Belief in Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala)

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In conclusion

It is high time for us to wake up and return to our religion which brought the Book of our Lord, filled with goodness. It tells of what happened before you, what will happen after you, it judges between you. It is a serious matter, not a joke, and whoever follows guidance from any other source will be sent astray by Allah...

It is high time for us to keep away from the products of corrupt minds in such areas, i.e., matters concerning which Allah has spoken decisively and left no room for people’s opinions.

We must put a stop to this intellectual defeat which has made us hasten to accept every new thing without pausing to think. We realise our mistake only when those who started it are destroyed.

 

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Chapter Two - Definition of Allah and Connecting Hearts to Him

Introduction

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We would not have needed to discuss the previous issue at length were it not for the fact that so many doubts and specious arguments surround it that the researcher is obliged to examine their fallacy.

Now it is time for us to discuss in detail the second issue, which is the most important topic of this book, the issue which lies at the heart of the matter.

We have already stated that the Qur’aan tackles this issue in two ways, to confirm this great reality:

a -It speaks of the perfection of Allah’s creation and describes the wonders of the universe which indicate the greatness of the Creator.

b - It speaks directly of Allah, the Exalted, - His essence, names, attributes, blessings and creations. We shall endeavour – Insha’Allah (God willing) – to discuss this in detail, and Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), is the One Whose help we seek.

 

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1 – Evidence of the Universal Signs Which Point to The Creator and Initiator

1) The Qur’aanic Methodology in Using the Universal Signs as Evidence


i – Exploring the universe through the Qur’aanic description

​

The Qur’aan takes us on one journey after another through the horizons of the heavens and the different parts of the earth, pausing to consider the flowers of the meadows, taking us up to the stars in their orbits. In this way it opens our eyes and our hearts, showing us how the power and decree of Allah operate in His creation, uncovering for us the mysteries of creation, guiding us to the wisdom behind creation, and explaining the immense blessings which He has bestowed upon us and the universe around us.

This is a long discussion about it in the Book of Allah which is conveyed in long and short soorahs (chapters). It is a very interesting discussion which captivates the soul, is a pleasure to listen to. It stirs the emotions and senses.

I have studied much of what science and scientists have discovered about all aspects of life, explaining the mysteries of creation and how creation points to the Creator, but I have never found anything in all of that which is like the beautiful descriptions given in the Qur’aan, with so much detail that stirs the emotions and guides the heart, reaching precise conclusions. How could it be otherwise, when the Qur’aan has been sent down by the All-Wise, Most Praiseworthy?

 

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Allahs Actions in the Universe

Come with me on a journey through the aayaat (verses) of the Qur’aan, where we will explore this universe to see how the power of Allah operates in different areas: in a seed thrown into the soil, which splits and sends its roots down into the earth, so that from an inanimate seed comes forth life which is represented in its stem, leaves, fragrant flowers and fruits which nourish both men and beasts... in the dawn when it breaks... in the still of night... in the movements of the sun and the moon..

Verily, it is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone (like date stone) to split and sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the living. Such is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the truth? (He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.

(Qur’aan 6: 95-96)

Look how the clouds are formed by Allah:

See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.

(Qur’aan: 24: 43)

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), tells us how He deals with the shade or shadow:

Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow. If He willed, He could have made it still But We have made the sun its guide (i.e. after the sunrise, the shadow shrinks and vanishes at midnoon and then again appears in the afternoon with the decline of the sun, and had there been no sunlight, there would have been no shadow).

Then We withdraw it to Us – a gradual concealed withdrawal.

(Qur’aan 25: 45-46)

Look how He (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), deals with matters of life and living beings, and with the night and day:

Say (O’ Muhammad): “O’ Allah! Possessor of the kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able to do all things.

You make the night to enter into the day, and You make the day to enter into the night (i.e. increase and decrease in the hours of the night and the day during winter and summer), You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give wealth and sustenance to whom You will, without limit (measure or account).

(Qur’aan 3: 26-27)

The Qur’aan does not only tell us of the power of Allah and how it operates
in the universe, how His knowledge encompasses all His creatures and how He is the disposer of all affairs – it also tells us the purpose who which He created the universe.

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), created this earth for the sake of man:

He it is Who created for you all that is on earth...

(Qur’aan 2: 29)

He created it for us in a manner that is suited to our nature and serves our interests. This is what the Qur’aan calls subjugation (taskheer).

He does not tell us that by way of information; He explains to us the subjugation that Allah has created in the universe:

See you not (O’ men) that Allah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth,...

(Qur’aan 31: 20)

The stars were created for us to navigate by at night on land and sea:

It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) for people who know.

(Qur’aan 6: 97)

The earth and the heavens, the coming down of rain from the sky, the ships that sail in the sea, the rivers which flow throughout the land, the sun and moon, the succession of night and day... all of these have been created for our benefit:

Allah is He Who has created the heavens and the earth and sends down water (rain) from the sky, and thereby brought forth fruits as provision for you; and He has made the ships to be of service to you, that they may sail through the sea by His Command; and He has made rivers (also) to be of service to you.

And He has made the sun and the moon, both constantly pursuing their courses, to be of service to you; and He has made the night and the day, to be of service to you.

And He gave you of all that you asked for,...

(Qur’aan 14: 32-34)

 

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ii) The blessings of Allah in the universe

The Qur’aan tells us that Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has created this universe and subjugated it for us. He has made it compatible with our nature, and ordered it in such a way that suits the life on man. The Qur’aan uses this explanation as a means to make man give thanks to his Lord, for man is inclined by nature to love the one who is kind to him:

Is there any reward for good other than good?

(Qur’aan 55: 60)

Hence the Qur’aan speaks in detail about the blessings which Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has bestowed upon His salves in themselves:

Say it is He Who has created you, and endowed you with hearing (ears) and seeing (eyes), and hearts. Little thanks you give.

(Qur’aan 67: 23)

- and in the universe around them:

Who has made for you the earth like a bed, and has made for you roads therein, in order that you may find your way.

And Who sends down water (rain) from the sky in due measure, then We revive a dead land therewith, and even so you will be brought forth (from the graves),

And Who has created all the pairs and has appointed for you ships and cattle on which you ride,

In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon,...

(Qur’aan 43: 10-13)

He (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has created the sun and the moon for us in a manner that serves our interests and benefits us:

It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out for it stages that you might know the number of years and the reckoning...

(Qur’aan 10: 5)

The an’aam – camels, cattle and sheep – and horses, mules and donkeys, have all been created for us to use, and they have all been created in a manner that suits our nature:
And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth (warm clothing), and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.

And wherein is beauty for you, when you bring them home in the evening, and as you lead them forth to pasture in the morning.

And they carry your loads to a land that you could not reach except with great trouble to yourselves. Truly, your Lord is full of kindness, Most Merciful.

And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge.

(Qur’aan 16: 5-8)

The sea has also been created for us; in its creation and in the (ships) that sail on it are many things that benefit us:

And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek (thus) of His Bounty (by transporting the goods from place to place) and that you may be grateful.

(Qur’aan 16: 14)

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), created bees to do their wonderful work, to produce for us this drink of varying colours, to provide nourishment and a healing for man:

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 men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think.

(Qur’aan 16: 68-69)

 

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The Qur’aan urges us to seek and know Allah through His Universal Signs

The Qur’aan urges the slaves of Allah to look at the signs of Allah in the universe – the earth, the heavens, everthing in them and in between them – and to let that looking and pondering be the kind of reminder which benefits the believers.

I like the way in which some contemporary people called this method “the law of walking and looking,” because the Qur’aan frequently tells man to travel in the land and see and learn from that. This could be either in the literal, physical sense or it may mean thinking and pondering,
The command to do this is given in general terms:

Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,’...

(Qur’aan 10: 101)

- and in specific terms:

So let man see from what he is created!

(Qur’aan 86: 5)

Then let man look at his food.

(Qur’aan 80: 24)

 

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iii) How the Qur’aan uses its aayaat (verses) to prove that the Creator is deserving

The Qur’aan takes the signs in the universe as material to debate with the mushrikeen (polytheists) and establish proof against them:

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We purified them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?

And We have placed on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with them, and We placed therein broad highways for them to pass through, that they may be guided.

And We have made the heaven a roof, safe, and well-guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs (i.e. sun, moon, winds, clouds, etc.).

And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating.

(Qur’aan 21: 30-33)

He points out to them the corrupt nature of their belief in their gods who do not possess the attributes of Lordship (Ruboobiyah) and Divinity (Uloohiyah) which would qualify them to be deserving of worship and to be taken as gods instead of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala):

Say (O’ Muhammad): ‘Praise and thanks be to Allah, and peace be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is Allah better, or (all) that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?’ (Of course, Allah is Better).

Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)!

Is not He (better than yours gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water)? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? Nay, but most of them know not?

Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? Little is that you remember!

Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain)? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? High Exalted be Allah above all that they associate as partners (to Him)!

Is not He (better than your so-called gods) Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it, and Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there any ilaah (god) with Allah? Say: ‘Bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful.’

(Qur’aan 27: 59-64)

These aayaat (verses) explain that their so-called gods are not fit to be worshipped, for Allah alone is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who sends down rain from the sky and brings forth the gardens which refresh the soul and are a delight to the eye. He is the One Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein... He is the One Who is truly deserving of worship.

We must use this kind of evidence when confronting the disbelievers and atheists, for the Messengers have used this evidence before us to a great extent. Ibraaheem (Abraham) (aalayhis-salaam – may peace be upon him), the close friend of Ar-Rahmaan (Allah, the All-Merciful), debated with that heretic and established proof against him by using this kind of evidence, thus dazzling him and rendering him speechless:

Have you not looked at him who disputed with Ibraaheem about his Allah, because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Ibraaheem said (to him): ‘My Allah is He Who gives life and causes death.’ He said, ‘I give life and cause death.’ Ibraaheem said, ‘Verily, Allah brings the sun from the east; then bring it you from the west.’ So the disbeliever was utterely defeated. And Allah guides not the people, who are Zaalimoon (wrongdoers).

(Qur’aan 2: 258)

Moosa (Moses) (aalayhis-salaam), the one who spoke with Allah, used the same argument when he confronted the tyrant of his age, Fir’awn (Pharaoh). He kept producing evidence after evidence until Pharaoh could no longer put up an argument, whereupon he resorted to the use of threats:

Fir’awn (Pharaoh) said: ‘And what is the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)?’

Moosa (Moses) said: ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty.’

Pharaoh said to those around: ‘Do you not hear (what he says)?’

Moosa said: ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!’

(Pharaoh) said: ‘Verily, your Messenger who has been sent to you is a madman!’

(Moosa) said: ‘Lord of the east and the west, and all that is between them, if you did but understand!’

(Pharaoh) said: ‘If you choose an ilaah (god) other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.’

(Qur’aan 26: 23-29)

This way of producing evidence is the way of all the Messengers. Look at Soorah Ibraaheem (aayaat (verses) 9, 10) and read what the disbelieving people, the people of Nooh (Noah) (aalayhis-salaam) and ‘Aad and Thamood, and those who came after them, said, and see how the Messengers replied by saying:

...Can there be a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you (to Monotheism and to be obedient to Allah) that He may forgive you of your sins...

(Qur’aan 14: 10)

They proved the veracity of their call by referring to the fact that Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), is the Creator of the heavens and the earth.

 

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Kufr (disbelief) is reprehensible and strange in the face of such clear proof

Hence the Qur’aan asks a question which indicates how strange it is that the disbelievers disbelieve when the proof and evidence are so clear:

How can you disbelieve in Allah? Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return.

(Qur’aan 2: 28)

In another aayah (verse), it asks:

O’ man! What has made you careless about your Lord, the Most Generous?

Who created you, fashioned you perfectly, and gave you due proportion.

In whatever form He willed, He put you together.

(Qur’aan 82: 6-8)

When man looks at himself and at the universe around him, he cannot but turn to his Creator and glorify Him. Hence it is strange that the disbelievers disbelieve and deny that.

What is the matter with you, that (you fear not Allah (His punishment), and) you hope not for reward (from Allah or you believe not in His
Oneness).

While He has created you in (different) stages (i.e. first Nutfah, then ‘Alaqah and then Mudghah).

See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another?

And has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp?

And Allah has brought you forth from the (dust of) earth?

Afterwards He will return you into it (the earth), and bring you forth (again on the Day of Resurrection)?

(Qur’aan 71: 13-18)

 

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iv) Those who benefit from the signs of the universe are those who have insight

The signs of Allah in the universe only become clear in all their inspiring reality to hearts which remember and worship Allah, because all veils have been removed from these hearts and they are open to the wonders of the universe. The Qur’aan establishes this connection between human hearts and the rhythm of this immense and beautiful universe. This connection creates the insight that discovers the universe anew. This insight and discovery leave great impact on the human hearts and become so precious in the lives of the mankind. This connection is established by the Qur’aan between understanding, learning and the man who learns and understands. Hence the Qur’aan states that those who are guided by the signs of the universe are a certain type of people:

Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.

Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.’

(Qur’aan 3: 190-191)

These are the people who benefit from the signs of the universe, because they do not stop at the limit of the physical things that they can see; rather they look to the Hand that is running the universe and the Power that created it. They use their eyes, ears and minds in the best way in this matter, and they follow the guidance of the aayaat of the Qur’aan, which help the ears, eyes and mind to understand the best that man can ever understand:

And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.

And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. And among His Signs is your sleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen.

And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, for fear and for hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand.

(Qur’aan 30: 21-24)

So the signs become clear to those who ponder, listen and have understanding in the right direction and lead them to their objective.
The kuffaar (disbelievers), on the other hand, look at what happens, and their thoughts do not go beyond it, to the Creator. They do not understand the wisdom behind creation.

They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigating or sowing or reaping, etc.),...

(Qur’aan 30: 7)

The disbelievers do not benefit from the universal signs, because they do not look at them through the lens of the Qur’aan:

Say: “Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,” but neither Aayaat nor warners benefit those who believe not.

(Qur’aan 10: 101)

The Qur’aan denounces the disbelievers and the deniers for failing to look and learn:

Do they not look in the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all things that Allah has created; and that it may be that the end of their lives is near. In what message after this will they then believe?

(Qur’aan 7: 185)

 

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vi) Evidence in creation of the attributes of the Creator

If we look at a machine which is beautifully crafted with great precision, strong and solidly constructed, doing its job in the best possible way, we will realise, with the minimum of mental effort, that its maker is alive and knowledgeable, and that he is possessed of power and will... and other attributes which the machine informs us of.

 

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This universe tells us of many of the attributes of its Creator, such as:

His Power and Knowledge: This vast, immense, huge universe which is running according to a precise system must have been made by One Who is All-Powerful and All-Knowing. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), created the universe in this huge form and created this perfect system to tell us of His power and knowledge.

It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the life thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in (His) Knowledge.

(Qur’aan 65: 12)

The knowledge which controls this universe must be perfect and all-encompassing:

...And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a gain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or day, but is written in a Clear Record.

(Qur’aan 6: 59)


He is Wise: Looking at this universe we find that it is well made with everything in its rightful place, created in the right proportions, in the most perfect and precise manner.

And you will see the mountains and think them solid, but they shall pass away as the passing away of the clouds. The Work of Allah, Who perfected all things,...

(Qur’aan 27: 88)

Who made everything He has created good and He began the creation of man from clay.

(Qur’aan 32: 7)

The one who looks closely at the creation of Allah will not find anything but perfection and precision, and if he looks for any fault in creation he will not find it.

Who has created the seven heavens one above another; you can see no fault in the creation of the Most Gracious. Then look again: ‘Can you see any rifts?’

Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out.

(Qur’aan 67: 3-4)


Other attributes: What we have said about the universe indicating the attributes of the Creator is by way of example; we have not listed everything. These examples pave the way for further research and investigation, for in the universe there are many signs that point to the greatness, might and kindness of Allah. Listen to the Divine attributes which Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), mentions at the end of each of these aayaat (verses):

See you not that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and then the earth becomes green? Verily, Allah is the Most Kind and Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is one the earth. And verily, Allah He is Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise.

See you not that Allah has subjected to you (mankind) all that is on the earth, and the ships that sail through the sea by His Command? He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave. Verily, Allah is, for mankind, full of kindness, Most Merciful.

(Qur’aan 22: 63-65)

 

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vii – Allah is the only One Who is deserving of worship

Looking at and contemplating the signs of the universe leads us to worship Allah alone, for Allah alone is the Creator, the Controller, the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, the Provider, the Giver of life and death. Hence He, and no one else, is deserving of worship.

O’ mankind! Worship you Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqoon.

Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).

(Qur’aan 2: 21-22)

O’ mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the sky (rain) and the earth? Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turning away (from Him)?

(Qur’aan 35: 3)

In this manner – as we have stated above – the Qur’aan proves the falsity of other so-called gods and that they do not deserve any kind of worship at all.

He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see, and has set on the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you. And He has scattered therein moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And We send down water (rain) from the sky, and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein.

This is the creation of Allah. So show Me that which those (whom you worship) besides Him have created. Nay, the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers and those who do not believe in the Oneness of Allah) are in plain error.

(Qur’aan 31: 10-11)

Thus Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), reminds His creation, through the universal signs and the way in which He controls all their affairs. In many aayaat of the Qur’aan, He follows that by saying: Such is Allah your Lord (Qur’aan 39: 6), i.e., this is the God besides Whom none is deserving of worship.

Listen to these aayaat (verses) and then ponder the ending of each aayah:

He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.

He created you (all) from a single person (Adam); then made from him his wife (Hawwa’ (Eve)). And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs (of the sheep, two, male and female; of the goats, two, male and female; of the oxen, two, male and female; and of the camels, two, male and female). He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness. Such is Allah your Lord. His is the kingdom. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). How then are you turned away?

(Qur’aan 39: 5-6)

 

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2 – Scholars Explain the Wonders that Allah has Made in His Creation

Scholars – past and present – have explained the wonders of Allah in His creation. They exhort themselves thereby as they exhort others. We will quote below some of the conclusions reached by scholars of the past and the present.

Reading these quotes, the reader should bear in mind the works of Moosa (Moses) to Fir’awn (Pharaoh):

...”Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.”

(Qur’aan 20: 50)

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has given each thing that He has created which suits it, and has guided it to that which befits it... we will see examples of this giving and guiding below.

 

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i – Bodies are formed of cells, which divide

a - What are the living bodies formed of, and how?

Explaining this matter a modern researcher, Dr. Yusuf ‘Izz Uddeen says,

“Most animals and plants are formed of a huge number of these tiny units which we call cells, just as a building is formed of stones laid next to one another.”


b - Why are cells continually dividing?

Dr. Yusuf Izz Uddeen explains the secret behind the division of cells:

“The cells of our bodies and the bodies of other animals are always dividing. This division makes the body grow, or makes up for cells that have been lost or have died for various reasons. Each of these cells is basically formed from a wondrous substance called protoplasm.

The contents of each cell perform specific functions; among these contents are minute “bodies” which carry the genetic factors. These are called chromosomes.

The number of chromosomes in the cells of each species of animals and plants is fixed. The number of chromosomes in cats, for example, is different from the number in dogs or elephants or carrots or beans.

In each cell of the human body, the number of chromosomes is forty-six.

When a cell divides into two in our bodies, each cell must contain the
same number of chromosomes, i.e. forty-six. If this number were distorted or changed, man would not be man. As we have mentioned, this division of cells happens continually, at all hours of the day, even when we are sleeping. Even now, we still do not know the real nature of the forces that control this amazing action of cell division. Science stops as describing the practical steps that have been observed through regular microscopes or electron microscopes which can magnify things far more than regular microscopes.”


c - Why are reproductive cells different from other cells?

Dr. Yusuf says:

“All the cells which are produced by cellular division in our bodies must contain forty-six chromosomes, apart from two types of cells, which are the reproductive cells, i.e., the male sperm and the female egg. When the tissue cells divide to produce these reproductive cells, they produce cells which do not contain forty-six chromosomes; instead, they contain half that number, so that each reproductive cell, whether male or female, contains twenty-three chromosomes.”

Then he explains why this happens, and says:

“This happens for a great reason: the male cell (sperm) must join with the female cell (egg) to form the first cell in the body of they embryo, which we call the fertilised cell, where the twenty-three chromosomes in the male cell join the twenty-three chromosomes in the female cell, so that the number of chromosomes in the new cell is restored to the original number, forty-six chromosomes.

This fertilised cell which now contains forty-six chromosomes continues to divide, becoming two cells, then four, then eight, and so on, until the foetus is fully formed and emerges from its mother’s womb. (The foetus) continues to grow by cell division until it becomes a fully-grown human being, with forty-six chromosomes in each of its cells, as in the cells of the bodies of its mother, father, grandparents and all other members of the human race.”

“This halving of the number of chromosomes in the reproductive cells so that they can join together and restore the number to the original could never happen as the result of blind forces. It has to be the result of precise calculation on the part of a sublime power that knows what it is doing.

At the same time, this operation cannot be the result of trial and error. If only one mistake had happened at the beginning of creation, it would have dealt a final blow to the life form before the second generation had been created. This arrangement has to have been completed before the first foetus every to appear was formed. Is this not sufficient evidence of the existence of a wise, capable and controlling higher power.”


d - Why do not brain cells divide?

The other type of cell that is unlike all the others is the brain cell which, unlike all other cells in the body, does not divide. Concerning the reason why it does not divide, Dr. Yusuf says:

“It could not have come about through trial and error that the only cells that do not divide are the nerve cells from which the brain and the rest of the nervous system are formed. If these cells were to divide like other cells, the results would be disastrous. In this case the brain cells would not be able to preserve a person’s personality and all the features of his memory would disappear within a few hours.

The number of brain cells that are present in a person or animal does not increase even by one cell until the individual dies, whereas the red blood cell are cells which die and are replaced by new cells every hundred days or so. Red blood cells are manufactured in the bone marrow, then sent to join the flow of blood to take the place of cells that have died.”


e - The reason why muscles in the body vary in strength.

On this topic Dr. Yusuf also says:

“The strongest muscles in the body of both humans and mammals are the muscles of the uterus in females, the muscles which push the foetus out of its mother’s womb. If these muscles had not be so strong from the beginning of creation, the first newborn would never have emerged from its mother’s womb.

The next strongest muscles after those of the uterus are the muscles of
the jaw, and the muscles of the heart which must continue to work night and day to push the blood around the circulatory system for a period which may last for more than a hundred years. Similarly, the jaw muscles must remain able to bring the teeth together to chew tons of food over a lifetime."

 

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ii) Resistance of living beings to destructive factors

Dr. Yusuf says:

“There is an important characteristic which is shared by all living beings from the most primitive to the most advanced. This characteristic is the resistance to destructive factors, because the Creator of all these beings wants them to survive.

The influenza virus changes shape from time to time, to make it harder to resist and destroy. Generation after generation of insects gains immunity to chemical insecticides, thus resisting destructive factors and extinction.

In the case of man, too, it has been noted that more babies are born
during times of war, and that when women take birth control pills for an extended period, if they forget to take the pills for a few days, the result is often twins, to make up for the lack of offspring caused by the period of contraception. If a person loses one of his kidneys for some reason, the remaining kidney increases in size in order to do the work of two kidneys. It is as if the body realises that something is missing and is trying to compensate for it.

Allah Alone is the One Who has provided these created beings with this wonderful ability to maintain the balance so that they are not exposed to the risk of extinction. He has also equipped many animals with means of defending themselves. In this sense man is no different than scorpions, snakes, centipedes, etc.

This principle or law to which all living beings are subject, could not have come about as the result of a blind accident. An accident cannot take the shape of law that applies to all creatures.”

 

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iii) How Allah inspired the bee and the wonders of how Allah has created it

Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah – may Allah have mercy on him) –

(Shifaa’ al-‘Aleel, 101. What we quote here from Ibn al-Qayyim demonstrates that our righteous predecessors (As-Salaf as-Saalih) used to ponder the creation of Allah. Although the observations of the Muslim scholars reached an advanced level, they are not free from errors, as bees do not have a king, but a queen.)

- tells us about the wonders that Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has created in the universe. He tells us how Allah has guided the bee in the matters of its life:

“The way in which the bee is guided is one of the most wondrous things. It has a leader and controller, the chief, which is bigger than all the other bees and more beautiful in colour and appearance.

The female bees give birth at the beginning of spring, (The only bee which lays eggs is the queen) and most of the offspring are females. If a male is born they do not let him stay among them. Either they expel him or kill him, apart from a few, because the males do not do any work of value or earn a living.

The bees are divided into groups, one of which stays with the king and never leaves him. Another group makes wax, which is made from the dregs of honey and is sweet like figs. The bees take great care of this, more than they do with the honey. They clean it and purify it from any contamination such as urine and the like. Another group builds the houses, another group brings water, carrying it on their backs. A third group sweeps the hive and cleans it of any dead bodies (of bees). If they see a slow, lazy bee, they kill it so that it cannot corrupt the other workers and infect them with its idleness and laziness.

The first thing to be build in the hive is the throne and house of the king. A raised house like a bed is built for him, and he sits there, with a group of bees like princes, servants and advisers around him, who never leave him. The bees make something like a trough in front of him, into which they pour the finest possible honey. They fill the trough with it, and this is the food of the king and his courtiers.

Then they start to build the houses in a straight line, like streets and shops. Their houses are regular six-sided shapes (hexagons), as if they have read the book of Euclid and know that this is the best shape for their houses, because what is needed when a house is built is a structure which is stable and spacious, and of all shapes, the hexagon takes on a round shape like a millstone when several of them are joined together. No holes or gaps are left, and the shapes support one another so that they form a single, solid layer, such that the point of a needle cannot be inserted between the houses.

Blessed be the One Who inspired the bee to build its houses in this solid, well-constructed manner which man cannot do. The bee knows that it needs to build its houses with two important qualities: the first is that the corners should not be so sharply-angled that this narrow space would be wasted, and the other is that the houses should be of such a shape that when they are joined together, no space is wasted.

The bee knows that the only shape which has these two qualities is the hexagon. Although triangles and squares could fill the space, their angels are too narrow. Other shapes may have wider angles, but they do not fill the space properly – they would leave gaps which would be a waste of space. The hexagon has these two qualities, so Allah guided the bee to build its houses in this space, without any ruler or tools or example to follow. The most proficient of the sons of Adam would not be able to build a hexagonal house without the use of big tools.

Blessed be the One Who guided the bee to find its way to its “pasture” where it finds its food in an easy manner, without difficulty and without losing its way. It gathers the best of what it finds in the pasture, then comes back to its empty house and pours into it a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think (cf. Qur’aan 16: 68-69),

When it has finished building these houses, the bee goes out with an empty stomach, wandering in the plains and mountains, feeding on the nectar in the tops of flowers and tree leaves, and it comes back with a full stomach.

Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has created in its mouth a (kind of) heat which processes what it has collected and turns it into something sweet, then it brings it forth in the houses until they are full, then it seals them and covers the top with pure wax. When these houses are full, it goes to another place, if it finds a suitable site, and starts to build houses in it as it did with the first houses.

If it gets cold and the “pastures” are no longer available, and the bee cannot earn its living, it stays in its house and feeds on the stored honey. When it is earning and living, it goes out early and wanders in its pastures, and each group of bees does the work that it is designed to do. Then in the evening they go back to their houses.

The king only goes out of the hive on rare occasions when he want to have fresh air. So he goes out, with his princes and servants, and goes around in the meadows and gardens for a while, then he goes back to his place.

One of the wonders of bees is that if someone offends the king, whether it is another bee, the owner of the hive or the person who is looking after the hive, he gets angry and leaves the hive and stay away from it. All the bees follow him, and the hive is left empty.

If their owner sees that and is afraid that the king may take all the bees away to another place, he plays a trick to bring the king back and make him happy. He tries to find out where he has taken the bees, which he can find out because all the bees are gathered around him. They never leave him, rather they gather around him until they look like a bunch of grapes. When the king goes out in anger, he settles in a high part of a tree, and the bees fly around him and join him, until they look like a ball. The owner of the bees takes a spear or a long stick, and puts a bunch of fragrant vegetation on his head, then he brings it near to where the king is. He has with him either a kind of tambourine or a reed, or some kind of musical instrument, which he starts to play, and he brings those (fragrant) plants near to him. He continues like that until the king is happy, and when he is happy and his anger has ceased, he jumps onto the plants, and his servants and all the other bees follow him, and their owner carries them back to the hive. Then he and his troops get down and go into the hive. Bees never feed on dead bodies, animals or food.

Another of the wonders of bees is that they kill corrupt and oppressive kings, and never obey them. The small, perfectly formed bees are the ones which make the honey, and they try to kill the long, useless bees and expel them from the hive. If they do that, the honey will be good. They try to kill the ones that they want to kill outside the hive, so as to protect the hive from (the contamination of) dead bodies.

There is a kind of bee that is of little use, with a large body. There is a war between these and the honey-makers. They try to get to them to kill them and destroy their houses, and get rid of them. The honey-makers are very alert and careful. If they are attacked in their houses, they try to push their attackers to the doors of their houses and make them fall into the honey, so that they will not be able to fly. So no one can escape them except the one who has a long life. When the war is over and everything has settled down, they go back to the ones that have been killed and throw them out of the hive.

Among the bees there are noble workers who are energetic and strive hard, and ignoble, lazy bees who are of little use and prefer not to do anything. The noble workers always try to expel these from the hive; they do not like to live with them lest the good bees follow in their footsteps and thus become corrupted.

The bee is one of the most refined and clean of animals, so it only defecates when flying. It dislikes rotten, putrid smells. The young, virgin bees strive harder than the older ones; they sting less and make better honey. When they do sting, it is less harmful than the sting of older bees.

Because the bee is one of the most useful and most blessed of insects, it was singled out to be inspired by its Lord unlike other animals, and the product of its stomach has been made a healing for sickness and a light which shines in the darkness. Hence the bee in relation to other animals is like those who are guided in relation to the rest of mankind. The bee has more enemies than other animals and its enemies are the least useful and least blessed of animals. This is the way of Allah with His creation, and He is the Almighty, Most Wise.”

(Shifaa’ al-‘Aleel, Pp. 101)

 

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Contemporary scientists describe the world of the bee

(The information given here is adapted from the book An-Nahlah tusabbih Allah, by Muhammad Hasan Homsi)​

Science has advanced nowadays, telling us much about the wonders of creation and the mysteries of the universe. The scientists have confirmed for us that which we already knew about bees being divided into three groups: the queen bee, the male bees and the worker bees.

The queen bee is the mother of the whole hive; all the bees in the hive are her children. The queen bee lays between 1500 and 2000 eggs each day with the sun rise; the number may even reach 3500. This continues throughout the reproductive season, which starts in early spring and ends in late summer.

The huge number of eggs serves to make up for the continual shortfall which happens to bees. For the bee’s lifespan is short, lasting 5-7 weeks. Hence the hive needs new generation in large number to support the hive and to make up for the continual shortfall, so that the hive will continue to provide the necessities of the bee’s world and protect the bees from enemies and danger, otherwise the hive would cease to exist.

One of the wonders of the way in which Allah has created the bee is that the queen bee lays her eggs in houses built by the workers in different sizes. The largest houses are prepared for future queens, and the eggs which are laid in these houses will become queens. The eggs which queen lays in the smaller houses, which are ¼ of an inch across, will become male bees, and the eggs that are laid in the small houses which are 5 inches across will become worker bees. It remains for us to note that the queen bee deposits three or four sperms with the worker eggs so that the eggs will be fertilised and will become worker bees, whilst she lays unfertilised eggs in the houses of male bees.

Another of the wonders of the way in which Allah has created the bee is that it does not mate except in the air when it is flying. There is a reason for this. The male bee cannot mate with the queen when she is sitting on the ground, because the male organ remains latent and invisible and can only emerge when it is soaring in the air, when air-sacs that exist in the male bee fill with air, exerting pressure on the male member, which then emerges.

One of the wonders of the way in which Allah has created the virgin queen bee is that she is able to call the male to mate with her, by making sounds which attract the male. She comes out of the hive and hovers around it, issuing these sounds, which are heard not only by the males in her hive, but in all the neighbouring hives. So groups of males come out and follow the queen, who keeps flying fast in the huge space; the strongest and fastest male is the one who gets to mate with her, but he loses his life in the process, because after mating he loses his male organ, which stays in the queen, and this results in his bleeding to death.

The reader may ask how the males hear the queen’s call. The answer is that Allah has equipped all bees with the sensory antennae, consisting of connected rings, twelve in males, and eleven in workers and queens consisting a number of holes.

The number of holes in the sensory antennae of the male is 2800, in the worker it is 2400 and in the queen it is 1600.

The sensory antennae of bees work like a radio antenna; they are used to detect the sound made by the queen, and other sounds. They are also used to smell, hear and feel,

If a bee – worker, male or queen – loses its antennae, it cannot fulfil its role, because most of its sense – hearing, smell and touch – are concentrated in the antennae, as stated above.

The formation of the male bee suits the role for which it has been created. It is large and strong, it eats a lot and it does not do anything. It does not gather nectar, or make it, or build, or guard the hive. Even its food is placed in its mouth by the workers. All that it is able to do is to fertilise the queen. Therefore after it has played its role, the worker bees stop feeding it. They rather, attack the male members and kill or expel them.

We should also note that the number of males is small in relation to the total number of bees; there are no more than two hundred males in a hive.

The worker bees form the largest number in the hive, and are the active element in it. They are the ones that perform various tasks and difficult missions.

They are the ones that collect nectar, gather pollen, make honey, prepare the queen’s special food, build the honeycomb in which the honey is kept, raise the new generations of bees, guard the hive, keep it clean, maintain it and even ventilate and heat it.

The various tasks in the hive are distributed as specialised tasks, and these specialise tasks are connected to the age of the bee. At every stage in the bee’s life there is a task which it does, and the longer a bee lives, the more tasks she does in turn. Thus when a bee has completed her lifespan, she will have done all the tasks required for the upkeep of the hive. We may note that the bee starts with easy tasks which do not require a great effort, and ends with the most difficult task, which is going about in the fields to gather nectar and pollen and water, then making and storing honey. We may also note that the tasks become progressively more difficult according to the characteristics that Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has bestowed upon the bee. Each task that the bee does is suited to the physical characteristics enabling her to play the new role and do the new task.

During the first two days of her life, the worker bee cleans the houses from which the newly-hatched bees have emerged. She cleans these houses and prepares them for the next generation. The queen will not lay eggs in these houses until she has inspected them and found them to be perfectly clean.

On the third and fourth days, she takes care of the young worker and male bees which are older than three days, bringing to them something which the scientists call “bee’s bread,” a mixture of honey and pollen, which she takes from what the bees have stored in the hexagonal cells (of the hive).

From the fifth day to the twelfth day, she works to feed the queen bee with the royal food which the latter eats all her life. This special food is also fed to the small worker and male bees during the first three days of their lives. The bees do this particular task at this age (5-12 days) because of the emergence at that time of special glands on both sides of the oesophagus, which enable the bee to manufacture the royal food.

After the twelfth day, the bee is able to fly, but she does not go far. All that she does is learn and practice. Her main task from day 12 to day 18 is to build the wax honeycomb which is prepared for storing honey, and raising the new generation of bees.

The reason why the bee performs this task at this stage in its life is because it grows four pairs of glands on the rings of its abdomen, and from this wax, by using its jaws, the bee at this age builds these houses which are so perfectly constructed with precise dimensions and geometrical shapes of the utmost beauty and order.

On the nineteenth and twentieth days, the bee cleans and guards the hive. After the twentieth day, she goes out to the fields and gathers nectar and pollen, and makes honey, and brings water to the hive. This final stage forms the largest part of the bee’s life cycle.

Generation of bees come and go, and the bees progress through this sequence of tasks which ensures that all jobs are done continually, without allocating groups of bees to do one task all their life; each stage of life has its own specialty.

Glory be to the One, the Only, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has created these small beings, and taught them to do these tasks with such precision. This beauty and wonder point to the existence of the All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Among the wonders of the way in which Allah has formed the bee is that He has given it two stomachs, one of which is used to collect all the raw materials derived from the nectar of flowers, or to carry water, and bring it to the hive, and the other it uses only for its own food, to digest it and be nourished by it.

Another of the wonders of the bee is that when it collects in its first stomach all the nectar that it gathers, it does not simply transport it; whilst it is bringing it to the hive, it performs the preliminary process required to turn it into honey, by producing the yeast that is required for this process.

The bee needs pollen for a variety of purposes in the hive. Its Creator has equipped it with special hollow pouches, called pollen sacs, for storing this pollen, on the outside of its hind legs. He (Allah) has given it something that looks like brushes on the inside ankle of its hind legs, which the bee uses to sweep up the pollen and collect it in the pollen sacs.

Another of the amazing features that the scientists have discovered in bees is the gland in the bee’s back which the scientists call Nasanov’s gland. This gland produces a special scent, and amazingly the bees of each hive have their own scent which distinguishes them from the bees of other hives. A bee can return to its own home from far away by following this unique scent which is distinct from the scent of other bees. The doorkeepers and guards of the hive recognise the bees which belong to their hive by the distinctive scent emitted by the bee.

What is amazing is that bees are able to agree upon a new scent if there is a reason for doing so. For example, when a group of bees set out to form a new hive, the members of the new hive agree upon by a new scent. By way of experiment, scientists mixed one group of bees with another, and found that after the bees had mixed, they agreed upon one new scent that distinguished them from others.

Another of the wonders of bees is that they build six-sided houses of pure wax which are completely airtight. But when they seal the doors of the houses which contain the larvae, they mix the wax with pollen, which allows air in through the grains of pollen, so the larvae stay alive. If their Lord did not inspire them to do this, the larvae would die and the bees would become extinct and vanish from the face of the earth.

Our Lord has told us about the living things we have mentioned here, in eloquent aayaat (verses) which invite us to think about and ponder the wondrous way in which He (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has guided the bee:

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 men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think.

(Qur’aan 16: 68-69)

The Muslims were guided to the great benefits that exist in honey, but those who have gone astray from the guidance of Allah have only recently discovered the benefits in it. Researchers have discovered amazing facts. They have found out that honey is both food and medicine. It is a high quality food that contains features that can hardly be found elsewhere, and it is a medicine which can be used to treat almost all diseases. Science is still discovering new benefits in honey every day.

 

[ditta]

How do bees tell one another where food is?

One of the things noted by contemporary scientists is the way in which bees tell one another where food is to be found. Dr. Yusuf ‘Izz Uddeen says:

“If one of the worker bees discovers a field or a certain amount of vegetation which it thinks is a source of food, it goes back to the colony to tell the rest of the workers about the treasure that it has found. It does this by performing a ritual dance which it does by instinct, without knowing why it does so.

This strange dance has a certain significance, during which its body makes angels which refer to the angel of the sun. If the field that the bee has discovered is near to the colony, the dance in this case is different from the dance which it performs if the field is further away.

From these dances, the bees know that the field of clover or other flowering plants from which they gather their food, is a certain distance away, and that they have to travel at a certain angle in relation to the position of the sun in order to get there.

Then some of the workers will perform the same dance, from which the bee which discovered the field will be sure that the other bees have understood what she was trying to tell them. Then the other bees will fly off and head directly for the field, to gather more food. The bee which made the discovery conveys a number of pieces of information to the other bees in the colony by her dance.

If we humans tried to match the bee’s achievement in understanding these mysteries by drawing diagrams, it would take us no less than twenty minutes, if we had sufficient understanding of mathematics. But the bee understands that in an instant, and flies directly to the field in a straight line to get what it needs of food.

This is an amazing thing which we cannot explain unless we believe in the existence of Divine inspiration whereby the Creator of these small beings which are not able to think or reason, has enabled them to do what they need.”

 

[ditta]

The bee sees a colour that we do not see

Dr. Yusuf also tells us that another of the bee’s wonders is that it is able to see “a colour which we humans are unable to see or imagine. This colour is ultra-violet, which we see as black, so the bee is able to see ultra-violet rays.” Then he explains to us the reason behind the bee’s ability to see this colour:

“The reason for that is that these rays are the only ones which are able to penetrate clouds.

Bees may live in areas where there is cloud cover for much of the year, and it is essential for them to see the sun in order to know the way to the fields where their food is. This is the reason why bees are able to see this ultra-violet colour: this enables them to see the sun through the clouds, so they do not die of hunger when the sun is hidden behind the clouds.

This is a wondrous fact which indicates that there is a Creator Who controls and decrees and know what He is doing, and that the ability to see this colour could not have been acquired by bees with the passage of time. It has to have been present from the very moment that Allah created bees, otherwise bees would have become extinct in those (cloudy) areas a long time ago.”

 

[ditta]

iv) How Allah guides the ant and the wonders of its creation

Ibn al-Qayyim tells us of another of Allah’s creatures, and explains to us how Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has guided it in the way in which it lives:

“The ant is one of the most guided of creatures, and the way in which it is guided is most wondrous. The tiny any comes out of its home and looks for its food, even if it is far away. When it finds it, it carries it and drags it through winding paths, uphill and downhill, no matter how difficult the route, until it brings it back to its home, where it stores its food when possible.

When it has stored it, it goes to the things that can grow and splits them into two so that they will not grow. If they grow even after being split into two, it then splits them into four. If (the stored food) gets wet and the ant is afraid that it may go rotten, it waits for a sunny day, then it brings the food out and spreads it out by the entrance to its house, then it puts it back, and no ant eats the food that another has collected.

In order to know how Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), has guided the ant, it is sufficient for us to know what Allah has said in the Qur’aan about the ant which Sulaymaan (Solomon) (aalayhis-salaam – may peace be upon him) heard speaking to its companions and saying,

...”O’ ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaymaan and his hosts should crush you, while they perceive not.”

(Qur’aan 27: 18)

The ant started by calling out in a manner that would be heard by those whom she was addressing, then she mentioned the ants in general terms because she was addressing them as a whole. Then she told them to enter their dwellings and protect themselves from the army, and told them why they should go in, which was because she was afraid that the army would step on them and that Sulaymaan and his army would crush them. Then she excused the Prophet of Allah and his army by nothing that they would not realise that. This is amazing guidance.

Think about how Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala), speaks highly of the ant when He says:

And there were gathered before Sulaymaan (Solomon) his hosts of jinn and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle order (marching forward).

(Qur’aan 27: 17)

Then He (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says:

Till, when they came to the valley of the ants...

(Qur’aan 27: 18)

Allah tells us that they all passed through this valley, and that this valley was known for its ants, as Wadi as-Sibaa’ (valley of the wild animals) (was known for its wildlife) etc, Then Allah tells us something which indicates how clever and precise this ant was, because she told the other ants to go into their homes. She and the other ants knew that each group of them had its own home which others would not enter. Then she said: ...Lest Sulaymaan (Solomon) and his hosts should crush you... (Qur’aan 27: 18).

So she both referred to him by name and acknowledged who he was; she knew that they were his troops and he was their leader. Then she said: ...while they perceive not... (Qur’aan 27: 18). It is as if she both excused the army for not realising the harm that they caused, whilst blaming the ants for not taking precautions and entering their homes. For this reason the Prophet of Allah smiled at what she said, because it was appropriate to smile in amazement at this point.

Az-Zuhri narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Uyaynah from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allah ,

“forbade the killing of ants, bees, hoopoes and hawks.”

(Attributed by Al-Majd ibn Taymiyah in Muntaqa, Pp. 759, to Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Ibn Maajah with the wording: “The Messenger of Allah forbade the killing of four (creatures): ants, bees, hoopoes and
hawks.”)

Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah (radhiyAllahu anh) that the Prophet said:

“One of the Prophets stopped beneath a tree, and an ant bit him. He ordered that his luggage should be taken away and that the ant’s village (nest) should be burned. Then Allah revealed to him: one ant bit you and you burned an entire community of ants who glorify (their Lord)! Was not one ant enough?”

(Bukhari: 6/154, hadeeth no. 3019; 6/356, hadeeth no. 3318. Muslim: 4/1759, hadeeth no. 2241. The hadeeth is taken from the collection of reports narrated there.)

‘Awf ibn Abi Jameelah narrated that Qusaamah ibn Zuhayr said: Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari narrated: ‘Everything has a leader, even ants have leaders.’
Among the wonders of the way in which ants are guided is that the ant knows that its Lord is above the heavens on His Throne. Imam Ahmad narrated in Kitaab az-Zuhd from Abu Hurayrah, (radhiyAllahu anh) who attributed it to the Prophet :

“One of the Prophets went out with the people to pray for rain, and they saw an ant raising its legs to heaven, praying lying on its back. He said: ‘Go back, for someone else has sufficed for you, or has ensured that you will be granted rain.’”

There are number of isnads for this report, which is also narrated by At-Tahaawi in At-Tahdheeb, and by others.

In Musnad al-Imam Ahmad it says that Sulaymaan ibn Dawood went out to pray for rain, and he saw an ant lying on its back, raising its legs towards the heavens and saying, “O’ Allah, we are part of Your creation, and we cannot do without Your rain and Your provision. Either send us rain and provision or let us die. He (Sulaymaan) said: Go back, for you will be given rain by the du’aa’ of someone else.”

I was told about an ant which came out of its home and found part of a locust’s body. It tried to carry it but was not able, so it went and brought others to help carry it. I (the person who told this story) picked it up, and the ant walked around in the place where it had been, and did not find it. The other ants went away and left the first ant. Then I put the locust down, and the ant tried to carry it and could not, so she went to bring the others back. I picked it up, and the ant walked around in the place where it had been, and did not find it, so the others went away. I did this several times, and the last time I did it, the ants made a circle around the first ant and tore it apart. I told this story to our shaykh and he said: Allah has created these ants in such a way that they hate lies and punish liars.

The ant is one of the most careful of creatures whose caution is proverbial. It is mentioned that when Sulaymaan (Solomon) saw how cautious the ant was and how careful it was to store food, he brought out an ant and asked it how much an ant eats each year? It said, three grains of wheat. So he ordered that the ant should be placed in a bottle, and be given three grains of wheat, and the bottle should be sealed and be left there for a year. When the year had passed, he commanded that the bottle should be opened, and he found one and a half grains of wheat left. He said, Did you not claim that you needed three grains of wheat per year?

The ant said, Yes, but when I saw that you were bust with the affairs of your own kind, I thought of how much of my life was left, and I realised that it was longer than the time that you had allocated for me, so I limited myself to eating half of the food, and I left half in order to ensure my survival. Sulaymaan was impressed by how cautious the ant was, which was part of the guidance given to it.

This caution makes the ant strive hard all summer, gathering food for the winter, because it knows that it will be difficult to find anything during the winter. Although the ant is small, it is very strong and is able to carry many more times more than its own body weight, and drag it to its home.

Ants do not have a leader who is in charge, as is the case with bees, but they do have scouts who look for food. If the scout finds something, it tells its companions, who all come out. Each ant works hard for the good of all, without stealing any grain to keep for itself.

Among the wonders of the ant is that if a man wants to prevent ants from falling into honey etc., if he digs a hole and surrounds it with water or fills a large vessel with water, and puts that thing (honey or whatever) in it, then an ant comes and cannot get to it, it will try to climb a wall and walk across the ceiling until it is above the thing, then it will drop down onto it. We ourselves have tried this.

A craftsman once heated a ring in the fire, then threw it on the floor to cool off. It so happened that some ants were trapped in the middle of the ring. The ants tried in all directions to get out, but the heat pushed them back. So they stayed in the middle of the ring, precisely in the centre, which was the furthest point from the circumference.

(Shifaa’ al-‘Aleel, by Ibn al-Qayyim, Pp. 104)