YES THE ANIMALS, PLANTS, NATURE GLORIFY ALLAH & HONOR HIS MESSENGER

 



There is no specific information regarding when or at what age do the animals or etc glorify Allah but there is a verse in the Qur'an which says :

The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving [Quran 17:44] .


This verse includes everything in a nutshell except what Allah wills to remove. We do not know what Allah has removed for certain but there are some hints from which we gather similar information. For e.g, it is known from ahadeeth that lizards, dogs, scorpions should be killed. They are considered as impure or evil animals. So Allah Alone knows if they also glorify his praise or not i.e they may or may not. The reason i mentioned them under exceptions is because of the following ahadeeth : 

(i) The Prophet (s.a.w) ordered to kill the Wazagh (lizard), and said; "It blew in the fire of Abraham." [Al bukhari 3359, Muslim 2237, An-nasai 2888 and Ibn majah 3228, Ahmad 6:200]

Imam Ahmad related from nafi, saying that a woman entered upon Aishah RA and saw an erected spear. She asked: "What is this spear for?" She replied: "We kill the lizards with it." Then she narrated from the Prophet ; "When Abraham was thrown into the fire, all animals started to put it out, except the lizard, it started flaring it up."[Ahmad 6:217]

(ii) It was narrated form 'Abdullah bin Mughaffal that the Messenger of Allah said:
"Were it not that dogs form one of the communities (or nations - of creatures), I would have commanded that they be killed. But kill those that are all black. Any people who keep a dog, except for dogs used for farming, hunting or herding livestock, one Qirat will be deducted from their reward each day. Dogs are Impure, and the prophet (s.a.w) ordered to kill the black dogs, and he even said they are shaytaan (i.e when an evil jin takes their form) [See Sunan Al Nasa'ee , Book 43, Hadith 4297, Sunan Abi Dawud 2845,  Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1486, Vol. 5, Book 6, Hadith 4283]

(iii) Five noxious or harmful animals are to be killed whether or not one is in the state of pilgrimage: the snake, the speckled raven that has whiteness either on its back or stomach, the rat, the voracious dog and the kite (a bird similar to a hawk).” [Muslim 2071]

It is also confirmed from Allaah's Messenger  that he cursed the scorpion and killed it. [Al-Bayhaqi]

This verse (17:44) as explained by mufassireen shows two main aspects:

1. Everything glorifies Allah, believes in its one-ness. The Mountains, the trees, the birds, the animals, etc

2. We do not understand their glorification for many reasons. Maybe because we do not hear or are not able to hear their glorification and we don't speak animal language or etc.

3. their glorification or obedience to Allah is also seen from the miracles bestowed upon the prophet i.e how the trees and animals used to interact with the prophet (sallalahu `alayhi wa sallam)

There are many Proofs supporting this. For e.g

MOUNTAIN :

Prophet (s.a.w) is reported to have said " This is Uhud, the mountain which loves us and which we love."

THE CRYING TRUNK OF THE TREE

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go and stand next to a tree or palm-tree on Fridays. A woman or a man of the Ansaar said: "O Messenger of Allaah, should we not make for you a minbar ("pulpit")?" He said, "If you wish." So they made a minbar for him, and when the next Friday came, he was shown to the minbar. The tree cried like a small child, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came down and hugged the crying tree until it calmed down." Jaabir said: "It was crying because of the dhikr (remembrance of Allaah) that it used to hear." (al-Bukhaari, 3319).

The above hadeeth shows that : 

(i) The trunk of the tree cried (feeling)
(ii) It missed the dhikr it used to hear (senses) 

Tress Prostrate to Allah : 

See you not that whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawaabb [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and many of mankind prostrate themselves to Allaah. But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is justified. And whomsoever Allaah disgraces, none can honour him. Verily, Allaah does what He wills” 

[al-Hajj 22:18]

Trees obeyed the Prophet (s.a.w) 

Ubaydullah bin Moosa informed us, from Ismaa’eel bin Abul Malik, from Abu az-Zubayr, from Jaabir (radiallah anhu) who said: We went out with Allaah’s Apostle (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in a Journey; whenever the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would leave to answer the call of nature, he would go far away until he disappeared and not seen (by anyone). Once we landed on a land in which there was neither any tree nor mountains (to hide behind in order to answer the call of nature). He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “O Jaabir! Bring some water in your vessel and come with us”. Jaabir (radiallah anhu) said: “Thus we started walking until we disappeared from the (people’s) eyes, suddenly, we saw two trees which were separated by a distance of four hands.” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “O Jaabir! Go to this tree and tell him that Allaah’s Apostle tells you to join with your companion, so that I can sit behind you”. He (Jaabir) said: “I did as he said, and so that tree went towards it (i.e. the other tree). Then Allaah’s Apostle (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sat behind them. Then they both returned to their spot.

Then we rode along with Allaah’s Apostle and Allaah’s Apostle was (riding) between us and it seemed as if the birds were screening us (from above). Then a woman came in front of him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) holding a child (in her hands). She said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the devil (Shaytaan) possesses my child three times every day.’ He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) took him and sat him between him and the front side of the saddle, then he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘Go away O Allaah’s enemy, I am Allaah’s Apostle; Go away O Allaah’s enemy, I am Allaah’s Apostle’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said this thrice then he handed her child to that woman. When we completed our journey, we passed by that (same) place, that woman came in front of us. She had her child with her and she was also holding two rams with her, that she was pasturing, she said: ‘O Allaah’s Apostle (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Accept this gift from me, for verily by the one who sent you with truth, it (devil) never came back after that’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘Take one ram from her and return the other one to her’. Jaabir (radiallah anhu) said: ‘Then we departed and Allaah’s Apostle was between us, it seemed as if birds are shielding us (from above)’. Suddenly, a camel came running until when he came in between the people, he went into (the position of) prostration. Allaah’s Apostle sat down and said to the people: ‘Whose camel is this?’ Some young Ansaari men said: ‘This camel belongs to us O Allaah’s Apostle’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘What is its condition?’ They replied: ‘we had loaded on it water for 20 years when it had (some) fat on it. Thus we decided that we slaughter it and divide it among our young boys, but it ran away from us’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘Sell it to me’. They said: ‘No, in fact it is your’s O Allaah’s Apostle’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘If not (i.e. if you don’t want to sell) then treat it kindly until its death approaches.’ The Muslims at that time said: ‘O Allaah’s Apostle! We are more worthy to prostrate to you than the animals’. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘It is not befitting for anything to prostrate to anything, if it had been permissible then women would have been given permission to prostrate to their husbands






[Sunan ad-Darimee (17) This narration is also narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in al-Musannaf (31071) Ibn Abdil Barr in Al-Tamheed (112, through Ibn Abi Shaybah), Al-Bayhaqi in Sunan al-Kubra (409) & al-I’tiqaad (279), Qawwaam as-Sunnah in Dalaail al-Nabuwwah (240), and Ibn Asaakir in Taareekh Dimashq (4/373) and others through the route of Ismaa’eel bin Abdul Malik.  This chain is weak because it contains “Ismaa’eel bin Abdul Malik bin Abi as-Safeeraa” who is Sadooq Katheer ul-Khataa according to the Jumhoor [See, Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb (1/317)]. And Abu az-Zubayr is a Mudallis and he is narrating it with AN]



this narration has many shawaahid such as :


This was recorded in the saheeh report narrated by Imaam Muslim, may Allaah have mercy on him, from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him): "… We stopped in a fragrant valley, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to answer the call of nature. I followed him, bringing a bottle of water, but he could not find anywhere where he could conceal himself. There were two trees at the edge of the valley, so the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went to one of them, took hold of one of its branches, and said: ‘Follow me, by the permission of Allaah.’ So it followed him like a camel being led by a rope, until he came to the other tree. He took one of the other tree’s branches and said: ‘Follow me, by the permission of Allaah.’ So it followed him until he reached the halfway point between them, then he put them together and said: ‘Stay together and cover me, by the permission of Allaah.’ So they stayed together." Jaabir said: "I kept away, for fear that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) might feel my presence and move even further away. So I sat down, thinking to myself, and when I turned around, I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) coming towards me, and the two trees had separated and taken up their former positions."

(Saheeh Muslim, 5328)

Trees also supplicate or make dhikr and testify the shahaadah

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allaah, last night I had a dream in which it was as if I was praying behind a tree. I prostrated and the tree prostrated after me. I heard it saying: ‘Allaahumma uktub li bihaa ‘indaka ajran wada’ ‘anni bihaa wizran waj’alhaa li ‘indaka dhukhran wa taqabbalha minni kamaa taqabbaltahaa min ‘abdika Daawood (O Allaah, record for me because of it (the sajdah) a reward, alleviate some of my burden, and make it an investment on my behalf with You. Accept it from me as You accepted it from Your slave Daawood).’" Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited an aayah where a sajdah is required, then he prostrated, and I heard him saying the same words that the man had reported that the tree had said. (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 528)

Another hadeeth says: 

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) happened to pass by two graves and said: They (their occupants) are being tormented, but they are not tormented for a grievous sin. One of them carried tales and the other did not keep himself safe from being defiled by urine. He then called for a fresh twig and split it into two parts, and planted them on each grave and then said: Perhaps, their punishment way be mitigated as long as these twigs remain fresh. [Ref: Sahih Muslim, Book 2, Hadith 575]

Imam Nawawi under the sharh of this hadith stated the opinion that the above hadeeth shows how even the twigs make dhikr to Allah and the prophet (s.a.w) expected that as long as the twigs make dhikr (i.e glorify) Allah the torment would be lightened. This is in accordance to the Quranic verse : The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving [Quran 17:44] 

[See Al Mays ed. 3/4: 206 or Sharh Muslim by Imam Nawawi ]

Ataa (bin Abi Ribaah) narrated from Ibn Umar (radiallah anhu) who said: We were once with Allaah’s Apostle (ﷺ) in a journey. A Bedouin arrived; when he came near him, Allaah’s Apostle (ﷺ) asked him: “Where do you intend to go?” He replied: “To my house”. He (ﷺ) said: “Are you interested in Khayr (good)?”He asked: “And what is it?” He (ﷺ) replied: “That you testify that there is no God except Allaah alone having no partners and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is his slave and Messenger”. He (the Bedouin) said: “Who would testify to what you said?” He (ﷺ) replied: “This acacia (Keekar) tree”. Thus Allaah’s Apostle (ﷺ) called that tree and it was on the corner of the valley. It (the tree) came ripping the earth apart and stood in front of the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) had that tree testify for three times, thus it (did) testify thrice saying that it is as you said (O Prophet), then it returned to its place; and that Bedouin returned to his nation saying: ‘If they (my people) followed me, I would bring (all of) them to you, otherwise, I will return and stay with you.’

[Da`eef. Sunan ad-Darimee This hadeeth is also narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (6505), Abu Ya’la in his Musnad (5662), Al-Bazzaar in his Musnad (Kashf ul-Astaar: 2411), Al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer (13582), Al-Bayhaqi in Dalaail al-Nabuwwah (6/14), Al-Faakihi in Akhbaar Makkah (2328), Qaadi Ayyaadh in Ash-Shifaa (1/298 where Ataa has been mistakenly replaced with Mujaahid), and Ibn Asaakir in Taareekh Dimashq (4/364) all of them through the route of Muhammad bin Fudayl from Abu Hayyaan from Ataa from Ibn Umar.
The chain of this hadeeth apparently looks Saheeh as all its narrators are Thiqah and the narrators of Bukhaari and Muslim except Muhammad bin Tareef who is only the narrator of Muslim, but in reality it contains some hidden defects such as `Ata not hearing anything from Ibn `Umar ; Abu Hayyan Yahya ibn Sa`eed bin Hayyan at-tameemi also didn't hear anything from `Ataa]

THE WOLF THAT SPOKE ABOUT RASOOL (S.A.W)

Narrated by Unais bin 'Amr: 

Ahban bin Aus said, "I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I screamed at it (the wolf). The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, 'Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you are busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?' Ahban added, "I clapped my hands and said, 'By Allah, I have never seen anything more interesting and wonderful than this!' On that, the wolf said, 'There is something more (interesting and) wonderful than this; that is, Allah's Messenger… inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).' "Unais bin 'Amr added, "Then Ahban went to Allah's Messenger and informed him what happened and embraced Islam.)" [Sahih al-Bukhari Volume 3, Book 39, Number 517:]

THE BIRD THAT COMPLAINED

Abdullah reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, on a journey and he went out to relieve himself. We saw a red-headed sparrow that had two chicks with her and we took her chicks. The sparrow started to flap her wings. The Prophet came to us and he said, “Who has upset her by taking her children? Give her children back to her.” He also saw an ant colony which we had burned and he said, “Who burned this?” We said, “We did it.” He said, “No one should punish with fire except the Lord of the fire.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book of Manners, Number 5268, Hasan]

THE CAMEL THAT COMPLAINED

Abdullah Ibn Jaafar (r.a) said " One day a camel came towards the prophet (s.a.w) , made a rumbling noise and shed tears. When the prophet (s.a.w) saw this, he caressed the back of it and comforted it. In turn the camel stopped crying. he (s.a.w) then said" Who is its owner?" A young man from the Ansaar said "It is mine Oh Messenger of Allah". The messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said" Do you not fear Allah regarding this animal that he has placed under your ownership?. It complained that you neglect feeding it (properly) and mistreat it" [Sahih Muslim, Book of Menstruation chapter : What one covers himself with while performing the call of nature 79]

THE CAMEL AND EVERYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN BAD JINS AND HUMANS BETWEEN THE HEAVENS AND EARTH KNEW MUHAMMAD (S.A.W) 

Ya’la (bin Ubayd bin Abi Umayyah) narrated to us, Al-Ajlah (bin Abdullah al-Kindi) narrated to us, from Az-Zayyaal bin Harmalah, from Jaabir bin Abdullah (radiallah anhu) who said: We were going with Allaah’s Apostle (ﷺ) until we reached the garden of Banu Najjaar. There was a camel in this garden who, if anyone were to enter the garden, would attack him. They mentioned this to the Prophet (ﷺ). He (ﷺ) came and called it, he (the camel) came putting his mouth on the ground, until it sat in front of him. He (ﷺ) said: “Bring the Bridle”. He (ﷺ) tied the bridle on him and returned it to its owner, then he (ﷺ) turned (towards the people) and said: “Besides the sinful Jinns and Humans, every single thing in between the heavens and the earth knows that I am the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ)”.

Ta'leeq al-Muhaqqiq: "Isnaaduhu Jayyid"

http://www.islamweb.net/hadith/display_hbook.php?indexstartno=0&hflag&pid=427651&bk_no=137&startno=19

THE FOOD THAT GLORIFIED ALLAH :

Narrated 'Abdullah:

We used to consider miracles as Allah's Blessings, but you people consider them to be a warning. Once we were with Allah's Apostle on a journey, and we ran short of water. He said, "Bring the water remaining with you." The people brought a utensil containing a little water. He placed his hand in it and said, "Come to the blessed water, and the Blessing is from Allah." I saw the water flowing from among the fingers of Allah's Apostle, and no doubt, we heard the meal glorifying Allah, when it was being eaten (by him).[Volume 4, Book 56, Number 779:]

THE STONES THAT GLORIFIED ALLAH:

Al Bayhaqi reports that Abu dhar (r.a) said " I can't mention Uthman except in good praise and that is because of something i saw. I was a kind of person who used to follow the prophet (s.a.w) around especially when he was alone. That day i saw him seated alone, so  I slowly went and sat beside him. Then Abu Bakr came, greeted him and sat on his right. Then Umar came, greeted then sat on Abu bakr's right. Then Uthmaan came, greeted and sat on the right side of 'Umar. There were seven or nine pebbles in front of the prophet (s.a.w). He then took them in his hands and they started supplicating Allah, till i could hear , he (s.a.w) then put them down and they went silent. 

He took them again and placed them on Abu bakr's hands, they (the stones) glorified Allah until i could hear, he took them back. He then placed them on 'Umar's hand , they glorified Allah until i could hear, he took them back. He then placed them (the stones) on Uthman's hands, they glorified Allah until i could hear them. He (s.a.w) took them back and placed them down and they went silent again. Then the prophet (s.a.w) said " Such is the prophet's succession"  [Dalaail Al Nabuwwah by Al Bayhaqi Vol. 6 Pg 64-5]

Ibn Katheer (r.h) has narrated this narration in his book "Miracles of the Prophet " wherein the stones glorified in the hands of rasool (s.a.w), Abu bakr, Umar and uthman (R.a) on page no. 59

you can download the book from here : http://the-finalrevelation.blogspot.in/p/download-islamic-books-softwares.html

Go to serial no . 24

CAMELS GLORIFYING ALLAH

Imam Ibn Katheer under the tafseer of 17:44 comments

Imam Ahmad recorded that Mu`adh bin Anas said that﴾ the Messenger of Allah came upon some people who were sitting on their mounts and talking to one another. He said to them: Ride them safely then leave them safely. Do not use them as chairs for you to have conversations in the streets and marketplaces, because the one that is ridden may be better than the one who rides it, and may remember Allah more than he does [Musnad Ahmad 3/439 Da'eef]

ANTS GLORIFYING ALLAH 


Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “An ant had bitten a prophet among the prophets, so he ordered that the ant colony should be burned. Allah revealed to him: because one ant has bitten you, you have destroyed a nation among the nations which glorify Allah.” [Sahih Muslim, Book 26, Number 5567]

CONCLUSION : 

Thus as one can see Animals , plants, mountains, non living things, etc are or have been known to glorify Allah, or come to the messenger (s.a.w) thereby believing in the messenger of Allah or in some or the other way express their belief in Allah.

However, the details of this subject is a matter of Unseen and one should not comment or discuss this because Allah alone knows the unseen. —