Cattle!
In the name of Allah, Master Fard Muhammad. We thank him for raising His Messenger, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.
As-salaam alaikum!
Do you like milk, ice cream, and cheese? Or maybe you have leather shoes. All of these things come from cattle! Cattle is a word that includes mammals like cows, buffalo, bison, musk oxen, and yaks. Allah made these animals very special, and they help us in so many ways. In this lesson, we will focus on cows and how they serve us.
Cows like to live together in big groups called herds. Since they are big animals, they need plenty of space to walk and eat. You might see cows on farms, in open fields, or sometimes even in the wild. We drink their milk, and some people eat their meat. Cows eat lots of grass and drink plenty of water. Then, we recycle their waste for many things. The waste helps plants grow, and some people use it to make bricks for homes. Allah, in His wisdom, made cows very useful for us.
Cows are vegetarians. They eat mostly grass, and they digest it in a unique way. Allah created cows with a stomach that has four special parts, called chambers. These parts help break up grass and other plants that humans cannot digest. Cows chew their food, swallow it, and then bring it back up to chew it again. They do this a few times. This makes the grass easy to digest. Our stomachs have only one part, so we cannot eat the same things cows do. Messenger Elijah Muhammad says we should not eat certain plants, such as grass and leaves, because we don’t have the right stomachs for those rough foods. He wants us to stay healthy and strong.
Cows have families. A bull is a male cow, and he usually mates with several female cows. Most cows give birth to one calf, or baby, each year. Sometimes Allah blesses them with twins. It is amazing how quickly calves learn to walk, just minutes after they are born. They must learn fast so they can stay close to their mothers and the herd, where they are safe and cared for.
As-salaam alaikum!
Do you like milk, ice cream, and cheese? Or maybe you have leather shoes. All of these things come from cattle! Cattle is a word that includes mammals like cows, buffalo, bison, musk oxen, and yaks. Allah made these animals very special, and they help us in so many ways. In this lesson, we will focus on cows and how they serve us.
Cows like to live together in big groups called herds. Since they are big animals, they need plenty of space to walk and eat. You might see cows on farms, in open fields, or sometimes even in the wild. We drink their milk, and some people eat their meat. Cows eat lots of grass and drink plenty of water. Then, we recycle their waste for many things. The waste helps plants grow, and some people use it to make bricks for homes. Allah, in His wisdom, made cows very useful for us.
Cows are vegetarians. They eat mostly grass, and they digest it in a unique way. Allah created cows with a stomach that has four special parts, called chambers. These parts help break up grass and other plants that humans cannot digest. Cows chew their food, swallow it, and then bring it back up to chew it again. They do this a few times. This makes the grass easy to digest. Our stomachs have only one part, so we cannot eat the same things cows do. Messenger Elijah Muhammad says we should not eat certain plants, such as grass and leaves, because we don’t have the right stomachs for those rough foods. He wants us to stay healthy and strong.
Cows have families. A bull is a male cow, and he usually mates with several female cows. Most cows give birth to one calf, or baby, each year. Sometimes Allah blesses them with twins. It is amazing how quickly calves learn to walk, just minutes after they are born. They must learn fast so they can stay close to their mothers and the herd, where they are safe and cared for.
|
|
Did you know?
- Animals raised on a farm or a ranch (such as cows or sheep) are called livestock.
- Cattle have split hoofs that look like two "toes". This is called being "cloven-footed".
- Cud is the name for food that is brought up from the cattle's stomach to be chewed again.
- The Bible instructs that we may eat any animal that has a split hoof and chews cud.
- The Honorable Elijah Muhammad advises that we may eat beef, but warns that it is not good for our stomachs.
- Cattle can be horned (have horns) or polled (hornless).
- You can tell a bull's age by the number of rings that have formed on its horns.
- Only bulls grow horns, but cows are special, too. They have udders with teats that produce milk.
- Animals with four-part stomachs are called ruminants.
- Cattle can have short or long hair.
- Cows and bulls are herbivores. This means they only eat plants!
- Meat from baby cows is called veal.
- A young cow that has not given birth to a calf is called a heifer.
- Some bulls and cows can sprint at speeds up to 20-25 miles per hour.
- Cattle's spots are like fingerprints. No two cows have the exact same spots.
- Cows can live around 20-25 years.
- Cows and bulls can see most colors except red.
- Cows and bulls can smell odors from five (5) miles away.
- The second chapter of the Holy Qur'an is called Surah Al-Baqarah. Al-Baqarah means "The Cow".
Cows are a blessing from Allah because they help us every day. They give us so many useful things, like milk, meat, leather, fertilizer, and even transportation in some places. In some cultures, cows are so valuable that they are given as gifts (dowry) to a bride and her family. People also trade cows and their milk for other goods. In many places, families choose not to eat beef because they treasure the cow’s milk more than the meat. A cow can give milk for many years, but you can only eat its meat once.
Cows are important in many places. People around the world have kept cows for thousands of years. Cows are very important to tribes like the Fulani, Masai, and Tutsi in Africa, because they drink a lot of milk and eat dairy products. In Japan, there is a special breed called Wagyu, known for its tender meat. In Mongolia, herding cattle is a way of life, but climate change is making it difficult. Summer droughts followed by harsh winters, called dzuds, make it hard for cows to find enough grass to eat. Cows are also important to many countries in South America.
Hindus in India worship cows instead of Allah. They treat cows better than humans. Sometimes they attack the poor Muslims for eating beef. Islam teaches us to worship Allah (God) alone and to fight with those who fight with us. We are taught that Hindus are enemies of Allah, but we treat everyone justly.
In places such as Spain, Mexico, and the southwestern United States, bulls are sometimes used for sport and play, such as bullfights and rodeos. Some people believe that bullfights have a racist and anti-Islamic meaning. Sadly, these events do not always treat the animals well. As Muslims, we are taught to show kindness and respect to all of Allah’s creatures, including cattle. It is wrong to be mean to an animal that helps us in so many ways.
After learning all these wonderful things, we can see that cows and other cattle are amazing animals that help people all over the world. They give us many things we need. The next time you drink a glass of milk or eat an ice cream cone, remember how special they are. Give thanks to Allah, Master Fard Muhammad, for them.
Cows are important in many places. People around the world have kept cows for thousands of years. Cows are very important to tribes like the Fulani, Masai, and Tutsi in Africa, because they drink a lot of milk and eat dairy products. In Japan, there is a special breed called Wagyu, known for its tender meat. In Mongolia, herding cattle is a way of life, but climate change is making it difficult. Summer droughts followed by harsh winters, called dzuds, make it hard for cows to find enough grass to eat. Cows are also important to many countries in South America.
Hindus in India worship cows instead of Allah. They treat cows better than humans. Sometimes they attack the poor Muslims for eating beef. Islam teaches us to worship Allah (God) alone and to fight with those who fight with us. We are taught that Hindus are enemies of Allah, but we treat everyone justly.
In places such as Spain, Mexico, and the southwestern United States, bulls are sometimes used for sport and play, such as bullfights and rodeos. Some people believe that bullfights have a racist and anti-Islamic meaning. Sadly, these events do not always treat the animals well. As Muslims, we are taught to show kindness and respect to all of Allah’s creatures, including cattle. It is wrong to be mean to an animal that helps us in so many ways.
After learning all these wonderful things, we can see that cows and other cattle are amazing animals that help people all over the world. They give us many things we need. The next time you drink a glass of milk or eat an ice cream cone, remember how special they are. Give thanks to Allah, Master Fard Muhammad, for them.
Tutsi cattle with large horns
|
Fulani herdsman
|
