A Miracle of Shaikh Abu 'Abhallah b. Khafif

It is related that on one occasion [the shaikh] set out for a mountain .... accompanied by about thirty poor brethren [brothers]. They [became hungry] on the way to the mountain... and lost their bearings. They asked the shaikh to allow them to catch one of the small elephants, which are exceedingly numerous in that place and are transported [from there] to the capital of the king of India. The shaikh forbade them, but their hunger got the better of them; they disobeyed his instruction and, seizing a small elephant, they slaughtered it and ate its flesh. The shaikh, however, refused to eat it. That night, as they slept, the elephants gathered from every direction and came upon them, and they went smelling each man and killing him until they had made an end of them all. They smelled the shaikh, too, but offered no violence to him; one of them took hold of him, wrapped its trunk round him, set him on its back, and brought him to the place where there was some habitation. ... Then the elephant, as it came near [the people of the village], seized him with its trunk, and [gently] lifted him off its back down to the ground in full view of them. These people them came up to him, touched ... his robe [for a blessing] and took him to their king [where he received a reward of three rubies].

Abridged from Gibb, pages 314 - 315.

Certain groups of Muslims believe that eating the flesh of elephants is prohibited in the Qur'an.