Author: Dr. Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Quran: A Miracle Beyond Time- A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (part 83)
Manifestations of Divine Miracle in Animals
The creation of living beings is one of the greatest arenas for observing divine power, wisdom, and mercy. Every creature; small or large; is a sign of the precise planning and astonishing guidance of the Exalted Creator. Among these signs, the concept of the “mother’s heart” in the animal world holds a unique position: an emotional and instinctive force that appears as a universal law throughout the living world, demonstrating how divine guidance is deeply embedded within the very essence of creatures.
This section focuses on the divine miracle manifested in maternal behaviors among animals, the wonders of creation in natural structures such as the egg and also presents cautionary examples of the harmful consequences of improper human interference with natural laws.
The Miracle of the Mother’s Heart Among Animals
By “the mother’s heart,” we do not mean merely the physical heart; composed of atria, ventricles, and blood vessels; but rather that inner emotional force regarded as the strongest driving instinct in the living world. Scientists believe that the “maternal instinct” is the most powerful attraction among living beings. Natural observations clearly show that maternal love, care, and self-sacrifice in animals are so extensive that their examples are beyond enumeration.
A Prophetic Example of Mercy Toward Animals
It is narrated from Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) that he said: One day, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) stopped at a place. A man went toward a thicket and took out the eggs of a red-colored bird. The bird came and began flapping its wings over the head of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and over the heads of his Companions. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: «أیكم فجع هذه؟» Translation: (Which one of you has distressed this bird?)
A man from among the people replied: I took its eggs. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then said: Translation: (Return them.)
This hadith is a clear example of Islam’s emphasis on respecting the emotions and rights of animals. [1]
Mercy in the Natural Behaviors of Animals
Biologists have recorded numerous astonishing observations, among them:
Carrying Offspring with Sharp Teeth
Bears, dogs, and cats carry their young using their sharp teeth, yet not the slightest scratch appears on the bodies of their offspring as if an external force precisely regulates their behavior.
The Miracle in the Behavior of the Insect “Xylob” [2]
This insect lays its eggs in spring and “dies immediately after laying them.” Yet before dying, it performs remarkable actions: it creates a rectangular tunnel in tree trunks, gathers pollen and sugary substances, fills the chamber with this nourishment, lays the egg, and then covers it with a layer of wood dust.
The larva of this insect is “unable to procure food for an entire year,” but divine planning within the mother ensures that a full year’s nourishment is prepared in advance. Here, the noble verse becomes manifest: «قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِیٓ أَعطَىٰ كُلَّ شَیءٍ خَلقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ» [3] Translation: “(Moses) said: Our Lord is the One who gave existence to everything and then guided it (in accordance with the purpose for which it was created).”
The Astonishing Behavior of the “Digger” Insect (Haffār) [4]
The digger insect is a small creature that excavates tunnels in soil, wood, or plants using its specialized limbs. Its scientific classification varies, but in traditional natural history sources it is known as “Haffār.”
The female digs a tunnel in the ground, locates a worm, stings it so that it becomes unconscious but does not die, drags it into the tunnel, lays an egg, seals the tunnel entrance, and then dies.
When the larvae hatch, they find “fresh and preserved food” awaiting them; nourishment that is inconceivable without divine guidance.
(Sphecidae / Crabronidae)
Remarkable Feeding Behavior in Birds
Some female birds feed their chicks “1,300 times a day,” from dawn until sunset.
Maternal Emotions in Mammals
A female camel “weeps” over the separation from her calf.
A female dog “whimpers” over her dead puppy.
A mare, after the death of her foal, becomes restless, refuses to eat, and refuses to leave the body of her offspring.
These emotional manifestations are divine signs embedded in the psychological structure of creatures, demonstrating that maternal love and sacrifice are not exclusively human traits, but a divinely ordained guidance spread throughout existence.
The Miracle in the Creation of the Egg (Benefits and Wonders of the Egg)
The egg; this small unit of life; possesses a structure and composition that reflects design and wisdom from every perspective.
Nutritional Wonders
A single egg contains:
16 types of rare minerals,
8 types of well-known minerals,
approximately “200 types” of proteins,
14 vitamins,
sugars,
and anti-corruption substances.
The eggshell itself contains about “10% minerals,” while the internal contents contain only “2%.”
Geometric Miracle in the Oval Shape
The oval shape of the egg:
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Prevents it from rolling long distances;
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Is one of the most resistant geometric forms;
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Distributes pressure evenly across its surface;
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Is easy to stack, store, and break;
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Is the most suitable natural form for embryonic development.
These characteristics show that even the smallest elements of nature are governed by a predetermined design and precise planning.
Conclusion
In this discussion, we observed that:
. Maternal love and care in animals are clear manifestations of divine guidance;
. Even the smallest elements of creation, such as the egg, are designed with miraculous precision;
. Whenever humans alter divine natural laws, destructive consequences follow.
These truths present a profound picture of the relationship between creation, guidance, and divine wisdom; a picture that calls humanity to reflection and invites it once again toward the correct manner of interaction with the world and the laws of Allah almighty.
And how vast is the distance between the “path of God” and the “path of Satan.” Allah almighty says: “فَمَاذَا بَعْدَ الْحَقِّ إِلَّا الضَّلَالُ فَأَنَّى تُصْرَفُونَ” (Yunus: 32) Translation:“Is there anything beyond the truth except error? So how can you be turned away (from the right path)?”
Continues…
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References:
[1]. Musnad Ahmad, Musnad ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud (RA), Hadith no. 3835, vol. 6, p. 385, Tahqiq: Mu’assasat al-Risalah.
[2]. Xylob (Carpenter Bee): An insect from the bee family, commonly known in scientific sources as Carpenter Bee. It usually lives solitarily, bores tunnels into wood, and lays its eggs inside those tunnels.
[3]. taha: 50.
[4]. Haffar: From insect families such as Sphecidae or Crabronidae. The female digs a tunnel in the ground, stings a worm to paralyze but not kill it, drags it into the tunnel, lays eggs, seals the entrance, and then dies—thus providing fresh food for its offspring.
[5]. Mawsu‘at al-I‘jaz al-‘Ilmi fi al-Qur’an wa al-Sunnah, vol. 2, pp. 159–163.
