Hawzah News Agency – By looking at the benefits animals and the actions of some people, we can see that such similes such as

    أُولَـٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ؛

“They are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors”.1

Are both true and logical. The most valuable clothes for people are those made of silk, which is from the animal kingdom.

The most important foods for mankind such as milk, yoghurt, honey and meat are from the animal kingdom.

Animals are a means of transportation and ploughing as well as other sources of labour.

The whole process of wool spinning, leather manufacture, dairy production and livestock trade are dependent on animals.

We can even learn from some animals. The crow taught the son of Adam AS and his heritage how to bury the dead.

Some animals reported to prophets, such as the hoopoe bird which reported the transgression of the people of Seba to Prophet Sulaiman AS.

Some animals protected the prophets, such as the spider, which protected the Prophet SAWA in the cave.

Animals can be trained and taught, so a trained hunting dog is halal (to own, buy and sell).

Animals that are dangerous, such as snakes, will not attack anyone unless we come in to close proximity.

By paying attention to the above information, aren’t humans that attack people and places with bombs and missiles that are distant to them not worse than snakes?

Are not individuals that day and night trick and deceive others for the sake of fulfilling their own whims and desires, for their own benefits, throwing humanity down the drain – not worse than animals?

Are not people that have collected many criminal files to their names not worse than the worst of beastly characteristics?

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1. Al Araaf 7:179

Taken from "Parables: Important questions & Simple answers" written by Muhsin Qara'ati