REVELATION AND INSPIRATION — Guidance From God

REVELATION AND INSPIRATION Guidance from God I T 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