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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 }

And when We decreed that he should die, naught indicated to them that he was dead but the Beast of the Earth (termites) devouring his staff; and when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that, had they only known the Unseen, they would not have continued in the humbling chastisement. (Seba 34:14).

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}

'God commands you to sacrifice a cow.' (Al Baqarah 2:67)

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

{إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّـهُ}

If you do not help him, yet God has helped him already (Al Tawba 9:40).

3. A crow became the teacher of man.

{فَبَعَثَ اللَّـهُ غُرَابًا }

Then God sent forth a raven (Al Maida 5:31).

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}

Take this letter of mine.(An Naml 27:28).

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

{وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ}

And He sent upon them birds in flights (Al Fil 105:3).

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

{فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُّبِينٌ}

and behold, it was a serpent manifest. (Al A’raf 7:107).

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

{فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ}

Then the whale swallowed him down (As Saffat 37:142).

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

{دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ}

The Beast of the Earth devouring his staff. (Seba 34:14).

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

{وَكَلْبُهُم بَاسِطٌ ذِرَاعَيْهِ بِالْوَصِيدِ}

and their dog 'stretching its paws on the threshold.
(Al Kahf 18:18).

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

{فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ}

Take four birds. (Al Baqarah 2:260).

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

{وَانظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ}

And look at thy donkey. (Al Baqarah 2:259).

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

{وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّـهِ}

And the beasts of sacrifice - We have appointed them for you as among God's waymarks (Al Hajj 22:36).

13. Animals, become a means to know God:

{أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ}

What, do they not consider how the camel was created?
(Al Ghashiya 88:17).

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

{تَنَالُهُ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ}

that your hands and lances attain (Al Maida 5:94).

15. Animals, become the miracles of God:

{هَـٰذِهِ نَاقَةُ اللَّـهِ}

This is the She-camel of God. (Al Araf 7:73).

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

{وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ}

The locusts, the lice and the frogs (Al Araf 7:133).