ANIMALS IN THE QUR'AN

Snake Hunters is dedicated to the teachings about animals. Through our work with the Muslim community, we have often found a Muslim misunderstanding about animals in Islam. Below is a list of the animals mentioned in the Quran provided in alphabetical order. We hope that Muslims can read this to better learn their faith and also have a better appreciation for natural Australian wildlife.

Qur’an 27:18 - ANTS

“Till when they (Sulaiman and his hosts) came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: “O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaiman and his hosts should crush you, while they perceive not.”

Qur’an 2:65-66 - APES

“And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath. We said to them: “Be you monkeys, despised and rejected.” So we made this punishment an example to their own and to succeeding generations and a lesson to those who are Al Muttaqun.”

Qur’an 16:68-69 – BEES

“And your Lord inspired the bees, saying: “Take your habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. Then eat of all the 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’an 16:79 – BIRDS

“Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky? None holds them but Allah. Verily in this are clear Ayat for people who believe.”

Qur’an 88:17 – CAMELS

“Do they not look at the camels, how they are created?”

Qur’an 16:5 – CATTLE

”And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them there is warmth and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.”

Qur’an 7:175 – 176 – DOG

“And recite to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat, but he threw them away; so Shaitan followed him up, and he became of those who went astray. And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith, but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his parable is the parable of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he lolls his tongue out. Such is the parable of the people who reject Our Ayat. So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect.”

Qur’an 18:18 – DOG

“And you would have thought them awake, whereas they were asleep. And We turned them on their right and on their left sides, and their dog stretching forth his two forelegs at the entrance. Had you looked at them, you would certainly have turned back from them in flight, and would certainly been filled with awe of them.”

Qur’an 31:19 – DONKEY

“And be moderate in your walking, and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the asses.”

Qur’an 105:1-5 – ELEPHANT

“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant?”

“Did He not make their plot go astray?”

“And He sent against them birds in flocks”

“Striking them with stones of Sijjil”

“And He made them like stalks”.

Qur’an 38:23-24 – EWE

“Verily this my brother has ninety nine ewes while I have one ewe, and he says: “Hand it over to me, and he overpowered me in speech.”

“[Dawud] said: “He has wronged you in demanding your ewe in addition to his ewes. And, verily, many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and they are few.” And Dawud guessed that We have tried him and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned in repentance.”

Qur’an 22: 73 – FLY

“O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it: Verily those on whom you call besides Allah, cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatches away a thing from them, they will have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.”

Qur’an 7:133-134 – FROGS

“So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were Mujrimun”

Qur’an 27: 20-22 – HOOPOE.

“He (Sulaiman) inspected the birds, and said: “What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?”

“I will surely punish him with a severe torment, or slaughter him, unless he brings me a clear reason.”

“But the hoopoe stayed not long; he said: “I have grasped which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Sheba with true news…”

Qur’an 16:8 – HORSES, MULES, & DONKEYS

“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’an 74: 51 – LION

“Fleeing from a hunter, or a lion or a beast of prey”

Qur’an 54: 7 – LOCUST

“They will come forth, with humbled eyes from their graves as is they were locusts spread abroad.”

Qur’an 2:26 – MOSQUITO

“Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable eveon of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger than it. And as for those who believe, they know what is the Truth from the Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: “What did Allah intend by this parable?” By it He misleads many, and many He guies thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al Fasiqun.”

Qur’an 2: 57: - QUAILS

“And We shaded you with cloads and sent down on you Al Manna and the quails: “eat of the good lawful things We have provided for you”. And they did not wrong Us but they wronged themselves.”

Qur’an 5:31 – RAVEN

“Then Allah sent a raven who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He said: “Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?” Then he became one of those who regretted.”

Qur’an 29:41 – SPIDER

“The likeness of those who take Auliya other than Allah is the likeness of a spider who builds a house; but verily the failest of houses is the spider’s house – if they but knew.”

Qur’an 16:115 – SWINE

“He has forbidden you only Al-Maitah, blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, and not transgressing, - then, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Qur’an 34:14 – TERMITE

“Then when We decreed death for him, nothing informed them (jinn) of his death except a little worm of the earth which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his stick. So when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that if they had known the Unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment.”

Qur’an 37:142-144 – WHALE

“Then a whale swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame.”

“Had he not been of them who glorify Allah”

“He would have indeed remained inside its belly till the Day of Judgement”

Qur’an 12:13 – WOLF

“He [Ja’qub] said: “Truly it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of him.”