the sea side arrived, like swallows, each having three gravels, one on the bill, and two at the claws, with the size of a pea. They poured the gravels on the host of Abraha and they were killed after strike. 
Abraha too was injured by the gravel. He was returned back to Sana, capital of Yemen. He died there.
Some have said that typhus and pox appeared in the Arab territory at this year. It is popular that Prophet (SA) was born at this year and the world was lightened with the light of his existence. 
However, the significance of this great event was so much that the year was called Year of Elephant and it was recognized as a new Arab era.

TELL ABRAHA NOT TO HASTEN!
VERSES NO. 1-5
In the first verse of this sura the Prophet (SA) is addressed: Did you not see what your lord did with the host of elephant.
They were going to destroy Kaaba, hoping to centralize the church in Yemen. However, not only they did not achieve their purpose, but also the event increased significance of Mecca and House of Kaaba.
Then, the story is explained about their destruction! 
The sura is a warning to all the outlaw and arrogant!

THE END OF THE ELEPHANT SUREH