This writing tells about the miraculous mention of birds and animals in the Holy Book Quran; Al-Hamdu Lillah.

1. Holy Quran on Animals
As I ponder on the verses of Holy Book Quran, I feel sometimes that
there are some obvious facts about a few verses of the Holy Book
Quran that even the learned persons in the disciplines related to the
Holy Book have omitted. This omission of the obvious becomes
evident when the term “DEEN O DUNYA” (Religion & World
respectively) is applied commonly in speech & writing as if these
both are in difference with each other while actually DEEN (Religion;
rather DEEN means the complete code of life that asks to take its
guidance in all fields of life) is the criterion for the betterment of
both this worldly life and the true coming life. Actual term that ought
to be applied in speech and writing is “DUNYA O AKHIRAT” (this
world & the coming world where we would have our true eternal
life) and the Holy Quran uses this term as such and asks the believers
to pray for the betterment of both the lives (Surah Baqarah-201).
Likewise, the term “Taskheer” (to put into service) that is used in the
Holy Book Quran is applied by some unscholarly persons in the sense
that the man has a mission to conquer matter for his service
meaning that a man ought to subdue fire, earth, air & water for that
is expected of him. Please note that Allah informs us by the term
“Taskheer” in the Holy Book Quran that He has put everything in
man’s service and so the man has to put all his efforts in keeping his
belief true and do accordingly for the worship of Allah, the True Lord
(Surah Ibrahim-32,33; Nahal-12; Jathia-13). He might take benefits
from these where necessary in the best way possible yet these all in
actual by their natural existence, are already in the service to the
Man. What is already done is not needed to be done while the true
aim of life is to remain totally attentive towards Allah only by the
Belief and by all deeds according to that Belief (see Surah ZARIAAT-
56). Again, a lot of explanation is provided for the uncovering of feet
by MALIKAH Saba (the Queen of Sheba), when Suleiman-AS made a
path of glass for her to walk and she thought it to be a pond of water
(see Surah NAML-44). Please note the point that Suleiman had
understood that the queen was just making a bluff when she said

2. that she and her people had submitted to Allah and so he wanted to
convey by the glass to her that as this is a barrier to the clean water
beneath it, you also have some hindrance in accepting true faith so
without causing her an embarrassment, he wanted her to know that
he has detected her deception. He had already assessed her
intelligence by bringing her throne at his place and asking about it to
her. She was wise to answer that “it is just like that” so as not to
embarrass Suleiman, without answering wrongly. Now, she read the
indication Suleiman had made to her by this path of glass totally well
and without any diplomacy or deception, accepted Islam truly by
heart clarifying that it is just like the acceptance of Suleiman, at least
for herself. A point to note is that the Holy Quran sets a standard for
judgment of the True Belief that it must be in accordance with the
Belief of persons well known in righteousness (see Surah Baqarah-
137; Surah Nisa-115). Another point to note in this regard is that
when the Holy Quran tells something twice, there is some delicate
difference in both in nature. In the narration of creation of Adam in
Surah Baqarah, we find that Allah gave Adam & Eve the command to
descend to Earth twice, first before He granted mercy to Adam & Eve
and second after His mercy. So the character of this same command
is different as at the first, it was given as a punishment while at the
second, it was given to examine human beings whether they really
deserve JANNAH or not (see Surah Baqarah-35 to 39) as is clear even
by a simple translation. In Surah ANFAAL-52, 53 & 54, we find that
there is the mention of Pharaoh two times and that indicates two of
the Pharaoh though for this, in this writing, I would leave the detail.
If one keeps these two points in consideration in this narration of the
queen of Saba i.e. standard of judgment and the delicate difference
in something told twice in the Holy Book Quran, the matter becomes
totally clear. Another matter of interest that is overlooked, is that
the Holy Quran points out a similarity between human beings and
the earth. This too is often missed; this tells us that Allah would
awaken all persons on the day of judgment as He gives life to a dead
piece of land by a rainfall (see Surah Baqarah-164; Surah Aaraf-57;
Surah Younus-24). Today we know that the earth has just above two-

3. third water and nearly one-third dry land and the interesting thing is
that the human body too has the same ratio of water in its
composition and so the example given for awakening is very
understandable. The Holy Quran noted the similarity centuries back
when there was no inkling of this division of the Earth; Al-Hamdu
Lillah. There are other interesting points of guidance too that the
Holy Quran points out to us and that are not given due attention, as
for example, the AAYAH “Be quick in the race for forgiveness from
your Lord, and for a Garden whose width is that of the heavens and
of the earth, prepared for the righteous. Those who spend, whether
in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and pardon men,
for Allah loves those who do good” (Surah Aal-e-Imran-133,134). This
tells Muslims that contest in worldly matters is not appreciable as
clarified at Surah QASAS-76 & 77 in the narrative of QARUN too
when the good people guided him to take only what is rightly due to
him from the worldly possessions and give much from his
possessions to the needy taking up this good charity-work. The
contest for a better position in AKHIRAT only is appreciable so the
message is to give whatever you can in this world and take whatever
you can in the next. Another AAYAH of the Holy Book Quran tells us,
“And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not
your own hands contribute to destruction; but do good; for Allah
loves those who do good” (Surah Baqarah-195). This asks Muslims to
avoid all type of dangerous things and situations (save Jihad) by their
own choice as many such people do who love such sports as rash car
racing, motor cycle stunts and other such things. This type of
adventure that has a very high probability for danger to physique by
choice is prohibited by Islam; all those who call themselves Muslims
must spend their wealth, their time and their qualities that might
bring all the people to the betterment only, in the way of Allah. I
have written about these in my writings by the blessing of Allah yet
there is another very interesting thing that I have observed in the
Holy Book Quran; at-least it seems to me this way; that relates to its
narration about animals. This I have not addressed before and
presently, I am writing here about that insha Allah (by the will of

4. Allah) with an intention to guide towards Knowledge for the
betterment of self by understanding of the Holy Book Quran; Al-
Hamdu Lillah.
The point to note is that wherever birds or animals are mentioned
specifically in the Holy Quran, they present some miraculous
performance, mostly in service to Human Beings. This is a very
interesting phenomenon and does show that Allah is fully capable to
take His work from even birds & animals as He wills and this also
provides for a clear observation to all who need Guidance towards
Allah. Even ordinary Muslims are fully aware of the incident of Birds
that came as ABA-BIL (in bulk) that happened just before the birth of
the Last Prophet Muhammad PBUH, just a year or two before he was
born when the ruler of Yemen ABRAHATH attacked Mecca. These
small birds coming as ABA-BIL threw small pebbles held in their
beaks at this time miraculously upon those challengers, specially
their war-elephant that amazingly turned against its own army at
this sudden and unexpected attack from the air. Mecca remained
safe from this powerful attack due to this extraordinary event and
Surah Feel-whole of it, narrates this event clearly. So it is interesting
to note that wherever birds or animals are mentioned specifically,
they seem to perform some service to Human Beings that asks
appreciation of the Power of the True Lord Allah. Let us observe the
tasks that were performed by birds and animals other than this
incident too, as mentioned in the Holy Book Quran, but please note
that I am not trying to go for perfection in pointing out these tasks
and would remark here that it would be better if this same study is
also taken-up by those who are well-versed in many disciplines that
relate to the Holy Book Quran; that would insha-Allah rectify the
lapse, if any, that I might have committed here without any intention
as such.
1- In Surah NAML we read “And Suleiman’s army of the jinn and
the men and the birds were gathered to him, and they were formed
into groups. Until when they came to the valley of the NAML (Ant),

5. an Ant said: O NAML! Enter your houses, (that) Suleiman and his
hosts may not crush you while they do not know. So he smiled
enjoying her word, and said: My Lord! Grant in my fortune that I
should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me
and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art
pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants,
the good ones. And he reviewed the birds, then said: How is it I see
not the hoopoe or is it that he is of the absentees? 1 will most
certainly punish him with a severe punishment, or slaughter him, or
he shall bring to me a clear plea. And the bird came without much
delay, then said: I comprehend that which you do not comprehend
and I have brought to you sure information from Sheba” (Surah
NAML-17 to 22). Here NAML (Ant) talks to her companions and she is
also heard by Suleiman-AS and here, HUD-HUD (Hoopoe–a bird in
family of wood-peckers), brings an information that is something not
known even to Suleiman. The next AAYAH tells us that he had
brought information about the area of SABA (Sheba) that there a
queen was ruling and they had belief in Sun worshipping it, leaving
the True Lord Allah. So Animals are doing a strange service to their
own species and to human beings who have mastery over them. This
same Surah has the AAYAH “And when the Word falls upon them,
we would bring out an animal out of Earth that would talk to them
as people did not believe truly our indications” (Surah NAML-82). It is
said in TAFSIR (commentary made by learned persons on the Quran)
of this AAYAH that an animal would appear in Makkah near the Day
of Judgment (and this nearing of Judgment is referred to as the Word
here) that would tell people that QAYAMAT (the Last-Day of the
world) is near and this animal is one of the signs of the Day. At its
appearance, the door of TAUBAH (repentance) would be closed for
all according to Ahadith as it is very near to the time of death for all
living creatures then, just as near the death of an individual when he
sees it coming clearly, door of repentance is closed for him totally.
2- Surah Baqarah tells us that IBRAHIM-AS asked Allah for some
demonstration to clarify how would He give life again to dead and at

6. this, birds became the means to clarify this. It is said “and when
IBRAHIM asked O my Creator! Show me how would you give life to
dead and He replied, Don’t you believe? He said, for sure yet I ask for
more satisfaction of my heart. Allah said, take four birds and train
them for yourself then place on every hill a part of them, then call
them, they will come to you in haste; and know that Allah is All-
Mighty, All-Wise” (Surah Baqara-260). The previous AAYAH to this
tells of the man who passed on an ass on a destroyed city and
wondered how this would rise. Allah put him to sleep for hundred
years and then gave him life and also gave life again to his ass in
front of his eyes (see Surah Baqarah-259). In this same Surah, we
learn that in Bani-Israel, a man was murdered and it became quite a
concern for them. They wanted to know the murderer and could not
locate him so they were ordered to slaughter a cow which they did
after much to-do (and by this incident, this Surah takes its name) and
then to touch a part of it to the murdered person who rose to life
and told the murderer’s name and died again. The AAYAAH tell us
“And when you killed a man, then you disagreed with respect to
that, and Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide.
So We said: Strike (dead body) with part of it (the sacrificed cow),
thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs so that
you may understand” (Surah Baqarah-72,73).
3- The Prophet SWALEH-AS was sent towards his people who
were called THAMOOD and they were masters in architecture
making buildings by carving mountains. These people were shown
the sign of Allah when a she-camel came out from a mount on their
own demand yet they did not believe and killed the she-camel,
putting a great disaster to themselves. It is said in the Holy Book
“And to Thamood (We sent) their brother SWALEH. He said: 0 my
people! Serve Allah, you have no true lord other than Him; clear
proof indeed has come to you from your True Lord; this is Allah's
she-camel for you - a sign, therefore leave her alone to pasture on
Allah's earth, and do not touch her with any harm, otherwise painful
chastisement will overtake you” (Surah Aaraf-73).

7. 4- Surah MAI’DAH tells us that when two sons of Adam gave
sacrifice in the name of Allah, the sacrifice of one was accepted (and
scholars of Islam tell us that his name was HAABIL; he is also known
as ABEL) while the sacrifice of other was rejected (and his name is
told as QAABIL; he is also known as CAIN). Now, QAABIL told HAABIL
that he would kill him and at this HAABIL said if you try to do so, I
would not try to kill you as I fear Allah. With time, he got obsessed
with this idea of murder and did kill his brother HAABIL. After the
narration of this incident briefly, an AAYAH tells us that he was
taught by a crow how to dispose off the dead body of his brother.
The AAYAH says, “Then Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground
so as to show him how to hide the dead body of his brother. He said
- Woe to me! Was I not even able to become like this crow so that I
could hide the body of my brother – so he became one of regretful”
(Surah Mai’da-31). This regret was at his stupidity about being
unable to hide the dead body and it is not repentance on the act of
murder he committed. Note that this same Surah tells us in Ayat-110
that when Jesus Christ-AS made a bird’s figure by Allah’s permission,
and breathed into it, it came to life becoming a true bird by Allah’s
permission.
5- In Surah SAAFFAAT, we learn that YOUNUS (Jonah) - AS, was
swallowed alive by a big fish (it might be a whale; as it also lives in
water with all fish) by Allah’s Command and when Allah answered
his prayer for forgiveness, that Fish threw him on a ground by the
command of Allah (see Surah Saaffaat-139 to 148). YOUNUS is called
“One related to Fish” in Surah Anbia-87 and this Surah i.e. Surah
ANBIA also tells us that mountains and birds used to praise Allah
with DAWUD - AS (see Surah Anbia-79). We know well as the Holy
Book Quran tells us that his son Suleiman - AS understood birds and
they used to serve him according to his requirement as I have
indicated in the first point in this writing.
6- Surah KAHAF, the Surah that one must read much and

8. understand (specially on Fridays according to Ahadith) to save
oneself from the dread of DAJJAL (Antichrist), tells us about a dog in
AAYAH-18 that became companion to ASHAB-e-KAHAF (the persons
related to cave), who took refuge in a cave to save their Belief. They
were seven persons whom Allah put to sleep in the cave from about
250 A.D. to about 440 A.D. (195 years by the Lunar Calendar; this has
been indicated by SINEEN-ADDADA at Surah KAHAF-11, the letters of
which add up to 195 by ABJAD) when they ran away from the cruel
reign of Daqianus (Decius) from the city of Afsos (Ephesus) and
awoke in the era of Theodosius, when people had turned to
Christianity though only as had been taught by Paul which has major
faults, yet that caused at-least no suppression of the True Belief
these ASHAB had. The dog came along with them and it clearly was a
fierce vicious dog that slept with them at the opening of the cave,
with its front legs spread as if on guard. As the ASHAB slept inside,
no one dared to come inside as any passer-by would have concluded
by the scene that there is a company of some dangerous persons
inside with this deadly dog at guard so would have preferred running
away. Allah tells us in the AAYAH “And you would have thought
them awake while they were asleep; and We turned them on their
right and on their left sides; and their dog stretching forth both his
fore legs at the entrance. Had you peeked at them, you would have
certainly turned back escaping away, and would have certainly filled
with a terror of them” (Surah Kahaf-18). In this way, they remained
safe from sores due to sleep for such quantity of time (safety from
inside) and they were safe from any adverse intrusion too (safety
from outside). Note that Surah KAHAF specially teaches to avoid
worldly beauty and commitment to this earthly life in the period of
FITNAH (Trial) so that the True Belief remains safe. The narration of
ASHAB-e-KAHAF and other historical events that are told in this
Surah, give this message loud & clear and that is why, Ahadith ask to
read and understand this Surah well in the times of DAJJAL, which is
one of the biggest FTNAH of all times and places. This same Surah
tells us that when MUSA (Moses)-AS was ordered to meet KHIDHAR-
AS at the place where two rivers blend, a fish with them was made

9. an indication of the place of meeting. That fish made its way at the
meeting place and MUSA returned to that place when he became
aware of its going away, as his servant (said to be JOSHUA-AS) forgot
to tell him this incident he had witnessed then. There he found
KHIDHAR whom he was ordered to meet and this incident clearly
denotes that the complete Truth can not be understood only with
physical abilities a person has but it actually needs the spiritual
strength much more than the physical power.
These points shed light well on the matter that the mention of
specific animals and birds in the Holy Book Quran has an
extraordinary touch as they have to perform some sort of service for
the human beings by the permission of Allah providing them some
sort of sign to accept that Allah is the Only True Lord. The Holy Book
Quran does refer to the fact that domestic animals are given in our
service as we use them as our food and for transportation yet it does
seem that the miraculous mention of birds and animals here does
ask us to care for the Commands of Allah only in all fields of the life
totally without fail; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Written by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
(27th Nov.2009)
sdada111@yahoo.com
www.saleemdada.weebly.com

10. an indication of the place of meeting. That fish made its way at the
meeting place and MUSA returned to that place when he became
aware of its going away, as his servant (said to be JOSHUA-AS) forgot
to tell him this incident he had witnessed then. There he found
KHIDHAR whom he was ordered to meet and this incident clearly
denotes that the complete Truth can not be understood only with
physical abilities a person has but it actually needs the spiritual
strength much more than the physical power.
These points shed light well on the matter that the mention of
specific animals and birds in the Holy Book Quran has an
extraordinary touch as they have to perform some sort of service for
the human beings by the permission of Allah providing them some
sort of sign to accept that Allah is the Only True Lord. The Holy Book
Quran does refer to the fact that domestic animals are given in our
service as we use them as our food and for transportation yet it does
seem that the miraculous mention of birds and animals here does
ask us to care for the Commands of Allah only in all fields of the life
totally without fail; Al-Hamdu Lillah.
Written by:
Muhammad Saleem Dada
(27th Nov.2009)
sdada111@yahoo.com
www.saleemdada.weebly.com