It's Only a Crow Cawed!

It's time to take a break. There was a little talk among the birds. They understood that, all this time, Cockatoos and Crow, were terribly jealous of Raven, a large and great bird the fowls loved, the Amir of Port Kalapa, capital city of Kampong Bayan. It was said, the malice, blessed by Parrot as well, because he felt cranky towards Raven, who defeated his colleague, Cockroach the rotten mouth, now hiding, somewhere in a mining field. That's why, he planned to move the capital to Bona Fortuna. 

One fowl asked another, "Are there any differences between Ravens and Crows?" The other bird replied, "You know that Ravens are larger, the size of a Red-tailed Hawk. Ravens often travel in pairs, while crows are seen in larger groups. The crow’s tail feathers are basically the same length, so when the bird spreads its tail, it opens like a fan. Ravens, however, have longer middle feathers in their tails, so their tail appears wedge-shaped when open." Onother birds added, "While crows caw and purr, ravens croak and scream bloody murder." Others commented, "Ravens have bigger, curvier beaks relative to crows. While both species have bristles at the base of the beak, the raven's are noticeably longer. Their throat feathers are also quite shaggy."

"But why Crow was so envy of Raven?" Another informed, "Ravens are clever and intelligent. Ravens can talk and sing. They have a vast repertoire of 100 or more vocalizations. With their deep voice, ravens can mimic human speech and singing, and can imitate other bird sounds as well." Other commented, "Ravens are playful creatures. Ravens are acrobats in the sky. They surf updrafts, fly upside down and even turn somersaults, just because they can." One fowl conveyed, "The raven has been symbolically depicted in literature and legends throughout history in cultures around the world. The raven has long been used in symbolism and carries many spiritual meanings. Native American lore describes the raven as a creature of metamorphosis, and symbolizes change and transformation."

Another said, "The thing that Crow dislike most about Raven, because he was considered as a bird of good omen and always attracted the attention of men, who noted by his flight the good or evil course of future events."

Other conveyed, "When envy becomes widespread among a people, it might eventually cause their destruction, because it will irrigate and nurture ill feelings." Another suggested, "Avoid being envious, and, lnsha Allah, you will be better off, because once envy becomes part of a person's character, it does not act alone. It takes along with itself and makes such evils as pride, haughtiness and arrogance, hatred, jealousy, backbiting and several other evils; perhaps innumerable; flourish. How evil these associates are and may Allaah save us from these wasters of good deeds. Each one of these sins is enough to make a person enter under the wrath of Allah not to mention when they are combined!"

The other asserted, "In the heavens, the first sin to be committed was as a result of a great disease - envy; the envy of our father Adam, alayhissalam, by the Shaytaan. This would later lead him to add pride and arrogance to his crimes.

Shaytaan was envious of Adam because of the blessings Allah had conferred upon him. First of such blessings is making him and his offspring successors on the face of the earth. The second blessing that Shaytaan envied was granting Adam the knowledge not known to the Shaytaan and the company of the angels before then. The third blessing is His honouring Adam, with the command of prostration to the angels and all those in their company at that time.

For all of these honours and blessings done to Adam, the rage and envy of Shaytaan that he had been concealing became exposed. So when he was asked, why he refused to prostrate, his response was laced with grudge, jealousy, hatred, pride and arrogance. So, Shaytaan acted upon his envy and he went astray and out of Allah's Mercy and forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from taking up characters likened to that of the accursed and the outcast being."

Another expressed, "Envy is always accompanied with hatred. So the person starts by being envious of the other person or party and it gradually turns into hatred especially when such blessings abound and increase."

Other mentioned, "The evils of envy can also erupt within blood ties, which are considered one of the strongest ties amongst mankind. When this occurs, jealousy and rank hatred will appear between them and the desire to eliminate the envied is very likely."

Another pointed out, "Our beloved (ﷺ) said,

لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ حِكْمَةً فَهُوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا

"There should be no envy but only in case of two persons: one having been endowed with wealth and power to spend it in the cause of Truth, and (the other) who has been endowed with wisdom and he decides cases with the help of it and teaches it (to others)." [Sahih Muslim]

Other noticed, "When you are not contented with the favours Allah has bestowed upon you, and always peer and strain your neck and eyes, into the worldly blessings conferred upon others, there is the great tendency for you to be envious and forget, that your Rabb, gives to whomsoever He wills amongst His creation. Due to this, you would have forgotten that all of these glitters are Fitnah - afflictions and trials for those who have them and that the best and most enduring provisions lie with Allah." 

One bird criticized, "Here's the ultimate story. The Crow was very anxious to get the same sort of reputation himself; and, one day, seeing some travellers approaching, he flew on to a branch of a tree at the roadside and cawed as loud as he could. The travellers were in some dismay at the sound, for they feared it might be a bad omen; till one of them, spying the Crow, said to his companions, “It’s all right, my friends, we can go on without fear, for it’s only a crow cawed, and that means nothing!”

All the birds present, laugh! One of them said, "Those who assume a character which does not belong to them, only make themselves ridiculous."

Suddenly, Shama' came and rebuked, "Hey you guys! Do not committed Ghibah!" One of them concluded, "Yo! Listen up! Rather than committed ghibah, let's sing!" And they sang a song,

Oh jealousy, you tripped me up

Jealousy, you brought me down

You bring me sorrow, you cause me pain

Jealousy, when will you let go?

Gotta hold of my possessive mind

Turned me into a jealous guy

How! How! How all my jealousy

I wasn't man enough, to let you hurt my pride

Now I'm only left with my own jealousy

But now it matters not

If I should live or die

'Cause I'm only left with my own jealousy *)

The birds, were naughty! And Allah know best.

Citations and References :
- Golden Advise Series, Do Not Be Enviuos!, Darussalam
- Rev. Geo. Fyler Townsend, M.A., Aesop Fables, George Routledge and Sons
*) "Jealousy" written by Freddie Mercury

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