The Qur'ans Argument on why a Human is not an Animal

[- Qatada -]

Asalaam alaikum warahmatulah wabarakatuh




Surah at-Teen [95] Ayah 4:

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
Laqad khalaqna al-insana fee ahsanitaqweem

We have certainly created man in the best of stature;



la- a pronoun for emphasis - for sure

qad - already (Allah had already honored the human when he was being created in the womb [karamna bani Adam - quote quran])

khalaqNa - We created (Allah made/designed the human being)

al Insan - the human being (insan - nasiya = forgetful [human being])

fee - in

ahsan - husn / hasan-na - beauty
baheej (also in quran for beauty) - delightful, pleasing to the eye. [see Hajj 22:5 and Qaf 50:7]

ahsan - beautiful on the outside and inside.

taqweem - qaama (to stand) - to make something stand up straight/upright.
Qawwama - used to straighten a spear which has become bent in battle.

taqweem - to get multiple parts/components and to balance them together so they are straight.

It also means to design something perfectly in the way you intended to make it.

(i.e. A car which is made how you wanted it perfectly placed / made / balanced.)


A Perfect Balance.
Humans are the only ones who walk completely upright; physically, aswell as morally.

A perfect balance of body and soul.


A fitrah Allah has placed within us (see tafseer surah Shams), so our self/nafs desires a balance between worldly sustenance and spiritual sustenance.

We've been given what no other other species has been given. Allah refutes those who say humans have no moral self honour.

Not only did the human forget Allah, they disgraced themselves due to that. Forgetting Allah brings about the human's disgrace, and remembering Him brings about honour and morality.

When people forget Allah/God, they think they are living a life of intellectualism and freedom. Whereas they have really become slaves to their desires (which they can't quit due to addiction). The suicide rate is the highest now than in history. Strange and demented crimes against children, and others are at a new level. Corruption and Crime is at a peak around the world. All because they forgot Allah.







Ayah 5:

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ
Thumma radadnahu asfala safileen

Then We returnhim to the lowest of the low,


This ayah is the heart of the Surah.



then we rejected him and lowered him to the lowest of the low.

This is negative, so why did He mention Himself?

Allah tells us that He created the human in the best fashion, and then - due to the evil of that human's actions - We (still showing Allah's Majesty) - lowered him to the lowest of the low.

So it is not a flaw in Allah's creation that this human slave went to the lowest of the low. Rather, Allah made him low because of his distancing from Allah.

Allah purposelly mentioned Himself lowering this human, because if He never - people might think that Allah's creation was not really in perfect form.

So Allah purposely says that He himself lowered this forgetful [of Allah] human (insan).



What does Lowest of the Low - (Asfala as-Safileen) Mean?



The context of this Surah is the Ethical and Moral concept of the Soul:

Radad = to return / reject / lower. Rejected him and lower him.


Other words meaning 'to turn' are;

aqlama - change something completely.
Sarafa - to turn something away.
Wal-laa - turn face away
lafat-ta - tilt slightly towards something.
​

There are many words in the Arabic language to mean to turn away.


So why is Rad used?

ar-Rad - reject something on the basis that it is unacceptable.

Allah created him in the best form, but he did bad things - so Allah rejected him.



Asfal as-Safileen - The Lowest of the Low:

asfal - lowest
a'la [the antonym] - highest

وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللَّهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَا ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

..and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah - that is the highest. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

[Tawba 9:40]

​

Sifla - also refers to; dirty / wretched / bad people (in morals.)


Allah created the human above everyone else.

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference. [Israa' 17:70]

​

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth... [Baqarah 2:29]

​

With all these Favours - what does the Human do?

Everything on Earth - Allah created for the human. (i.e. The cat, dog, car etc.) The angels were told to prostrate to the human. Yet the human can go lower than the other things on Earth - even lower than beasts and animals - if he forgets Allah, because he has not fulfilled his role as a noble human in service to Allah, his Master.

We humans were supposed to worship Allah the Most High, yet those who worship other than Him lower themselves infront of a tree, or stone idol, or another human etc. So they are humiliating themselves by humbling themselves to something lower than themselves.

They are returned to the lowest of the low.

Animals will usually only attack other animals when they are hungry or in danger etc.

However, humans attack others even when they are full, with the intent of wanting more and more and more wealth.

So again, the human can be returned to the lowest of the low.




Animals will not do crimes like humans do; genocide, mass rape etc.

If the animal is low, then the human has become the lowest of the low.

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.

[A'raf 7:179]




http://linguisticmiracle.blogspot.com/2010/06/surah-balad-miracle-dream-tafseer.html
​

 

[Pygoscelis]

And there you have it - man is a vegetable or mineral. You heard it here first folks!

 

[marwen]

And there you have it - man is a vegetable or mineral. You heard it here first folks!

What does this mean ? opcorn:

 

[Rhubarb Tart]

I suppose what he is saying is that we are animals otherwise you would be vegetables.

We are living beings but we are far more intelligent then “animals”.

I would not categorise myself as an animal or on the same level as other animals. We are on a complete different category on intelligent, moral and Physical.

 

[atheistbynature]

I suppose what he is saying is that we are animals otherwise you would be vegetables.

We are living beings but we are far more intelligent then “animals”.

I would not categorise myself as an animal or on the same level as other animals. We are on a complete different category on intelligent, moral and Physical.

He was referring to the game "20 questions" where the options are animal, vegetable or mineral.

Animals are just multi cellular organisms that have cells with one nuclei and get there energy from other organisms. There is a gradient of intelligence through the animal kingdom, so it's not just intelligent or stupid.

 

[Hiroshi]

A Perfect Balance.
Humans are the only ones who walk completely upright; physically, aswell as morally.

A perfect balance of body and soul.

Do animals not have souls? Surah 2:65 says: "And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected.""

When God turned these Jews into apes did they no longer have souls?

 

[Trumble]

We are on a complete different category on intelligent, moral and Physical.

We certainly are. I can't think of a single animal species that goes to war over an belief and kills its own with nuclear weapons and nerve gas. Take those dumb and immoral whales and dolphins for example, they just swim about having a good time rather than poisoning the planet and slaughtering each other. And we hunt them, or at least some of us do. Not because we need to, but because it's part of our 'culture' apparently.

Yup. We are indeed on a totally different planet in terms of intelligence and morals. As to physical, so we walk upright. Whoopy doo.

 

[aamirsaab]

Do animals not have souls? Surah 2:65 says: "And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected.""

When God turned these Jews into apes did they no longer have souls?

Comprehension fail. Also, quit grinding your axe; unless you want to get fast-tracked to ban-land.

 

[Hiroshi]

Comprehension fail. Also, quit grinding your axe; unless you want to get fast-tracked to ban-land.

I am not grinding my axe. I had (what was to me, at least) a most interesting thought concerning humans that were turned into animals and wondered what others on the forum would think about it. I am most surprised at your sharp reply.

 

[Zafran]

We certainly are. I can't think of a single animal species that goes to war over an belief and kills its own with nuclear weapons and nerve gas. Take those dumb and immoral whales and dolphins for example, they just swim about having a good time rather than poisoning the planet and slaughtering each other. And we hunt them, or at least some of us do. Not because we need to, but because it's part of our 'culture' apparently.

Yup. We are indeed on a totally different planet in terms of intelligence and morals. As to physical, so we walk upright. Whoopy doo.

Yep the human has the ability to be greater then a angel or worse then an animal.

 

[aamirsaab]

I am not grinding my axe. I had (what was to me, at least) a most interesting thought concerning humans that were turned into animals and wondered what others on the forum would think about it. I am most surprised at your sharp reply.

Ok that's fine, but really is a topic in and of itself.

 

[Hiroshi]

Ok that's fine, but really is a topic in and of itself.

Okay. I'll drop the subject.

 

[- Qatada -]

We certainly are. I can't think of a single animal species that goes to war over an belief and kills its own with nuclear weapons and nerve gas. Take those dumb and immoral whales and dolphins for example, they just swim about having a good time rather than poisoning the planet and slaughtering each other. And we hunt them, or at least some of us do. Not because we need to, but because it's part of our 'culture' apparently.

Yup. We are indeed on a totally different planet in terms of intelligence and morals. As to physical, so we walk upright. Whoopy doo.

This is why Allah says right after that verse;


Ayah 5:

ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ
Thumma radadnahu asfala safileen

Then We return him to the lowest of the low,



then we rejected him and lowered him to the lowest of the low.

Allah tells us that He created the human in the best fashion, and then - due to the evil of that human's actions - We (still showing Allah's ROyal Majesty) - lowered him to the lowest of the low.

So it is not a flaw in Allah's creation that this human slave went to the lowest of the low. Rather, Allah made him low because of his distancing from Allah.

So Allah purposely says that He himself lowered this forgetful [of Allah] human (insan).


ar-Rad - reject something on the basis that it is unacceptable.

Allah created him in the best form, but he did bad things - so Allah rejected him.



Asfal as-Safileen - The Lowest of the Low:

asfal - lowest.

Sifla - also refers to; dirty / wretched / bad people (in morals.)


Allah created the human above everyone else.

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference. [Israa' 17:70]

​

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth... [Baqarah 2:29]

​

With all these Favours - what does the Human do?

Everything on Earth - Allah created for the human. (i.e. The cat, dog, car etc.) The angels were told to prostrate to the human. Yet the human can go lower than the other things on Earth - even lower than beasts and animals - if he forgets Allah, because he has not fulfilled his role as a noble human in service to Allah, his Master.

We humans were supposed to worship Allah the Most High, yet those who worship other than Him lower themselves infront of a tree, or stone idol, or another human etc. So they are humiliating themselves by humbling themselves to something lower than themselves.

They are returned to the lowest of the low.

Animals will usually only attack other animals when they are hungry or in danger etc.

However, humans attack others even when they are full, with the intent of wanting more and more and more wealth.

So again, the human can be returned to the lowest of the low.




Animals will not do crimes like humans do; genocide, mass rape etc.

If the animal is low, then the human has become the lowest of the low.

If the animal is low, then the human has become the lowest of the low.

​

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.

[A'raf 7:179]​

http://linguisticmiracle.blogspot.com/2010/06/surah-teen-miracle-dream-tafseer-nouman_17.html

 

[Hiroshi]

Ok that's fine, but really is a topic in and of itself.

Cool avatar btw. The Japanese kanji character "ten" means "heaven".

 

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:

There are 3 types of Yaqeen [Certainty]:


- 'Ilm al yaqeen - certainty based on knowledge. I.e. Seeing smoke signifies a fire (even if we don't see a fire). Or wet grass is most likely due to rain.

- 'Ayn al yaqeen - certainty based on seeing. I.e. Seeing the fire.

- Haq al yaqeen - Certainty. Feelingthe fire and it warms you or burns you = haq al yaqeen.


Allah gives us the two Yaqeen's in this life (ilm [knowledge] and haq [certainty] al yaqeen).



The Qur'an is 'Ilm al Yaqeen [Certain Knowledge]:

This perfect Book which is not similar to any human Book - is an 'ilm al yaqeen [knowledge of certainty].


Describing the Qur'an;

وَإِنَّهُ لَحَقُّ الْيَقِينِ

And indeed, it is the truth of certainty. [Surah al Haqqah 69:51]


​

The disbelievers did not want Ilm al yaqeen, they wanted Ayn al yaqeen [Certainty of Vision].



An animal can be convinced with Ayn al Yaqeen [knowledge of Vision],

but you were created of a higher level - you should be convinced by Ilm al yaqeen [Certainty of Knowledge] because of the high Intellect ('aql) Allah has given you.


http://linguisticmiracle.com/teen.htm
​

 

[- Qatada -]

:salamext:



Takweer 81:27:

[FONT=&quot]إِنْ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]هُوَ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]إِلَّا [/FONT][FONT=&quot]ذِكْرٌ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]لِّلْ عَالَمِينَ[/FONT]

This is nothing but a reminder for the all beings with an Intellect.['aalameen (beings with an Intellect) = jinn, men, angels etc.].


The message doesn't need you, its a reminder for all the worlds - for the beings with an intellect ('aalameen).

So O Disbelievers! This message doesn't need you, and if you disbelieve - others will be chosen in preference to you.





Verse [(81):28

[FONT=&quot]لِ مَن [/FONT][FONT=&quot]شَاءَ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]مِن كُمْ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]أَن [/FONT][FONT=&quot]يَسْتَقِيمَ[/FONT]

To whomsoever among you who wills to be Upright [yAStaqeem],


li man sha'a

li - for
man - who
sha'a - wants to
min kum - from you


yASTaQeem - to be Upright, standing up straight vertically.


Beautiful imagery in this ayah/verse;

IstiQamah (to stay firm and upright - from Qaama [stand up straight]).

For one who wants to stand up straight..



Out of all creatures - which ones stand up totally Straight and Upright? The humans. The other animals are bent over or crawling.

So Allah is hinting at us;This is a reminder for those who have Intellect - those who want to be real Intellectual / Standing up Humans and not bent over, humbled, lowly Animals.



Furthermore;

When do those who benefit from the reminder stand up straight? In Salaah/prayer to Allah. Beautiful imagery.


This is why the Siraat al Mustaqeem [commonly translated as the 'Straight Path'] is really a directly Upwards straight path.

Because it Raises you in Ranks in the sight of Allah and in Jannah (Paradise), and it distances you from the love of this temporary world to love for the better eternal life to come.​

http://linguisticmiracle.com/Takweer.htm





​

 

[Perseveranze]

Asalaamu Alaikum,

In Islam, do we believe that there could be life outside of Earth? I read somewhere that we don't disregard the thought, since there's indications of more then One Earth's in the Quran. So I was wondering if you know anything about this?

 

[- Qatada -]

Asalaamu Alaikum,

In Islam, do we believe that there could be life outside of Earth? I read somewhere that we don't disregard the thought, since there's indications of more then One Earth's in the Quran. So I was wondering if you know anything about this?

:salamext:


Based on IslamToday.com;

Now we must look at the verse:

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِوَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَاءُ قَدِيرٌ

"And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the beasts that He has scattered throughout them both: and He has power to gather them together when He wills." [i.e. for Judgment] [Sûrah al-Shûrâ: 42:29]

​

Allah's words: "throughout them both" (fîhimâ) cannot be interpreted except to mean that the living things mentioned in the verse exist both within the heavens and on Earth. The word we have translated as "beasts" is dâbbah, which can only refer to animate living organism that trod upon the land. The word can apply to animals or even to humans, but it always indicates living creatures that the ability to walk.

[...]

From the expressions of the Qur'ân, a Muslim should have no objection to the possibility of extra-terrestrial life and extra-terrestrial intelligence. There is no incompatibility between Islamic teachings and the idea of life existing on other worlds.

http://islamtoday.com/artshow-302-3200.htm

​

So it's possible that there is extra-terrestrial life, Allah knows best.

 

[Perseveranze]

Asalaamu Alaikum,

Jazakallah for that information, very useful.

 

[selsebil]

Assalaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
Jazakallahu Khair for sharing!
The tafseer of Bediuzzaman RA for these verses is as below:

" In regard to his acts and deeds and his labour man is a weak animal, an impotent creature. The extent of his power of disposal and ownership in this respect is so narrow that it is no greater than as far as his hand can reach. Domestic animals, even, the reins of which have been given to man, have each taken a share of his weakness, impotence, and laziness, so that if they are compared with their wild counterparts, a great difference is apparent. (Like domestic goats and cattle, and wild goats and cattle). But in regard to passivity, acceptance, supplication, and entreaty, man is an honoured traveller in this hostel of the world. He is the guest of One so generous that infinite treasuries of mercy have been opened to him and innumerable unique beings and servants subjugated to him. And a sphere so large has been prepared for this guest’s recreation, amusement, and benefit that half its diameter is as long and broad as the imagination can stretch.
Thus, if man relies on his ego, and making worldly life his goal, attempts to taste temporary pleasures while struggling to make his living, he becomes submerged within an extremely constricted sphere, then departs. All the members, systems, and faculties given him will testify against him at the resurrection and will bring a suit against him. Whereas if he knows himself to be a guest and spends the capital of his life within the sphere of permission of the Generous One of Whom he is the guest, he will strive for a long, eternal life within a broad sphere, then take his rest and ease. And later, he may rise to the highest of the high.
Moreover, all the members and systems given to man will be happy with him and testify in favour of him in the hereafter. For sure, all the wonderful faculties given to men were not for this insignificant worldly life, but for an everlasting life of great significance. For if we compare man with the animals, we see that man is very rich in regard to faculties and members, a hundred times more so than the animals. But in the pleasures of worldly life and in animal life he falls a hundred times lower. For in each pleasure he receives is the trace of thousands of pains. The pains of the past and fears of the future and the pain at each pleasure’s passing spoil the enjoyment to had from them, and leave a trace in the pleasure. But animals are not like that. They receive pleasure with no pains. They take enjoyment with no sorrow. Neither the sorrows of the past cause them suffering, nor the fears of the future distress them. They live peacefully, and offer thanks to their Creator.
This means that if man, who is created on the most excellent of patterns, restricts his thought to the life of this world, he falls a hundred times lower than a creature like a sparrow, although he is higher than the animals."

From Risale-i Nur 23 th Word.