Photo credit: Kutibh Chihabi 2010
Taking a short walk outside this hot, sunny day in Riverside, California exposed to me to one of Allah’s miracles. In my backyard, perched in the tiny space of one of the lamppost’s corners was a tiny nest. Resting on that nest was a mother hummingbird, gracefully feeding her young. As I approached it out of curiosity, the mother fluttered away out of fear.
As I observed her newborn with joy, panic filled the mother’s body. She began chirping loudly with fear and flew all around me. She felt so helpless, so useless, and unable to protect her newborn against this 5 foot 9 inch mammal with peering eyes. I could not help but feel horrible for having intruded her space. I did not mean any harm, but my curious human eyes could not help but feel the need to take a picture of that young. I could feel the love for her young in her heart. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.” (6:38)
And it was amazing just to observe the mastery of the nest she had made for her young. As humans, we sometimes fail to recognize the miracles of nature all around us. This small, tiny, helpless hummingbird was able to create such a perfect nest in the most unusual of locations. To understand how she could have made such a nest, just by gathering bits and pieces of straw and cotton, and was able to put them together in the corner of a lamppost without having it blown away by the wind is a miracle by itself. That is one of the countless blessings of Allah, Subhan’Allah (praise is to Allah).
“Do you not see that Allah is exalted by whomever is within the heavens and the earth and [by] the birds with wings spread [in flight]? Each [of them] has known his [means of] prayer and exalting [Him], and Allah is Knowing of what they do. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the destination.” (Qur’an, 24:41-42)