Lessons from Nahjul Balagha [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Sermons
Sermon
154

SERMON 154

About the wonderful creation of
the bat

Praise be to Allah who
is such that it is not possible to describe the reality of
knowledge about Him, since His greatness has restrained the
intellects, and therefore they cannot find the way to approach the
extremity of His realm. He is Allah, the True, the Manifester of
Truth. He is more True and more Manifest than eyes can see.
Intellects cannot comprehend Him by fixing limits for Him since in
that case to Him would be attributed shape. Imagination cannot
catch Him by fixing quantities for Him for in that case to Him
would be attributed body. He created creatures without any
example, and without the advice of a counsel, or the assistance of
a helper. His creation was completed by His command, and bowed to
His obedience. It responded (to Him) and did not defy (Him). It
obeyed and did not resist.

An example of His
delicate production, wonderful creation and deep sagacity which He
has shown us is found in these bats which keep hidden in the
daylight although daylight reveals everything else, and are mobile
in the night although the night shuts up every other living being;
and how their eyes get dazzled and cannot make use of the light of
the sun so as to be guided in their movements and so as to reach
their known places through the direction provided by the sun.

Allah has prevented
them from moving in the brightness of the sun and confined them to
their places of hiding instead of going out at the time of its
shining. Consequently they keep their eyelids down in the day and
treat night as a lamp and go with its help in search of their
livelihood. The darkness of night does not obstruct their sight
nor does the gloom of darkness prevent them from movement. As soon
as the sun removes its veil and the light of morning appears, and
the rays of its light enter upon the lizards in their holes, the
bats pull down their eyelids on their eyes and live on what they
had collected in the darkness of the night. Glorified is He who
has made the night as day for them to seek livelihood and made the
day for rest and stay.

He has given them
wings of flesh with which, at the time of need they rise upwards
for flying. They look like the ends of ears without feathers or
bones. Of course, you can see the veins quite distinctly. They
have two wings which are neither too thin so that they get turned
in flying, nor too thick so that they prove heavy. When they fly,
their young ones hold on to them and seek refuge with them,
getting down when they get down and rising up when they rise. The
young does not leave them till its limbs become strong, its wings
can support it for rising up, and it begins to recognise its
places of living and its interest. Glorified is He who creates
everything without any previous sample by someone else.