Animals

At a glance

Across the Quran, animals are presented not as mere background scenery to human life, but as intentional signs pointing directly to their Maker. Their diverse forms, precise physical adaptations, and specialized instincts show the perfection of divine craftsmanship. Whether large like the camel or minute like the mosquito, each creature testifies to Allah's absolute power, wisdom, and providence over all that exists.

Animals serve humanity in numerous ways: providing food, drink, clothing, shelter, transport, and economic strength, while also serving as spiritual reminders. They glorify Allah continually in ways humans cannot comprehend, modeling obedience to divine purpose. Moreover, the Quran draws upon animals to illustrate profound spiritual lessons, using their traits to expose human hypocrisy, greed, or negligence, and to awaken hearts to the truth of revelation.

Key verses

1. An-Nahl 16:8: Allah highlights horses, mules, and donkeys as gifts created for riding and beauty, demonstrating divine care for human transport, defense, and aesthetic enjoyment.
2. Al-An'am 6:143-145: These verses dismantle fabricated cultural taboos regarding lawful and unlawful livestock, clarifying that prohibition is Allah's sole right and listing the core dietary prohibitions.
3. Al-A'raf 7:176: Allah compares the one who abandons divine knowledge to follow worldly desire to a panting dog, illustrating a ceaseless, restless yearning that never finds peace.
4. Al-Baqarah 2:164: The dispersion of every kind of animal across the earth is presented alongside cosmic phenomena as an undeniable sign of Allah's oneness for people who use their intellect.
5. Ya-Sin 36:71-72: Allah reminds humanity of His blessing in creating cattle and subduing them so that fragile humans can master and benefit from them for riding and meat.
6. Ta-Ha 20:50: Moses summarizes the reality of creation: Allah gave every creature its tailored form, characteristics, and guidance to fulfill its role and secure its survival.

Words to know

الحيوان al-hayawan

Any growing, sentient body that moves by will, possessing a soul; in the Quran, the exact term appears once meaning eternal life, while the root signifies life as opposed to death.

Appears 189 times in the Quran.

Most common forms: حَياة (76), أَحْيا (51), حَيّ (24), يَسْتَحْىِۦ (9), حَىَّ (7)

Root: ح ي ي

الطير al-tayr

Winged creatures that move through the air, considered a category of animal possessing a soul.

Root: ط ي ر

الحشرات al-hasharat

Small creeping creatures and insects of the earth, often characterized by undergoing distinct developmental stages.

الكائنات الحية الدقيقة al-ka'inat al-hayyah al-daqiqah

Microorganisms invisible to the naked human eye that possess life and are counted among the hidden creations of Allah.

Divine wisdom in the creation of animals

From the paper: «الحكمة الإلهية في خلق الحيوان»

Allah did not create animals in vain; rather, they serve as proofs of His oneness, power, and sustenance Al-Baqarah 2:164. Every animal glorifies its Creator in a language humans cannot fathom Al-Isra 17:44. Allah has subdued animals, especially livestock (an'am), to serve human needs, granting food, clean milk, warm clothing, furniture, travel, defense, and beauty An-Nahl 16:5, An-Nahl 16:6, An-Nahl 16:80, Al-Anfal 8:60, Ya-Sin 36:71-72.

Divine ingenuity is evident in how every animal's anatomy matches its environment and purpose An-Nur 24:45, Ta-Ha 20:50. The camel is built with enduring strength and specialized reserves to cross barren deserts, yet it submits meekly to a small child Al-Ghashiyah 88:17. Allah endowed animals with sufficient perception to pursue benefit and avoid harm. For example, ants store food, split seeds to keep them from sprouting, build elevated colonies to avoid floods, and communicate with remarkable precision, as demonstrated when one ant warned her entire colony An-Naml 27:18.

Contemplating these wonders leads sound minds to certainty Ali 'Imran 3:190-191, Al-Jathiyah 45:4-5. Pure, wholesome milk produced between digested waste and blood is a marvel of divine craftsmanship An-Nahl 16:66. Similarly, the bee's hexagonal hives, societal order under a leader, and production of healing honey stem from divine revelation and instinct An-Nahl 16:68-69.

Types of animals

From the paper: «أنواع الحيوانات»

The Quran mentions animals across several functional categories:

• Edible livestock: The eight paired mates of camels, cattle, sheep, and goats Al-An'am 6:142-144. The Quran exposed pagan superstitions that arbitrarily declared certain livestock forbidden, affirming they are pure gifts from Allah. The miraculous She-Camel was sent to Thamud as a decisive sign Al-A'raf 7:73, Hud 11:64, while cattle and sheep are linked to the accounts of Moses Al-Baqarah 2:67-71, Ibrahim's hospitality Hud 11:69, Adh-Dhariyat 51:26, and the judgments of Dawud and Sulayman Al-Anbiya 21:78.
• Riding beasts: Horses, mules, and donkeys were created for transport and adornment An-Nahl 16:8. Prepared cavalry is commanded for deterrence and defense Al-Anfal 8:60. Donkeys illustrate physical labor Al-Baqarah 2:259, harsh sound Luqman 31:19, and panic Al-Muddaththir 74:50, while the elephant is remembered in the defeat of the army that attacked the Ka'bah Al-Fil 105:1.
• Predators: Carnivores with fangs that prey on creatures, such as the wolf framed by the brothers of Yusuf and the lion (qaswarah) Al-Muddaththir 74:51.
• Other animals: Dogs appear in the narrative of the youths in the cave Al-Kahf 18:22 and in parables Al-A'raf 7:176. Swine and monkeys are mentioned in dietary and moral contexts, including the Sabbath-breakers who were transformed as an earthly punishment Al-Baqarah 2:65, Al-Ma'idah 5:60.

Animals forbidden to eat

From the paper: «الحيوانات المحرّم أكلها»

Divine law protects physical and spiritual purity by outlining forbidden animal meats Al-Baqarah 2:173, Al-Ma'idah 5:3, Al-An'am 6:145, An-Nahl 16:115. These include:

• Carrion (al-maytah): Animals that die of natural causes, retaining congested blood and bodily toxins.
• Spilled blood (dam masfuh): Flowing blood carrying organic waste and bacteria.
• Swine (lahm khinzir): An impure, filth-eating animal carrying harmful parasites and low habits.
• What is dedicated to other than Allah: Slaughtered in the name of false deities or idols, violating Islamic monotheism.
• Unslaughtered deaths: Animals that die through strangulation, blunt force, falls, goring, or predator attacks, unless rescued with a flicker of life and properly slaughtered Al-Ma'idah 5:3.
• Beasts of prey and fowls with talons: Prohibited by the Sunnah because of their ferocious nature.
• Creatures ordered to be killed or naturally repulsive: Such as snakes, scorpions, and pests.

In cases of dire necessity where life is at risk, consuming minimum sustenance from these forbidden foods is excused, reflecting divine mercy and ease Al-An'am 6:145.

Animals in Quranic parables

From the paper: «الحيوان في المثل القرآني»

Allah strikes parables with animals, regardless of their size, to bring intangible meanings into vivid focus Al-Baqarah 2:26. Believers recognize the divine purpose and wisdom in these comparisons, while disbelievers mock them to their own ruin.

When a person receives divine knowledge but casts it aside for worldly desires, Allah likens them to a panting dog Al-A'raf 7:175-176. Unlike other animals that pant only when tired or thirsty, the dog pants continuously, whether driven away or left alone. This captures the state of someone whose heart has lost peace: an insatiable, agitated craving for worldly gain that never rests.

Another parable depicts those entrusted with scripture who fail to study, understand, or act upon it as a donkey loaded with heavy books of knowledge Al-Jumu'ah 62:5. The animal bears the physical weight on its back without benefiting from the light inside. This warning extends to anyone who recites or memorizes scripture without reflecting upon its guidance or putting it into practice.

Miraculous aspects in the creation of animals

From the paper: «لمسات إعجازية في خلق الحيوانات»

The animal kingdom constitutes organized communities that mirror balance and order in creation Al-An'am 6:38, sustained entirely by Allah's provision Hud 11:6. Though all land creatures share water as their essential origin, their modes of mobility, structures, and environments vary astonishingly An-Nur 24:45, Ta-Ha 20:50.

The Quran poses a humbling challenge to those who worship false gods: they cannot create even a single fly, even if they joined forces Al-Hajj 22:73. If a fly snatches food or drink from them, they cannot recover it, because the fly's digestive secretions break substances down instantly into its system. Both the petitioner and the petitioned stand thoroughly helpless before this small insect.

Similarly, those who rely on patrons other than Allah are compared to the spider building its fragile home Al-Ankabut 29:41. In Arabic, the singular feminine form points to the solitary nature of the female spider, which spins the web alone. Physically, the web cannot protect against cold, heat, rain, or attackers; socially and emotionally, it lacks mercy, as the female may devour the male or her own offspring. Through these delicate wonders As-Sajdah 32:7, the Quran invites humanity to recognize the solitary majesty of the Creator.

Takeaways

1. Use Blessings to Remember the Giver

   When riding transport, eating food, or using materials derived from animals, remember that Allah subdued them for you Ya-Sin 36:71-72, Az-Zukhruf 43:12-13. Respond with gratitude and praise rather than taking daily comforts for granted.

2. Align Knowledge with Action

   Bearing knowledge without living by it turns a person into the equivalent of a donkey carrying books of wisdom Al-Jumu'ah 62:5. Strive to let every verse and ruling you learn reshape your character and daily decisions.

3. Guard Your Heart from Restless Greed

   Abandoning guidance to chase after worldly elevation leaves the heart in constant restlessness, like a panting dog that never finds relief Al-A'raf 7:175-176. True contentment comes through devotion to Allah.

4. Learn Discipline and Organization from Nature

   The social harmony of ants and bees shows that Allah has embedded wisdom and cooperation into His creation An-Naml 27:18, An-Nahl 16:68-69. Believers should emulate this order, diligence, and mutual care in their own communities.

Reflect

• When you use modern transportation or enjoy food, how often do you pause to recognize the divine subjection of the natural world that makes it possible?
• Are there areas of sacred knowledge you have learned but have not yet translated into steady action?
• What signs in the behavior or anatomy of everyday creatures around you have recently drawn your heart toward Allah's majesty?

Go deeper

Linguistic meaning

Linguistically, hayawan comes from the root signifying life and vitality, the absolute opposite of death, denoting that which is alive, fresh, and thriving.

Technical meaning

In technical scholarly usage, hayawan denotes any growing, sentient body that moves by voluntary will, encompassing every being that possesses a spirit or soul, whether articulate or non-speaking.

How it differs from related terms

الطير Birds / Flying Creatures

Refers specifically to winged creatures that fly through the air; because they possess a soul, they represent a specific subcategory of animals (hayawan).

الحشرات Insects / Creeping Pests

Denotes small crawling creatures of the earth that often pass through three distinct metamorphic stages (egg, larva, butterfly); like larger animals, they possess life and a soul.

الكائنات الحية الدقيقة Microorganisms

Refers to living entities so microscopic that they cannot be observed with the naked eye, representing unseen forms of animal life whose existence confirms Quranic hints about invisible creatures.

Every verse in the paper

All 99 verses the research paper discusses, grouped under its own headings.

Animals in Quranic usage «الحيوان في الاستعمال القرآني»

6:144, 6:143, 105:1, 74:50-51, 6:139, 16:8, 7:176, 12:14, 81:5

Related terms «الألفاظ ذات الصلة»

69:38-39, 10:61, 42:29

Divine wisdom in the creation of animals «الحكمة الإلهية في خلق الحيوان»

The wisdom of creating animals «أولًا: حكمة خلق الحيوان»

2:164, 17:44, 16:5, 6:143, 6:144, 23:21, 16:80, 36:71-72, 43:12-13, 16:8, 8:60, 16:6, 3:14, 31:10

Divine creativity in the creation of animals «ثانيًا: الإبداع الإلهي في خلق الحيوان»

24:45, 88:17, 20:50, 27:18

Encouragement to reflect on the creation of animals «ثالثًا: الحث على التفكر في خلق الحيوان»

3:190-191, 2:164, 2:163, 45:4-5, 11:6, 16:66, 16:68-69, 43:12-13, 36:71-72

Types of animals «أنواع الحيوانات»

Edible animals «أولًا: الحيوانات المأكولة»

6:144, 6:142-143, 88:17, 12:65, 12:72, 7:73, 11:64, 26:155, 91:13, 7:77, 17:59, 54:27, 2:70, 2:67-69, 2:71, 12:43, 2:51, 2:54, 2:92-93, 4:153, 7:152, 17:101, 7:148, 20:88, 11:69, 51:26, 6:146, 20:18, 21:78, 38:23-24

Riding animals «ثانيًا: الحيوانات المركوبة»

8:60, 3:14, 16:8, 59:6, 17:64, 31:19, 74:50, 62:5, 2:259, 105:1

Beasts of prey «ثالثًا: السباع»

5:3, 74:51, 12:13-14, 12:17, 7:176, 18:22, 20:50

Other animals «رابعًا: حيوانات أخرى»

2:173, 2:65, 5:60

Animals forbidden to eat «الحيوانات المحرّم أكلها»

2:173, 5:3, 6:145-146, 16:115, 7:157

Animals in Quranic parables «الحيوان في المثل القرآني»

2:26, 74:31, 7:175-176, 7:193, 7:177, 29:43, 62:5, 7:179

Miraculous aspects in the creation of animals «لمسات إعجازية في خلق الحيوانات»

6:38, 11:6, 24:45, 21:30, 20:50, 22:73, 29:41, 32:7

About this source

Volume

7

Research paper

«الحيوان» (Animals)

Read the full paper (Arabic)

Encyclopedia of Thematic Tafsir of the Noble Quran, published by the Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

This study guide summarizes the Arabic research paper. For full scholarly detail, refer to the original. This preview has not been reviewed yet.

Related topics

• Man الإنسان
• Insects الحشرات
• Creation الخلق
• Birds الطير
• Vegetation النبات