And to Allah belong the mysteries of the heavens and the earth; and the issue of the Hour is but a flapping of an eyelid, - or even quicker, for verily Allah is able to do all things!

16 : 78

And it is He Who has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers whilst you were in a state of unawareness and then blessed you with ears and eyes and hearts so that you acknowledge gratitude to Him!

16 : 79

See they not the acquiescence of the birds under the sky? No one holds them up save Allah's command! Verily there are clear portents in this for those who believe!

16 : 80

And it is Allah Who has made your homes a place to repose in; and from the hides of cattle He has given you the tents that are lighter to carry in course of transit and are easier to pitch when you camp; and out of their wool and fur many household goods and other utilities appropriate for short-term use.

16 : 81

And it is Allah Who has given you, of the things which He created, shades to protect you from the sun; and has given you places of refuge on the mountains and has given you clothing to protect you from the heat; and has given you armour to protect you in battlefields! Thus He has bestowed upon you so many of His benefactions so that you revere His commandment.

(The portents of Allah's hegemony, His countless benefactions to mankind and the diversity of His marvels continue :

The marvel of birth, from conception to delivery : after remaining a prisoner inside the womb of the mother for nine months, cut off from the world outside and cuddled up in the imbroglios of the placenta, helplessly dependent upon devices provided by Allah for our very survival during this crucial period, we emerge into an unfamiliar world which has so many challenges to throw at us and then cope with them one by one by using the faculties bestowed on us by the Lord Who brought us into being; we roll our eyes to look around and soak in our strange surroundings; we use our nostrils to breath in the fresh air without which we cannot survive; we use our mouths and vocal chords to express ourselves, - the pain, the pleasure and the needs which a new life has given rise to, - and to consume nourishment for appeasing the pangs of hanger already raging inside us and quench the thirst which has built up in our throats; but above all, we put into full gear the amazing dynamism and unlimited prowess with which our brains come equipped, without waiting to be taught; without needing to be shown, without asking to be guided!

The sight of birds flying around in mid-air is another of the marvels of Allah we watch everyday without observing, how they glide on the span of their wings; how they soar into infinite heights defying the pressure of wind and laws of gravity; how they propel and navigate themselves using their God-given capabilities, how they use their wing power to cover the vast distances, to hunt for food and to grab their nourishment when they find it. It is a fascinating experience to watch the kingfisher glide on the span of his wings across the stream, spot the shoal of fish swimming in the water below, position himself first and then dive for the catch at the appropriate moment, hardly ever missing his target! Equally fascinating is to watch the eagle spread its wings, effortlessly travel from place to place, seemingly indifferent but the roving eye scanning vast stretches of grassland underneath it, in search of some sign that could give away the movements of a baby rabbit or the chic of a distracted finch!

How is this real life drama staged day in and day out? Who teaches the birds how to fly without dropping down; how far and how fast they can go; how to soar, how to glide, how to pounce; how to keep danger at bay; how to challenge and how to succeed? Who pulls the strings and makes their decisions for them? Who takes them from one end of the earth to another, for feeding and for breeding; who makes sure that each gets the morsel which is its due and from where? Are there not portents in all these miracles of the presence of a Supreme Power behind their perpetration? Are they not sufficient for those who shrug their shoulders and move on, to stop, to look around, concentrate, introspect, reflect, glean, think and to marvel at them, and at Him Whose hand can be seen behind every movement that goes on in the World?

Many other things besides these from which we enormously benefit and yet take them for granted are listed in verses 80 and 81, - simple amenities such as houses to rest in, be they mansions made of marble, or tents, igloos or wigwams, providing a roof above our heads because without them we fall easy prey to the hostile elements and succumb to them. Besides, the significance of a home in the lives of us humans is different from the nest of a bird, the den of a lion, the hive of the bee, the burrow of the rabbit, the lair of the fox, the mound of the ant and the hole of a mouse because, while in the animal world, the dwellings are simply the means to accomplish an end, mostly aimed at providing shelter, protection and breeding; in the human world, an additional dimension is appended to them, such as devotion, sanctity and pride. Many a life is known to have been lost in protecting and defending them because homes epitomize family life and bonds of human love with which we are bound, which is not at all the same as the nest of a sparrow or the burrow of a rabbit. Once its purpose is served, the sparrow and the rabbit move on from point 'a' to point 'b', whereas man treats his home as an invaluable asset with a much longer tenure and thinks in terms of passing it on to the next generation.

Besides these longer lasting homes in the midst of human habitations, there are other temporary shelters provided by Allah free for the traveller, such as naturally formed caves and tunnels in the perilous hills over which no one fights or falls, but are nonetheless crucial for our protection, as shelter or as refuge, against beasts or against elements, so that we are able to traverse the Lord's copious earth in pursuit of His multifarious benefactions, or to see with our own eyes that which He wants us to see and learn from.

No doubt, in the physical world, Allah has also provided man with other comforts such as warm clothing made from wool which comes from sheep to protect him against extremities of climate, and armour made of metal to protect him against ravages of battle-fields; in the metaphysical world, He has equipped him with the raiment of virtue to guard his modesty from being ruptured, as well as an impenetrable armour of his own conscience to protect him from the ravages of sinfulness and the lures laid out for him by the devil. He has given him the potential to examine and anticipate the consequences of his deeds; He has bestowed on him the judgement to differentiate right from wrong, to recognize truth from falsehood and choose between good and evil. He has taught him through His messages and His messengers how best to conduct himself; how to make his life an example for those who are following in his footsteps; how to avoid evil and endorse virtue and how to adhere to the righteous path which would lead him unharmed out of this world and place him on the threshold of the other!)