Lesson 13: Divine Delegates

Animals Are Divine Delegates

{ فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ }

Many times, in the Qur’an, the role and delegation given to animals has been demonstrated. As examples:

1. Part of a sacrificed cow (The Cow of Bani Israel) brought back to life a murdered man to bear witness as to who killed him.

{إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً}

2. A spider that protected the Prophet while he was in the cave.

{إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّـهُ}

3. A crow became the teacher of man.

{فَبَعَثَ اللَّـهُ غُرَابًا }

4. A hoopoe bird that was assigned to to deliver the letter of Prophet Suliman (pbuh) to Queen Baqlis, the ruler of the Land of Seba:

{اذْهَب بِّكِتَابِي هَـٰذَا}

5. Small birds that were charged with the task of throwing stones upon the Army of the Elephant:

{وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ}

6. A serpent, a means for truth for Prophet Moses(pbuh):

{فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ}

7. A whale, commissioned to punishment for Prophet Yunus(pbuh):

{فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ}

8. Termites, the means in which the death of Prophet Sulaiman (pbuh) was discovered:

{دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ}

9. The dog, a companion of the people of the cave, was responsible for guarding them:

{وَكَلْبُهُم بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ}

10. Four birds (Peacock, pigeon, cock, and crow) provided contentment to Prophet Ibrahim(pbuh)

{فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ}

11. A donkey, the reason for certainty of Prophet Uzair(pbuh) in the Resurrection:

{وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ}

12. The camel, cow, and sheep in the Hajj Pilgrimage, become divine symbols:

{وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّـهِ}

13. Animals, become a means to know God:

{أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ}

14. Animals, become a means of a test to mankind:

{تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ}

15. Animals, become the miracles of God:

{هَـٰذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّـهِ}

16. Animals, are a means of Divine anger and punishment:

{وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ}