Author: Dr. Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Quran: A Miracle Beyond Time- A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (part 93)
Carrier Pigeons and Bird Migration: Manifestations of the Miraculous Guidance of God in Creation
Since ancient times, humans have been astonished and deeply inquisitive about certain natural phenomena—phenomena that not only challenge empirical reasoning but also open horizons of faith and divine knowledge. Among these is the extraordinary ability of birds to navigate, transmit messages, and travel long distances—capabilities that reach their peak in carrier pigeons (hamam zaajil) and the annual migration of birds. This section examines these two phenomena, emphasizing the concept of “the miraculous guidance of God.”
Carrier Pigeons: The First Communication Network in Human History
In the history of Islamic and human civilization, the carrier pigeon played a prominent role in transmitting news and correspondence. Historical records indicate that Amir Nur al-Din Shahid, may Allah have mercy on him, during his rule over Syria and Egypt, used carrier pigeons as a type of “aerial mail” to send messages between Damascus and Cairo.
Scholars believe that the carrier pigeon has over five hundred varieties and possesses attributes such as:
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Remarkable intelligence
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Extraordinary flying ability
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A strong innate sense of direction
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Familiarity and adaptability with humans
This domestication and taming of pigeons is a clear manifestation of divine will, as the Qur’an says: وَذَلَّلنَٰهَا لَهُم [1] Translation: “And We tamed them for them” (referring in the Qur’an to animals).
The fundamental question arises: Who created this bird to be so intelligent, powerful, and guided? What power made it subservient to humans and placed it in their service?
Amazing Capabilities of Carrier Pigeons
A carrier pigeon can fly a distance of approximately 1,000 kilometers nonstop, at a speed close to 1 kilometer per minute (about 60 kilometers per hour). Additionally, each carrier pigeon produces up to nine pairs of offspring per year, playing a vital role in sustaining this communication network.
In an era without modern communication tools, these birds transmitted messages with astonishing speed. In the administrative system of Nur al-Din Shahid, the Sultan’s name was marked on the pigeons’ red beaks, and lightweight papers were attached to them. Reports indicate that he used two thousand carrier pigeons to communicate with his agents in various cities.
The Mystery of Pigeon Navigation: An Unresolved Puzzle
Despite extensive scientific progress, the “secret of pigeon navigation” remains one of science’s great mysteries. How does the bird find its destination? What tools does it use to recognize the path?
Carrier pigeons were, in fact, the first “news agencies” in history, used by nearly all civilizations—Greeks, Romans, Arabs, and others. Some Western countries, such as the Netherlands, even used carrier pigeons to send messages to the island of Sumatra in Southeast Asia—a distance sometimes reaching 17,000 kilometers.
Scientists proposed various theories:
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Visual memory and recognition of land features
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Use of the sun and flight angles
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Some kind of “radar” in the bird’s brain
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Utilization of Earth’s magnetic field
However, each of these hypotheses was experimentally disproven. Even when pigeons’ eyes were covered or electrical and magnetic interference devices were used, the birds still reached their destinations.
Ultimately, scientists admitted: “Something guides these birds that we still do not understand.”
At this point, the divine word becomes illuminating: قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِيٓ أَعطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيءٍ خَلقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ [2] Translation: “(Moses said) Our Lord is the One who gave everything its form and then guided it.”
Miraculous Guidance in Bird Migration
The Qur’an repeatedly calls humans to contemplate the flight and movement of birds: أَلَم يَرَواْ إِلَى ٱلطَّيرِ مُسَخَّرَٰتٖ فِي جَوِّ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَا يُمسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَومٖ يُؤمِنُونَ [3] Translation: “Do they not see the birds, obedient in the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed, there are signs for a people who believe.”
Bird migration is one of the most astonishing natural phenomena. Every year, tens of billions of birds migrate from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, especially South America and Africa. To study this, millions of birds were ringed, and their paths carefully recorded.
Some birds travel 14,000 to 16,000 kilometers in a single journey, and there are reports of 22,000-kilometer flights from the North Pole to southern Africa. They fly at speeds of 40–100 kilometers per hour, at altitudes reaching 6 kilometers, and some travel over 2,700 kilometers nonstop.
Timing, Energy, and Amazing Planning
One miraculous aspect of migration is its temporal precision. Birds migrate at the same time every year, as if an internal clock is set within them. Moreover, before migration, their bodies are equipped with fat reserves, sometimes doubling their weight to provide the necessary energy for the long journey.
All of this occurs without instruction, previous experience, or guidance, even in young birds that have never traveled the route.
Divine Guidance Beyond Material Explanations
Despite all theories—from stars to the Earth’s magnetic field—the complete truth of this guidance remains unknown. Birds’ flight paths are not straight; they have precise deviations and angles, where a one-degree error could mislead them thousands of kilometers from their destination.
This precision can only be explained by divine guidance, as referenced in the Qur’an: سَبِّحِ ٱسمَ رَبِّكَ ٱلأَعلَى ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ وَٱلَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ [4] Translation: “Exalt the name of your Lord, (SWT), who created and proportioned, and who ordained and guided.”
Thus, what biologists call “instinct” is, from a monotheistic perspective, direct divine guidance—a silent miracle of profound depth that leads both reason and faith to submission. [5]
Continues…
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References:
[1] Yasin: 72
[2] Taha: 50
[3] An-Nahl: 79
[4] Al-A’la: 1–3
[5] Summary from: Mawsu‘at al-I‘jaz al-‘Ilmi fi al-Qur’an wa al-Sunnah, Vol. 2, pp. 198–205
