REVELATION AND INSPIRATION
Guidance from God
IT has been stated in the Quran that God sent His revelation to the bees (THE QURAN 16: 68). From this we know that in the animal kingdom there are certain features that are similar to the revelations of God to mankind. A study of these features will improve our understanding of the revelations of God.
The concept of revelation is the receiving of guidance from external sources of knowledge. A study of animal life clearly shows that such sources of guidance exist amongst them. We can find many characteristic features amongst animal life which can only be explained by acknowledging that they have received guidance from sources external to them. Migration amongst animals is one such characteristic feature. The migration of birds and fish specifically demonstrate signs that make the concepts of revelation and inspiration easily understandable to man.
Certain features in the animal kingdom show similarities to the revelations of God to mankind.
Here, we present the example of migratory birds. There are many birds that migrate from their homes to other favourable places and then after a specific period return back to their original abodes. This seasonal migration is done at specific times due to seasonal changes and in search of food.
Extensive studies have been carried out on the flight patterns of these migratory birds. The common theme that emerges from these studies is that the flight pattern of these migratory birds is not random or aimless. In the words of one expert ornithologist, ‘these flight patterns demonstrate a very high level of geographical arrangement’. These journeys are as meaningful as any well planned and purposeful journey of man. Recent observational studies have further established that these migratory journeys are undertaken on ‘well-defined flyways’. This journey of the birds is extremely remarkable. A successful journey from one place to another for man becomes possible only after he has obtained knowledge of the path and the destination from external sources. These external sources for man can be the instructions from others, or a study of the discoveries of others or the experience of oneself of unfamiliar conditions and situations. If man were to be cut off from the progressive and historic collective knowledge base and the interaction and exchange of ideas with others and the knowledge from the academic institutions of learning then he would be helpless and unable to make a journey or do anything.
The flight patterns of migratory birds demonstrate a very high level of geographical arrangement.
For instance, Muslim geographer Al-Idrisi (1099–1165 AD) got his initial concepts of the spherical shape of the earth from the works of Indian astronomers and mathematicians, possibly Aryabhata. The Latin translation of Al-Idrisi's geographical works amongst others influenced Christopher Columbus' voyages. Columbus' experiences advanced the knowledge of those explorers who came after him. This sequence progressed one after another until the knowledge of the earth's geography reached the advanced stage, which we find it in today.
Today when the captain of a ship sets sail across the oceans from one shore to the other or when the pilot of an airliner takes off from one airport to land at another, they are able to do so, utilizing the knowledge gained from thousands of years of human experience.
Birds do not have any recourse to such knowledge. They cannot exchange ideas with others in the manner that man does. Hence, they are unable to derive any benefit or knowledge from the experiences of their brethren. No bird can express its ideas in the form of a book so that other birds could read and benefit from it. Completely devoid of any such capability or facility they are still able to undertake journeys similar to those of man. They are able to successfully complete incredible journeys from one place to another distant place in the same manner as the remotely controlled journeys of a rocket in space. An expert researcher on the migration of birds has written that, 'the migration flights of birds follow specific routes, sometimes quite well defined over long distances.' The migratory behaviour of birds has a unique regularity in Africa. For example, the standard-wing night jar which nests in a belt extending from Senegal in the west to Kenya in the east along the equatorial forest migrates northward to avoid the wet season.
A map tracing the intercontinental migratory flight route taken by the
European White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) is shown below
This flight-path between its nesting grounds in Europe and Russia and its wintering grounds in tropical Africa is known as the Mediterranean/ Black Sea Flyway. To avoid the harsh winters, these birds of Western Siberia and Central and Eastern Europe, migrate south in autumn to the warmer areas of Africa and Asia. In this long journey they have to negotiate the Ural Mountains and cross three seas — the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.
To achieve their goal they fly in a systematic order and direction which is most suitable for them. They choose their paths in such a manner that their flight over the sea is minimized. Maximizing their journeys over land allows them to take advantage of updrafts and thermals to maintain their soaring flight and rest on land as and when required.
Today when the captain of a ship sets sail across the oceans, he is able to do so, utilizing the knowledge gained from thousands of years of human experience.
As a result, migration through the Mediterranean basin is concentrated at a number of narrow straits and ‘land bridges’. Many migrants cross from southern Italy, over the Messina Strait to Sicily and on into North Africa, some via Malta. Another group takes the path over the land mass of Greece that extends a long way into the Mediterranean and then onto Crete before crossing over into Africa at the narrowest part of the sea in this region.
Other birds circumvent the Mediterranean to the East, passing into Anatolia via the Turkish Straits of Bosphorous and Dardanelles. From here, they cross into the Middle East at the Belen Pass before heading down the Jordan Rift Valley to Egypt and the Red Sea. The majority of these birds enter into Africa through the Sinai Peninsula before heading south along the Nile valley.
Yet another group of migrant birds follow a completely western route over the Strait of Gibraltar where the sea crossing into Africa is only ten miles.
In the words of an ornithologist, ‘these well-separated routes are a probably a result of a stork's aversion to long flights over water and the support they require over land’. This was the very same reason that the ancient mariners crossed the seas from the straits rather than from the open seas.
This migratory journey of birds is incredibly amazing. Today, when man undertakes such journeys, he can only do so with the help of many forms of knowledge. Birds however have neither the mental capability of man nor any other mechanism of utilising knowledge. Then how is it that these birds are successful in such complex journeys?
According to an expert ornithologist the answer to this is that ‘birds have evolved a highly efficient means of travelling swiftly over long distances with great economy of energy’. But these are just words. While agreeing that behavioural and physiological adaptations necessary for migration are under genetic control, these experts acknowledge that migration has developed independently in many avian lineages.
Completely devoid of the capability to derive benefit from knowledge, migratory birds are able to undertake long journeys similar to those of man.
The truth is that birds do not demonstrate any evidence in their nature that proves that they have developed this capability through the process of evolution. If you ponder over this phenomenon, there can be only two possible hypotheses: One, that these birds have a complete knowledge of the geography of both the land and sea masses of the continents of Europe, Africa and Asia. However, no study has established this as a fact. According to all our available information, birds on their own have no knowledge of any kind of geographical facts. In support of this hypothesis, whatever is written or spoken is without any foundation and is only a supposition which has no evidence in factual knowledge.
The second possible hypothesis — is that some external power with complete geographic knowledge is helping these birds, using some sort of hidden remote control. This power is guiding the birds in a manner similar to that used in the radio-communication control of unmanned spacecraft. This second hypothesis is a more credible hypothesis. In reality, this matter confirms and establishes as true the concept known in divine religions as 'revelation'.
There are such instances in the animal kingdom that cannot be understood unless it is accepted that these animals are in receipt of guidance from an external treasure house of knowledge. This in religious terms is referred to as revelation. A study of animal life makes it possible for us to understand the concept of revelation. Credible circumstantial evidence in favour of a hypothesis is sufficient to establish its occurrence and veracity.
The concept of revelation means that God sends His guidance to man in an unseen manner. This guidance tells man what he must do and what he should refrain from. This connection of revelation between God and man (Prophet) is unseen; hence some people refuse to believe in it.
In other creation, for example a study of the migratory journeys of birds shows that there exists such guidance similar to revelation. Migration with such precision is an instance that makes credible the concept of revelation. No other theory can be propounded to explain these journeys other than that it be acknowledged that they are in receipt of hidden guidance from an external source. When the birds themselves do not possess these known faculties then what else can be said other than that this guidance is external to them.
Some external power with complete geographic knowledge is helping these birds, using some sort of hidden remote control.
The proclamation of the Prophet that he has received guidance from God in the form of revelation is without doubt a remarkable claim. But, such hidden guidance is not strange in this present world. There are other instances in this world that verify that such guidance is evident. The case of migratory birds that has been briefly mentioned in this article is just one example amongst many others in this world.
‘The elephant walks on without being disturbed by barking dogs’.
This is the best illustration of one who has the capacity for
‘big bird thinking’. Life is full of storms, full of barking,
full of untoward situations. You have only two
options: either to waste your time and energy
by constantly stooping to reactionary
behaviour or to ignore all undesirable
situations and try to live like the
elephant in the adage. Elephantstyle
living is the only
successful way to live
in this world.