Quranic lessons from animals
By Mohammed Maxwel Hasan
The Quran gives us many opportunities to stop and reflect on Allah’s creation to teach us about becoming better human beings. Here are three examples where Allah demonstrates life lessons about animals.
Spiders: Not every house is a home.
"The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew" (Quran 29:41).
After mating, the female spider eats the male. Spider babies eat their mother.
This horrifying reality of nature mirrors the emotional tragedies that exist in human families. If parents do not rectify their affairs, their children will grow up in a broken home and will eventually push them out to repeat the vicious cycle for the next generation. If family members do not get along, they need to identify the root cause as quickly as possible to remedy solutions. Left unchecked, the home will metaphorically resemble the destructive spider’s house.
Bees: Architectural Wonder + Human Healing
“And your Lord inspired the bee, saying, “Take you 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 people. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think” (Quran 16:68-69).
Due to the angles and compartmentalized nature, the hexagonal structure is the optimum shape for bees to build honeycombs. Mathematicians and architects learn from the bee’s efficiency and ability to construct their workspaces.
In addition, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, highlighted the importance of honey with this statement: “You should take the two that bring healing: Honey and the Quran.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 3452).
We could make our days a little sweeter with more honey.
Donkeys: The Worst Sound
“And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys" (31:19).
The tone of your voice matters in daily conversations. When you are in a family gathering or talking one-on-one with a stranger, watching the tone matters. Sometimes, when people do not get their way, they start acting up and producing harsh sounds to bully the other. Or they shout obscenities to garner attention.
Being mindful of how you speak is a strong indication of your inner self.
Let us all take a page out of nature to become better human beings. The more we study how Allah showcases these timeless examples, the richer our life will be.
https://www.soundvision.com/article/...s-from-animals
