Human beings and animals - The superiority of human beings over animals

 The fact is that Almighty Allah had ordained human beings to be His Vicegerents on earth and provided many bounties for them even before they appeared on earth.  Thus, Almighty Allah says: 

 

Some things have been created as food and some as medicine and some others as adornment.  Some have been created as mounts for travel and loads as Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

He is the One Who created for you all that is in the earth….  Surah Baqarah (2:29)

 

And He alone has created for you the cattle. They are for you a source of warm clothing and (other) benefits. And you (also) eat some of them.  And there is beauty in them (and also a joy—an aesthetic pleasure) for you when you drive (them back) in the evening from pasture, and when you drive (them) out in the morning (to graze).  And these (animals also) carry your loads to those distant cities (and remote areas) where you cannot reach (otherwise) without toiling hard. Surely, your Lord is Most Clement, Ever-Merciful.  And (He is the One Who has created) horses, mules and donkeys so that you may ride them, and that they may serve as means of adornment (for you) as well, and He will (further) create (such ornamented means of conveyance) that you do not know (today).  Surah Nahl (16:5-8)

 

Just see!  How merciful and affectionate is the Lord Almighty that He has placed hunger and the inclination of meat in us, He has also placed various tastes in various types of animals and birds.  Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been possible for us to think of it.  As our skins aren’t capable of withstanding cold, He has made the skins and hides of animals as our clothing.  As we have to travel in search about our livelihoods, He has created various animals for travel and to bear loads.  When He made us dependent on agriculture, He made bulls, etc. to be subservient to us and the ability to do these tasks has been placed in these animals.  That’s why those countries where these animals are found, they use them for all these tasks.

 

        On the face of it, it is really oppressive that these animals should be made to bear loads and they should be made to draw yokes.  Then if the animals slacken, then they are flogged to such an extent that even the worst criminal doesn’t face it.  When the bulls tire of pulling the yoke and blows are rained on them, they must be thinking that being slaughtered for once and for all is a thousand times better than this.  But who has mercy on them?  One will have mercy when they are made to do something that goes against their nature.  These animals have been created for this very purpose.  Thus, in spite of all that they have to bear, they don’t run away to jungle like other animals.  Even if they are left in the jungle, they come back home.  In spite of being much greater than human beings in strength, they don’t attack them.  They are armed as well, with horns, but don’t bear those arms against human beings, even though when the female of their species when roused is highly difficult to control.  In spite of such power and majesty, what makes them bear such oppression?  Their nature, which Almighty Allah has created.  If these animals could feel pride, they certainly would have prided themselves over all other animals that we are of use to the cream of all creation, human beings.  The pinnacle of a thing is to fulfill to the best possible extent what its inherent nature demands.

 

The way Almighty Allah has made these animals subservient to us, in the same way He has made other animals also subservient to us.  Just look at the elephant!  How obedient it is that no matter how much load you make it bear, it might shout and complain but never will it give way to anger, although it can break a man with just a tap.  In the same way, dogs and cats are bound to guard our houses.  As there was a need to guard our houses from thieves, anti-social elements and wild animals, dogs have been given such tools as well.  Their voices have been made loud and booming so that it can wake up those who are sleeping.  Otherwise no other animal of this size has been given such a frightening voice.  The whole night, we sleep without a care and they are busy in patrolling.  The moment they see any stranger, they jump at him and make such din that willy-nilly the whole locality has to get up.  Even if this is not enough, they will tear up that stranger.  In spite of the fact that even a strong person cannot truly stand up to them, in daytime they become the playthings of children.  A 5-year-old child will trouble them to no end.  Some will tweak their ear and some others will pull their tail, but they can’t do a thing. 

 

It is a result of this that no locality is bereft of these guards.  Then, they not only guard us but also us in hunting.  Now see, even their nature is testifying that human beings may hunt and consume meat as well.  This was all about external safety.  Now look at the safety of the house from the inside as well.  Cats roam the houses at night and guard against insects, scorpions, etc. as much as possible.  In spite of the fact that the poison of the scorpion affects them as well, they somehow save themselves from it and kill and eat them.

 

        There is no need to specially arrange food for dogs.  Stale food is thrown at them and they gobble it up with relish.  Their digestive system has been made so strong that such bones which have to be thrown away are natural food for them.  This also shows that the intent of the Lord Almighty is that humans should consume meat and feed them the bones….The natural food for cats is those waste meat fragments which are separated from meat and thrown away.

 

By reflecting on these, we learn that it is the intent of Almighty Allah that human beings eat meat and give the uneatable articles of it to the external and internal guards of the houses.

 

Now what is to be noted is that human beings are so respectable that Almighty Allah has made various kinds of animals subservient to them.  If a whole army of animals is guarding them from the outside, another one is guarding them from the inside.  If thousands are their mounts then millions bear loads for them.  Various kinds of food, fruits, the different tasting meats of different animals and birds and what not!

 

        Has anyone seen such grandeur and such preparation for anyone in the animal world?  Then how can one say that human beings have descended from animals?