Al-Qudwa Institute
Feb 14, 2021
It is one of the great creations of Allah that we have animals who hold their own 'communities', that are similar to that of a man. Our basic principles of respect and care extend to them too and their ultimate destination to return to Allah is also undisputed.
From the 31 mentioned in the Qur'an, we will highlight 7 of these remarkable creatures created by Allah in exceptional design to recognise and witness the Almighty.
1. Bee
In Surah An-Nahl, The Bee, Allah states “And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: “Take your habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you).” There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think.” [Quran 16:68-69]
Bees are specifically made up on either 16 pairs of chromosomes in the case of a queen bee, or 16 single chromosome in the case of drones and the chapter of The Bee is the sixteenth of the Quran. The residence of the Bee is also a wonderful creation in itself. The beehive as a hexagonal structure is regarded as being a compact and easily replicable structure.
The production of honey and its multiple uses as a remedy, a sweetener and a natural healing agent as well as its use in beauty and therapy, it is a miracle created from the belly of the bee.
2. Camel
Mentioned 15 times in the Qur'an, the Camel is often mentioned by showing the wonders of Allahs artistry. Allah says "Do they not look at the camels – how they are created?" [Quran 88:17]. We can explore some of the features of the camel to understand the extent to which the Almighty creates nothing without extensive thought to its purpose creating only that which can be described as phenomenal.
Stretchy nostrils, long eyelashes and three sets of eyelids ensure that sand is kept out of their eyes, reflecting the particular demands of their common habitat.
They are also created with hair on their back to protect against the heat and strength of the sun, with a hump for the storing of fat for food without having to endure fat's insulating effect for the purpose of surviving in long hot journeys. Similarly, padded feet assist in preventing the camel from sinking into the sand and to also protect them from the heat of the ground.
The camel has two knees, and thus despite the great height, it can bend to sit down to allow a human climbing comfortable and possible. They are also able to bear a huge amount of loads. This camel-load was once used as a form of measurement. The Quran mentioned states "and obtain an increase of a camel's load; that is an easy measurement" [Quran 12:65].
It is no wonder we have been instructed to look at how the camel has been created. Allah shows us the greatness of the Creator, the perfection of His power and the beauty of His control. It is a clear manifestation of the verses of the Qur'an describing Allah's creation repeatedly and an example of Allah's amazingly intricate, delicate and beautiful design of all creation.
3. Raven
From the mention of the Raven in the Qur'an within the story of Qabeel and Habeel, we learn that Allah sent a raven who began digging up the ground to show him through the animal how one may conceal a body. In this instance, the body of the deceased brother. Upon seeing the Raven do this, the brother thought that he too was capable of digging the ground to bury the body, becoming remorseful of the initial act [Quran 5:31].
4. Horse
The horse is mentioned 6 times in the Quran. It is referred to for its beauty and its value as an animal to be rode upon [Quran 16:8]. The horse is another creature which has been created by Allah to add to humankind, contributing to our life by ornamenting it and enriching it. All creations of Allah bring a sense of wonder to humans, resurrecting feelings of indebtedness and gratitude as humans to the Creator for the world around us.
Prophet Suleman was gifted horses and express significant love towards his horses. This no doubt would have embodied the thankfulness to Allah who has bestowed to him with such beautiful gifts.
Interestingly, horses can sleep both laying down and standing up and have 205 bones in their body, which is very close to the 206 in an adult human body!
5. Wolf
The word wolf is mentioned 3 times in the Qur'an within Surah Yusuf [Qur'an 12:13, 12:14 and 12:17].
Wolves are regarded as a complex, highly intelligent animal who are caring, playful and devoted to family. Though understood as being wild and deadly beats, when observed in the wild they often display significant levels of affection and emotion towards each other.
Female wolves have an average length of 4.5 to 6 feet from nose to tail and males are able to grow up to 6.5 feet! This aids them in sprinting at speeds around 36 miles per hour during short distances!
6. Whale
In the famous story of Prophet Yunus [Quran 37:142], the Prophet Yunus prayed to Allah whilst he was inside the belly of the Whale having recognised the mistake he had made. There is a dua associated with The Prophet Yunus' prayers to Allah during this time:
"There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." [Quran 21:87]. He remained in the Whale for 3 days. By Allah's order, the Whale then released Prophet Yunus from the belly onto a shore.
The story teaches us Allah is control, and He alone can direct which course events will take. We should never give up, but trust Allah.
The Blue Whale is regarded as the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth. Its tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant!
7. Elephant
Chapter 105 of the Qur'an mentions "the people of the Elephant" [Quran 105:1], a short chapter of 5 verses. The Elephant refers to a well known incident which took place in the Arabian peninsula which coincides with the same year the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was born in which an army that attempted to destroy the Ka'bah mobilised an army which used Elephants amount the animals. This year was later known as the "Year of the Elephant" to describe lengths of time.
The average age of an Elephant is thought to be between 50-70 years of age. An Elephants tusks never stop growing so age can often be determined by the size of tusks too.
Whilst also recognising and distinguishing between human voices, they are also found to be highly sensitive and caring animals expressing grief, compassion and play through various acts.
Elephants also require around 160 litres of water a day making the human recommended daily intake of between 2.7-3.5 litres a day seem like a walk in the park!
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