The common insult of a civilisation still leaving in trees probably stems from the belief of evolution, whereby man evolved from the ape. Muslims do not believe in Darwin's theory, which is full of loopholes, on the becoming of man. However, when faced with the comment or insult that Muslims still live in trees... Muslims can respond that the statement is in fact true. There are Muslims living in trees!
As much as Muslims do not believe that Man are ancestors of the money, they do believe that the many species that make up the ape-kindgom are, in fact, Muslims.
Besides monkeys that "still" live in trees, birds, bugs, bees, sloths (are the part of the ape kingdom?), koala bears and other animals that inhabituate trees are also Muslim.
"There is no animal that lives on the Earth, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they shall all be gathered to their Lord in the end."
(Al-An'am: 38)
Obviously we have left out all the other non-tree bound animals that live in the different climates and environments that have been uniquely created to suit their multiple needs and requirements.
In fact, there are plenty of special mention of animals in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah that give animals the recognition of their natural inclination to worship Allah, and Allah alone.
Prophet Sulayman (may Allah bless him) was gifted with the knowledge to decipher the speech of birds and beast alike.
"He (Sulaiman) said: O' People! We have been taught the language of the birds and have been given (abundance) of all things; this is indeed grace manifest (from Allah)." (Al-Naml: 15)
In fact, on one of his da'wa missions, Prophet Sulayman heard ants clamouring for safety in fear of being trampled upon: "At length when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: 0' ants! Get into your holes lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you without knowing it." (Al-Naml: 18)
In the story of Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Yakob (Yusuf's father) (peace and blessings upon them both), questioned his sons on Yusuf's disappearance. The boys quickly framed a wolf for devouring their younger brother. Prophet Yakob however, was enlightened by Allah that their story was false and there was no incidence of Yusuf's death, let alone had he perished in the jaws of a wolf.
In another story, the chapter Al-Kahf in the Holy Qur'an, narrates the story of a group of young men who hid in a cave away from persecutors of the Islamic faith. It is narrated that a dog stood guard for a great number of years, protecting the righteous young men from enemies.
"Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them." (Al-Kahf: 18)
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) too, in all of his kindness, always reminded his Muslim followers to treat animals the way they would treat one another. He forbade striking animals in their faces, humiliating them, or killing them in a way that would cause horrific pain.
Prophet Muhammad's acknowledgement of the Muslim status of animals was fortified during his flee from hostile Makkah to welcoming Madinah. For fear of their lives, he and comrad, Abu Bakr (peace and blessings upon them both), hid in a cave in the vast desert as men of the Quraysh hounded them down to put a stop to Islam.
A spider sensing the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him), strive for survival, wove a web, cordoning off the opening of the cave. Upon seeing a magnificently woven web across the shelter that hid the two Muslim men, the hunters, tipped off by the Quraysh, left the mouth of the cave, deceived by the spider's flimsy piece of protection - a delicate layer of nature hiding the truth.
There is an abundance of Hadith relaying the importance of caretaking of animals. A popular one is the story of a prostitute being granted Heaven after sighting a thirst-mongered dog. She removed a shoe, collected water from a well and watered and fed the dog, saving it from an untimely death. (Bukhari)
Human Muslims are therefore required to bestow only kindness upon animals regardless of their species, regardless of their habitats. Apparently now for Muslims, "living in trees" no longer poses as an insult.
It may be distasteful for a person's home to be associated with a tree branch, but in fact, there are probably human civilisations still living in trees and who are Muslim.
Nonetheless it is important to remember that all animals too are in fact Muslim and many of them live in trees designed to suit their ecosystem.
Practicing Muslims believe that Allah Ta'ala the Creator of the Worlds has perfected the environment we live in, so much so, that all elements of nature lament in His Glory, each with their own ways of worship.
"In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships which sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky - by which He brings the earth to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures of every kind - and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds subservient between heaven and earth, there are Signs for people who use their intellect." (al-Baqara: 164)
As much as Muslims do not believe that Man are ancestors of the money, they do believe that the many species that make up the ape-kindgom are, in fact, Muslims.
Besides monkeys that "still" live in trees, birds, bugs, bees, sloths (are the part of the ape kingdom?), koala bears and other animals that inhabituate trees are also Muslim.
"There is no animal that lives on the Earth, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they shall all be gathered to their Lord in the end."
(Al-An'am: 38)
Obviously we have left out all the other non-tree bound animals that live in the different climates and environments that have been uniquely created to suit their multiple needs and requirements.
In fact, there are plenty of special mention of animals in the Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah that give animals the recognition of their natural inclination to worship Allah, and Allah alone.
Prophet Sulayman (may Allah bless him) was gifted with the knowledge to decipher the speech of birds and beast alike.
"He (Sulaiman) said: O' People! We have been taught the language of the birds and have been given (abundance) of all things; this is indeed grace manifest (from Allah)." (Al-Naml: 15)
In fact, on one of his da'wa missions, Prophet Sulayman heard ants clamouring for safety in fear of being trampled upon: "At length when they came to a valley of ants, one of the ants said: 0' ants! Get into your holes lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you without knowing it." (Al-Naml: 18)
In the story of Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Yakob (Yusuf's father) (peace and blessings upon them both), questioned his sons on Yusuf's disappearance. The boys quickly framed a wolf for devouring their younger brother. Prophet Yakob however, was enlightened by Allah that their story was false and there was no incidence of Yusuf's death, let alone had he perished in the jaws of a wolf.
In another story, the chapter Al-Kahf in the Holy Qur'an, narrates the story of a group of young men who hid in a cave away from persecutors of the Islamic faith. It is narrated that a dog stood guard for a great number of years, protecting the righteous young men from enemies.
"Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them." (Al-Kahf: 18)
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) too, in all of his kindness, always reminded his Muslim followers to treat animals the way they would treat one another. He forbade striking animals in their faces, humiliating them, or killing them in a way that would cause horrific pain.
Prophet Muhammad's acknowledgement of the Muslim status of animals was fortified during his flee from hostile Makkah to welcoming Madinah. For fear of their lives, he and comrad, Abu Bakr (peace and blessings upon them both), hid in a cave in the vast desert as men of the Quraysh hounded them down to put a stop to Islam.
A spider sensing the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him), strive for survival, wove a web, cordoning off the opening of the cave. Upon seeing a magnificently woven web across the shelter that hid the two Muslim men, the hunters, tipped off by the Quraysh, left the mouth of the cave, deceived by the spider's flimsy piece of protection - a delicate layer of nature hiding the truth.
There is an abundance of Hadith relaying the importance of caretaking of animals. A popular one is the story of a prostitute being granted Heaven after sighting a thirst-mongered dog. She removed a shoe, collected water from a well and watered and fed the dog, saving it from an untimely death. (Bukhari)
Human Muslims are therefore required to bestow only kindness upon animals regardless of their species, regardless of their habitats. Apparently now for Muslims, "living in trees" no longer poses as an insult.
It may be distasteful for a person's home to be associated with a tree branch, but in fact, there are probably human civilisations still living in trees and who are Muslim.
Nonetheless it is important to remember that all animals too are in fact Muslim and many of them live in trees designed to suit their ecosystem.
Practicing Muslims believe that Allah Ta'ala the Creator of the Worlds has perfected the environment we live in, so much so, that all elements of nature lament in His Glory, each with their own ways of worship.
"In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships which sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky - by which He brings the earth to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures of every kind - and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds subservient between heaven and earth, there are Signs for people who use their intellect." (al-Baqara: 164)
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