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Stage 1 · Chapter 2

The Year of the Elephant & his birth

An army marched on Makkah and was turned back. In the same year, the Prophet ﷺ was born.

  • [ ] min read
  • c. 570 CE
  • Makkah

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At a glance

Stage 1
When
c. 570 CE
Where
Makkah
Known as
The Year of the Elephant
Key people
[Names]
Key places
[Places]
Read time
[ ] minutes
In one sentence
Summary The whole chapter in a single plain sentence.

Part oneSection heading goes here

ParagraphSet the scene in two or three short sentences: where we are, when, and who is there. One idea per paragraph, plain words, no long quotations.

ParagraphTell what happened in order. Use “c.” for approximate dates, and mark anything scholars differ on as a difference of opinion, with its source.

A smaller subsection

ParagraphSubsections break a long part into easy steps. A short list works well for names, places or a sequence of events:

  • List itemA name, a place or a moment
  • List itemKeep each item to one line

From the Quran

[Ayah — Arabic text]

[Translation] The meaning in English, quoted exactly from a named translation.

[Surah name · surah:ayah]

Part twoAnother section heading

ParagraphContinue the story. When a hadith is quoted, give the collection and number, and its grading where it matters.

From the hadith

[Hadith — English text] The words of the hadith, quoted exactly, with the narrator named first.

[Collection][Book · hadith number][Grading]

ParagraphDraw the threads together before the lesson. Short is better than complete.

Pull quote A short line worth remembering, from the chapter or a named scholar.

[Name, source]

WatchThe lecture for this chapter

Lecture
[Lecture title][Speaker · length]
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The mapWhere it happened

Stylised map: the road north from Yemen towards Makkah, near the Red Sea coast. Red Sea the army’s road YEMEN ↓ Makkah N
Map placeholder[Caption: what the map shows, and its source]

SourcesSources for this chapter

Every chapter lists where it comes from. Three kinds of source, three styles:

  1. Book[Book title][Author] · [chapter or pages] [Publisher, year]
  2. Lecture series[Series title] · [Episode][Speaker] [Timestamp]
  3. YouTube[Video title][Channel] [Length]

Reviewed by [Reviewer] · Last updated [Date] · How we choose sources

Previous chapter 01Arabia before Islam Coming soon
Next chapter 03Childhood in the desert with Halimah Coming soon

Keep walking

One footstep at a time

Go back to the stage, or see the whole road from Makkah to Madinah.