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}