their innate capacities; that is, of the things for which they would be useful. Yes, since it is the truth and since the face of the earth is a laden table set up by the Most Merciful in honour of humankind, most of the other animals and birds who benefit from it may be subjugated to humans and serve them. They employ some of the smallest of them, the honey-bee and silk-worm, and through divine inspiration have opened up a beneficial highway, and by employing pigeons in various tasks and teaching birds like parrots to speak, they have added fine things to the virtues of human civilization. In the same way, if the tongues of the innate capacities of other birds and animals were known, those many other species could be employed in important tasks like their brothers, the domesticated animals. For example, against plagues of locusts: starlings eat and destroy locusts; if their language was known and their movements could be regulated, what valuable services they could be employed in free of charge.

Thus, this verse traces the furthest limit in subjugating birds and benefiting from them in this way, and in making lifeless beings speak like a telephone or gramophone, and in profiting from birds. It specifies the most distant goal. It points a finger at it in majestic fashion and in a way urges humankind towards it. Through the allusive tongue of these verses, Almighty God is therefore saying in meaning:

“O men! In order to honour the prophethood of one of your fellow men’s justice who was totally submissive to me and the complete justice of his rule, I subjugated to him the mighty creatures in my dominions, causing them to speak, and I made most of my troops and animals his servants. In which case, since I have committed to each of you the Supreme Trust, from which the sky, earth, and mountains shrank, and I have given you the ability to be My vicegerent on earth, you should yield to Me. For it is I Who holds the reins of these creatures in His hand. The creatures in My dominions may then yield to you also and you may gain possession of their reins in the name of their Holder and rise to a position worthy of your abilities.

Since the truth is this, rather than listening to the gramophone, playing with pigeons and making them deliver letters, and teaching parrots to speak, you should strive to attain to the most agreeable and elevated amusement. Then the mountains may be huge gramophones for you like David’s, and the harmonious recitations of divine praises may reach your ears from the trees and plants at the touching of the breeze, and the mountains may reveal their true natures as wondrous creatures who recite the divine praises in thousands of tongues, and most birds may be clothed in the form of intimate friends or obedient servants, like Solomon’s Hoopoe. Then they may entertain you and drive you eagerly towards the perfections