Strange Bee_Havior

Surah 16 Nahl (Bees)

وَأَوْحَى رَبُّكَ إِلَى النَّحْلِ
أَنِ اتَّخِذِي مِنَ الْجِبَالِ بُيُوتًا وَمِنَ الشَّجَرِ
وَمِمَّا يَعْرِشُونَ (16:68
16:68 And your Lord inspires the Bees to make their home in the Mountains and the Trees, and whatever they enthrone (they (humans) make as a seat of power, appoint for them as abodes...)

 ثُمَّ كُلِي مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ فَاسْلُكِي سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ
ذُلُلاً يَخْرُجُ مِن بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ مُّخْتَلِفٌ أَلْوَانُهُ
فِيهِ شِفَاء لِلنَّاسِ
إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ   (16:69
16:69 So partake of every Fruit (and Follow your Lord's Way/Path; but this can also mean a wireless form of transmission; radio transmission?); issues from their bellies fluid of various colors (different fluids; various applications), in it is Healing for People; in this are Portents (Signs) for People who think (to consider)

It all started with a nature walk on June 7, 2013 (dec. lat/long~34.034, -118.693) at 18:20--
A Bee sitting around in the parking lot, refused to become airborne with prompting.
Skittered quickly off a dry leaf when attempting to pick it up using that leaf a number of times, (background color green/brown).
Eagerly took to mounting a white envelope, however, and could navigate around it without falling regardless how it was turned.
Flipping the envelope over,with the bee still clinging to it, completely upside down (the bee now is upside down momentarily), it seemed to get its orientation and had no trouble at all taking flight (straight path).

Reminded me of a similar incident on a bus a few months earlier with a bee seemingly disoriented in a window frame.
Picking that one up and flipping it upside down in order to let it out the window, it flew straight path strongly.
It was remarkable to see, considering at that time that bees had been staging a come back but over the last 4 months they had started dying off again.

According to Signs 16:68 and 16:69 the bee's nature stems from both its God given instincts and by following dictates, which makes the unusual bee-havior reported on my 'nature walks' all the more remarkable.

Earlier post mentioned the possibility that the bees navigate not simply by visual/scent/auditory queuing but that there is something in the fluid within their bodies that has various functions, which may include it's being a media for  other sensory modes, such as using RF signals or even magnetic fields for guidance.
[fjr837]

Updated January 2, 2014

Ian Barbour, 1923-2013
He Bridged Science And Religion Gulf (Winner of Templeton Prize)
--by Elaine Woo
As Reported In Los Angeles Times LATEXTRA

For Ian Barbour, the deadly possibilities of the Atomic Age raised questions that science couldn't answer--a perplexing situation for a young physicist after World War II.
He responded to the challenge in an unusual way: After completing his doctorate in physics he enrolled in divinity school and forged a career devoted to bridging the chasm between science and religion… 

He "gave birth almost single-handedly to the contemporary dialogue between science and religion," said Robert John Russell, the founder-director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences… 

He also challenged people to reconsider  the biblical view of death as a punishment for human sin. 

"Now we know that death was present long before human beings were around, and that it was a necessary feature of an evolutionary process in which new forms of life could appear," he said. 

"We can take the Bible seriously without taking it literally."

The late (great) Mr. Ian Barbour, must have lived his erstwhile life on Earth wondering how he himself had made the journey 90 times around the Sun having posited that death was a necessary feature of the evolutionary process, and had yet to live long enough to see anything evolve on the Earth.

Surah 45 Al.Jaththya (Kneeling)

إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (45:3
45:3 Indeed, in the Skies and upon the Earth there are Signs for the Believers (Faithful),
وَفِي خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَابَّةٍ آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ (45:4
45:4 And in your own creation and whatever (God) propagates (broadcasts) of the beasts (creatures) are Signs for a measure of certainty (people to know/reckon for sure).

According to Signs 45:3-4, the very creation of humanity and the creatures dispersed throughout the Earth are meant to be signs for those who understand them with certitude. And with a certainty I haven't lived to see anything evolve either, however many have been known to become extinct.

Surah 24 An.Nour (Light

)وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِن مَّاء فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَمْشِي عَلَى أَرْبَعٍ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاء إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (24:45  

24:45 And God Created every beast (creature) from/of water (ma'); some of them move on their bellies and some of them move on 2 legs and some of them walk on 4 (legs); God Creates whatsoever God Wills; indeed, God Has Power Over All Things (Is Omnipotent).

Apparently Death (see Object Permanence) is not the driving mechanism to the Evolutionary Process but a back-stop measure to prevent further devolution.

I mean really, after having such a full life, God has nothing to do with the remains except to watch it decay?

The Dead (the dual of Life, or what We do in the gap time (ma')) have nothing better to do in their graves than to listen to their bones rattle?

Might I make a suggestion?

Should One find themselves Dead, there is a strong impetus to Stay That Way--it's much Safer now that we got it out of the way. (This is not an endorsement for everyone to run out and try it--there is process to go through first, and no fair taking short cuts!)

There are many passages throughout the Quran which make it plain that God is not only concerned with Humanity as the only Creation, but that other creatures form communities just as people do and are, too, worthy of the same consideration.

Most of the creatures mentioned in the Quran are tabulated by group below for quick reference.

Summary Table of Some Creatures In the Quran By Group

Surah 6 Al.An3'am (Cattle)
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ (6:38    

6:38 And there is not a creature (beast) on/of the Earth nor a bird (tayer, thing that flies) that flies with its wings but are communities such as yourselves; We've omitted nothing from this Scripture and they shall all be Gathered unto their Lord.

Surah 31 Luqman 

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا وَأَلْقَى فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ (31:10

31:10 He Created the Skies (Heavens) without any pillars that you can see; and He fixed (set down, established...like a focal point or concentration/condense/compression center) upon the Earth mountains, lest it quake/sway with you; and He dispersed in Her (the Earth) of every creature and We Sent from the Sky water (ma') thereby propagating plants (that which grows, sustained), of every noble mated pairs (duals).

Note: Signs 6:38 creatures other than mankind form communities just as people do and they, too, shall be gathered unto their Lord. 

Sign 31:10 Creatures (both fauna and flora) are also said to form noble, valuable (precious) mated pairs or duals. A reminder to humanity that while Mankind may be the paragon of reason and free-will, other creatures are deemed just as valuable, noble and important for the purpose to which they, too, were created.

There are various reasons mammals, birds, fish and insects are mentioned throughout the Quran:

• as harbingers of promised chastisements or rewards;

Surah 7 Al.A3'raf (Heights)
   فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ
آيَاتٍ مُّفَصَّلاَتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ وَكَانُواْ قَوْمًا مُّجْرِمِينَ   (7:133
7:133) So We Sent to them the Flood, and Locust, and Lice, and Frogs, and Blood; clear Signs (indicators by which to differentiate, make a distinction); yet, they were scornful and became a league of evil-doers (bunch of criminals).
~
~
~
وَقَطَّعْنَاهُمُ اثْنَتَيْ عَشْرَةَ أَسْبَاطًا أُمَمًا 

وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى إِذِ اسْتَسْقَاهُ قَوْمُهُ 

أَنِ اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانبَجَسَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا 

قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ 

وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الْغَمَامَ وَأَنزَلْنَا  عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى 

كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ 

وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـكِن كَانُواْ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ  7:160  
7:160) And We divided them into 12 Tribal Nations.  And We Inspired Moses to water His people by striking with His shepherd's staff the rock; causing 12 founts to gush from it, so that each community knew its drinking (watering) place (of provender). And We shaded them with clouds and sent them manna and quails. "Partake of the good things that We Blessed you with and do not be oppressors, and yet they oppressed/wronged their own selves." 

Note: 7:133 Several events are meant as warnings to Pharaoh and his people including locust, lice and frogs. Sign 7:160 mentions quails as a blessing sent to Moses' people to enjoy along with manna and other provisions. 

Surah 2 Al.Baqara (The Cow)وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ الَّذِينَ اعْتَدَواْ مِنكُمْ فِي السَّبْتِ
 فَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ (2:65
2:65) And perhaps you know those among you who violated the Sabath;
That We Said to them, "Be (as) apes (monkeys), ignoble (lowly, contemptible, lousy, mean)!"
فَجَعَلْنَاهَا نَكَالاً لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا وَمَوْعِظَةً لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ (    :2:66
2:66 We Made it an example to their own and succeeding generations, and a warning to those who heed God. 

Surah 7 Al.A'3raf (The Heights)
فَلَمَّا عَتَوْاْ عَن مَّا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ
قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُواْ قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ (7:166
7:166 So when they persisted in doing what they were forbidden, We Said to them, "Be (as) apes (monkeys), ignoble (lowly, contemptible, lousy, mean)!" 

Notes:
2:65 Should the spoken Words of God 'Be Apes' be taken literally,  it is then Implicit to Sign 2:65  (and 7:166) that the creation of Apes/Monkeys derived from mankind (therianthropy?) and not the other way around as generally accepted scientific thinking has us believe (that humans evolved from apes via some 'missing link'). 

While apes/simians may be a creation independent of/from humanity is also possible, but this verse seems to indicate that it is God's Creative Prerogative to use mankind as the starting material and create other beings, in this instance apes or monkeys, from them. 

The following Sign 2:66, seems to bolster the idea that there was at least one instance where a group of people were in fact made into apes since it elaborates that this had actually served as a lesson to those in whose midsts it occurred and remembered in following generations, probably related as lore or oral traditions. 

In a metaphorical sense, it may be understood to mean that those bearing enmity toward God are in His Perception of a lower form of life than Human, the word khasi'een connotes being of a lowly state, contemptible, and mean (as in stingy and common) and even lousy (as in lice infested, a social bonding behavior observed in apes/monkeys as they groom each other to rid themselves of infestation). 

While the metaphor still holds (zoomorphism?), the former understanding is yet valid in that God Can and Does Create anything from nothing (al-Fatir) by simply 'saying' (i.e, conceptualization) 'Kun!' fa ya kun  --"Be!" and it becomes/arises as such. 

Surah 5 Al.Maida (The Table)
)قُلْ هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُم بِشَرٍّ مِّن ذَلِكَ مَثُوبَةً عِندَ اللّهِ مَن لَّعَنَهُ اللّهُ
وَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ مِنْهُمُ الْقِرَدَةَ وَالْخَنَازِيرَ وَعَبَدَ الطَّاغُوتَ أُوْلَـئِكَ شَرٌّ مَّكَاناً
وَأَضَلُّ عَن سَوَاء السَّبِيلِ (5:60
5:60 Say, "Shall I inform you of something worse than this retribution from God. Those who incurred God's Condemnation and earned His Displeasure (Anger), and He transformed (turned) some of them (into) apes and swine for glorifying tyranny (evil, oppression)! Such are worse in station and farther away from the even (balance, right, just) path. 

Notes:
In what may be a recurring theme of therianthropy as indicated in Sign 2:65 above,  Sign 5:60 explicitly states that 'swine and apes/monkeys' were created from/of those inciting God's Condemnation, 'ja3'ala minhum...' 

Interesting to compare Sign 5:60 with Jesus's interaction with demons when He cast them into a herd of pigs: 

Matthew 8:30-32 
8:30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 

The demons in Matthew 8:30-32 set Jesus up for a good joke about the inevitability of a non-event happening by making it at least the one day 'when pigs fly.' 

• serve as examples for acceptable and non-acceptable human behavior;

Surah 31 Luqman (The Prophet Luqman) 

وَاقْصِدْ فِي مَشْيِكَ وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ (    :31:19  

31:19) ...and be modest in your bearing (pace) and lower your voice, for indeed the ugliest (most repugnant) voice is the donkey's (that of an ass). 

Note: Speaking in to too loud a voice is likened to the harsh dissonance of a donkey braying in Sign 31:19, a behavior Luqman councils His son to avoid, while He advises him of acceptable behavior that includes being modest in his stance or pace (bearing), i.e., not rush.

• provide accessible similes and metaphors;

Surah 74 Al.Muddaththir (The Enrapt/Enveloped One) 

74:49)   eفَمَا لَهُمْ عَنِ التَّذْكِرَةِ مُعْرِضِينَ

74:49) What is amiss with them to be heedless of this Reminder?
كَأَنَّهُمْ حُمُرٌ مُّسْتَنفِرَةٌ (74:50
74:50 As though they are frightened asses
فَرَّتْ مِن قَسْوَرَةٍ (74:51
74:51) fleeing from a lion. 

Note: Signs 74:49-51 offer a bevy of vivid mental images related to animal behavior and human 'herd mentality.' In this case conjuring up what a bunch of frightened donkeys fleeing from a lion (in terror from a ferocious predator) oblivious or heedless to anything and everything else in their surroundings acts like--the type of reaction the Prophet encountered in the general population He first addressed with the Message.

• are used to specify dietary laws and for sacrifice,

Surah 16 Al.Nahl (Bee)
s)إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخَنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ بِهِ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلاَ عَادٍ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (16:115 

16:115 He has forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which has had any other than God's name invoked over it. But if driven by necessity and without craving or excess, indeed God is Forgiving and Merciful. 

Note: 16:115 Prohibits consuming carrion, blood, and swine and what has other than God's name invoked over it...except when driven by necessity. 

وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ هَادُواْ حَرَّمْنَا كُلَّ ذِي ظُفُرٍ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ وَالْغَنَمِ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ شُحُومَهُمَا إِلاَّ مَا حَمَلَتْ ظُهُورُهُمَا أَوِ الْحَوَايَا أَوْ مَا اخْتَلَطَ بِعَظْمٍ ذَلِكَ جَزَيْنَاهُم بِبَغْيِهِمْ وِإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ (6:146) 

6:146 And unto those who found Guidance (هَادُواْ means: Guided, shepherded, etc. understood to mean those of the Jewish faith) We have forbidden every beast (creature) having a claw/talon; and of cattle and sheep We have forbidden them the fat except that which is carried on their backs or their entrails or is mixed in their bones; in this manner We requieted them for their treachery (specifically for selling out their faith for expedience, either money or some other tangible gain). Indeed We Are Truthful (for those who are True). 

Note: 6:146 Added dietary prohibitions for those following Jewish laws include creatures with claws/talons and the fat of cattle and sheep except what is bound to their viscera and on their backs or in the bones... 

Surah 5 Al.Ma'ida (The Table)

 أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ
وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمً ا
 وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِيَ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ   5:96

5:96 Permissible to you is water-game (seafood) and eating it is a benefit to you and for those who travel. And forbidden to you is field hunting in the environs of the pilgrimage. And be mindful of your duties (al.taqwa) to God onto whom you will all be gathered.

Note: 5:96 Permissible and healthy to eat seafood and water-game, however there is prohibition placed on hunting while on pilgrimage. 

Surah 2 Al.Baqara (The Cow) 

 وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُواْ بَقَرَةً قَالُو 

اْ أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُواً قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ (2:67      

2:67 And when Moses said to His community (His people), "Indeed, God Commands you to sacrifice a cow (heifer)." They said, "Do you take mean to make sport of us!" (ie., in the vernacular, they said, "You gotta be kidding!"). He said, "I seek refuge in God that I not be among the ignorant (so childish or foolish)!" 

"Note: 2:67 Moses calls on His people to sacrifice a heifer.

• give a historical context as being a means of communication,

Surah 5 Al.Ma'ida (The Table)  

   فَبَعَثَ اللّهُ غُرَابًا يَبْحَثُ فِي الأَرْضِ 

لِيُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُوَارِي سَوْءةَ أَخِيهِ

قَالَ يَا وَيْلَتَا أَعَجَزْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِثْلَ هَـذَا الْغُرَابِ
فَأُوَارِيَ سَوْءةَ أَخِي
فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ (5:31 

5:31) So God dispatched a Raven to dig (search, investigate) (in) the earth (ground), to show him how to bury the shameful (deed done to) his brother. He (Cain) said, "Woe betide me! Am I incapable to even be as this Raven to be shown how to bury my naked brother (shameful deed he did to his brother, shameful condition of his brother's body)?" And He became consciously remorseful (awakened as one of the regretful, penitent). 

Note: 5:31 The raven is sent to show Cain how to bury his dead brother. 

Surah 27 An.Naml (Ants) 

وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ الْغَائِبِينَ   (    27:20   

27:20) And Solomon surveyed the avians (al.tayer, messengers) and He said, "Why do I not see the hudhud (hoopoe); or is he one of the absentees?"

27:21)    لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطَانٍ مُّبِينٍ

27:21) "I will most certainly castigate him with a severe punishment or kill him should he not give me a justifiable excuse!" 

فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ وَجِئْتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ (     27:22  

27:22) But he was not too far away, and he (the hoopoe) said, "I have encompassed that which You are unaware of (a land you have not settled, or environs unknown to You) and I have come to You with certain tidings (News) from the Sabaens (Saba, Sheba)!" 

Note: 27:20-27:22 Solomon misses the hoopoe when it's tardy, who then brings Him news of Sheba.

Surah 27 An.Naml (Ants) 

 حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ
قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا
 يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (27:18 

27:18) Until they reached the Valley of the Ants (Naml), (she) the Ant said, "O, you Ants! Get inside your dwellings lest Solomon and his Forces trample you unintentionally!"

Note: 27:18 Solomon understands one Ant's warning to another to go home in order to avoid getting trampled by Him and His approaching forces. 

• are used to teach profound lessons not just allegories; 

Surah 34 Saba (Sheba) 

فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ
مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ
تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ
فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ
مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ (34:14   

34:14) Once We Ordained death to Him (Solomon's death as a mortal),
Nothing indicated His death except a 'dabatun al.ard' (crawling creature of the earth, maybe a worm, a termite or other beast) creature from the Earth that gnawed through His staff (He leaned on while seated),
And once He fell (from the chair as His corpse fell out of the chair when His last assumed posture was rested on His now compromised staff) His death became apparent to the Jinn; had they known the Unseen/Invisible/Hidden Reality, they would not have continued to toil in demeaning work. 

Note: While 34:14 is a good story about Solomon having fallen dead out of His chair, the deeper meaning is that those serving Him as jinn were unaware that their circumstances had been seamlessly altered had it not been for the behavior and visible outcome of the Earthly creature. Here, it is call dabn.al.urd, a beast or creature of/from the Earth that is used to inform the djinn of Solomon's death. Were it not for this they would not have been able to distinguish a change in their circumstances and would continue to carry on their business as usual. The information may have been relayed by an actual creature's behavior (a termite gnawing through His staff) and/or an animistic mechanism--a synergistic information network from their environment (dabn urd).  

Surah 2 Al.Baqara (Cow) 

 أَوْ كَالَّذِي مَرَّ عَلَى قَرْيَةٍ وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَى عُرُوشِهَا

قَالَ أَنَّىَ يُحْيِـي هَـَذِهِ اللّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا

فَأَمَاتَهُ اللّهُ مِئَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ 

قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ قَالَ بَل لَّبِثْتَ مِئَةَ عَامٍ 

فَانظُرْ إِلَى طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ وَانظُرْ إِلَى حِمَارِكَ

وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ آيَةً لِّلنَّاسِ 

وَانظُرْ إِلَى العِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا 

فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (2:259  

2:259) Or [are you of the same mind] as he who passed by a town deserted by its people, with its roofs caved in, [and] said, "How could God bring all this back to life after its death?" Thereupon God caused him to be dead for a hundred years; where after He brought him back to life [and] said, "How long have you remained in this state?" He answered: "I have remained like this a day, or part of a day." Said [God]: "Nay, but you have remained this way for a hundred years! But look at your food and your drink-untouched  by the passing of years, and look (carefully) at your donkey (ass). And [We did all this] so that We might make you a symbol to humanity. And look at the bones [of animals and men] - how We put them together and then clothe them with flesh!" And when [all this] became clear to him, he said: "I know [now] that God has the power to will anything!"

A deeper lesson in how time is perceived differently by creatures than by humans is alluded to in Sign 2:259.

• are meant to provide benefits & uses for humanity:

Surah 16 Al.Nahl (Bees)

 وَالأَنْعَامَ خَلَقَهَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌ وَمَنَافِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ ( 16:5  

16:5) And the cattle (pastured animals) He Created for you, in them warmth and other benefits, and of them you eat (partake of them).~
~
وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ (    16:8   

16:8) And horses, mules and donkeys (asses) for you to ride and for their beauty, and He Creates things yet unknown to you. 

Note: 16:5  Cattle to provide food, shelter, warmth, and other benefits; and in 16:8 horses, mules, asses for riding, hauling, and to appreciate their beauty.

• and may serve as nested astronomical/zodiac references.

Surah 37 As.Saffat (Ranged, Echelons)
فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ   37:142)
فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنْ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ    (37:143)
لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ (37:144) 

Note: 37:42-144, Jonah is 'swallowed by the whale', i.e., Faum-al-hout and He would have remained there until Judgment Day had He not been one of the 'musbiheen', i.e., one that rises the following morning--a decan?

Surah 12  Yusuf (Joseph)
قَالَ إِنِّي لَيَحْزُنُنِي أَن تَذْهَبُواْ بِهِ
وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ الذِّئْبُ
وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ غَافِلُونَ (12:13 

Note: 12:13 Here Joseph's father is apprehensive about letting Joseph go out with His bothers that a wolf might devour Him while they are not attentive, i.e., the asterism Lupus bordered by Scorpio, Libra, and Centaurus is associated with the wolf.

Surah 6 Al.An3'am (Cattle)
ذَلِكَ هُدَى اللّهِ
يَهْدِي بِهِ مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ
وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُواْ لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ (6:88

Surah 68 Al.Qalam (The Pen)
فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ (68:8

Specific Verses In Which Creatures Are Mentioned In the Quran