Monday, March 28, 2016

Aswad'ansi: The Story of the Veiled Prophet.

al-Aswad al-Ansi Arabic meaning "The black man of Ans", originally named Abhala ibn Kaab al-Ansi as he originally belonged to the 'Ans tribe in Yemen (a branch of the Madh-haj clan). He claimed prophethood towards the end of the prophet Muhammad's lifetime, around 630 A.D. He was a very ugly man so he used to cover his face to hide his ugliness that is why he was nicknamed as Ansi, "the veiled prophet". He was wealthiest, wise and very intelligent and one of the prominent citizen of Yemen. 

When the Prophet, returned to Medina from the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after the Hijra, he fell ill, News of his illness spread rapidly throughout the Arabian peninsula. Sincere Muslims everywhere were greatly saddened by the news but for others it was a time to disclose hidden hopes and ambitions and reveal their real attitudes to Islam and the Prophet.

In al-Yamama, Musaylimah bin Sumama bin Habib renounced Islam. So too did Tulayhah al-Asadi in the land of the Asad. They claimed that they were prophets sent to their respective peoples just as Muhammad the son of Abdullah was sent to the Quraysh. Both Musaylimah and Aswad 'Ansi were known as soothsayer and sorcerer and, as with all men and women of this profession, claimed to have knowledge of the unknown Ghayb, and as Islam proscribed magic and sooth saying. Hence, when Islam began spreading throughout the Peninsula, their clientele sharply declined. May be it was the cause of their claiming prophet-hood.

What helped al-Aswad in deceiving the people and drawing them to him was his guile and cunning which knew no bounds. To his followers he alleged that an angel visited him, disclosed revelations to him and gave him intelligence of people and their affairs. What allowed him to appear to bear out these claims were the spies he employed and despatched everywhere, to bring him news of people and their circumstances, their secrets and their problems, their hopes and their fears.

Reports were brought back in secrecy to him and when he met anyone, especially those in need, he could give the impression that he had prior knowledge of their needs and problems. In this way he astonished people and confounded their thoughts. He acquired a large following and his mission spread like wildfire.

Aswad 'Ansi claimed to receive divine inspiration in the form of words and is recorded to have recited them to his people. Besides this, he had an ability to dazzle a crowd with tricks, according to traditional accounts he had a donkey whom he had trained to kneel before him, he would tell the donkey, in front of a large crowd "Kneel before your lord" and it would kneel, and then he would say to it "Bow before your lord" and it would bow. 

Aswad 'Ansi was powerful and influential and possessed a strange power of speech that mesmerized the hearts of his listeners and captivated the minds of the masses with his claims. With his wealth and power he managed to attract not just the masses but people of status as well. When he appeared before people he normally wore a mask in order to surround himself with an air of mystery, awe and reverence.

In the Yemen at that time, a section of the people who had much prestige and influence were the "Abna". They were the scions of Persian fathers who ruled Yemen as part of the Sasanian Empire. Their mothers were local Arabs. Fayruz al-Daylami was one of these Yemeni Abna.

At the time of the appearance of Islam, the most powerful of the Abna was Badhan who ruled Yemen on behalf of the Khosroes of Persia. When Badban became convinced of the truth of the Prophet Muhammad and the Divine nature of his mission he renounced his a llegiance to the Khosroes and accepted Islam. His people followed him in tiffs. The Prophet confirmed him in his dominion and he ruled the Yemen until his death shortly before the appearance of al-Aswad al-Ansi.

In the beginning, a few of his tribe the Banu Mudhhij, were attracted to him and the first to respond positively to his claims to prophethood. Gradually his myth and mischief spread all over Yemen. The uncivilized Bedouins had not been genuinely converted to Islam; they had adopted it because they admired a man who could challenge the two greatest empires of their time. As soon as he died his magic died too and they turned away from Islam.

Aswad 'Ansi succeeded in winning a considerable number of followers and within a short time, he became powerful enough to challenge Shahr who remained faithful to islam. Shahr was  a governor appointed by the Prophet's regime after the death of his father Badhan. 

The Tribes of Arabs
Soon Aswad mounted a raid on San'a and in that confrontation Shahr was defeated and killed, and Aswad captured power and crowned himself as the king of Yemen.  He also forcefully married Shahr's beautiful widow named Azad.

Feroz a Minister under Shahr became a Minister under Aswad 'Ansi although he remained a Muslim. Qais bin Abu Yaghus, commander-in-chief of the forces of Shahr, became the commander-in-chief of the forces of Aswad 'Ansi. 

Now from San'a he raided other regions nearby through his swift and startling strikes. Thus a vast region from Hadramawt to at-Taif and from al-Ahsa to Aden came under his influence.

When news of al-Aswad's apostasy and his activities throughout the Yemen reached the Prophet, peace be on him, he despatched a no. about ten Muslims with letters to some devoted Muslims of Yemen those were trusted. He urged them to confront the blind fitnah with faith and resolve, and he ordered them to get rid of al-Aswad by any means.

The Prophet's envoys to Yemen, Khalid b. Sa'id and 'Amr b. Hazm, had to recede into the background for a while when they were expelled by Al-Aswad’s forces who expelled them from Najran. But all who received the Prophet's missives set about to carry out his orders implicitly. In the forefront of these was Fayruz ad-Daylami and those of the Abna who were with him. A conspiracy spearheaded by Fayruz, Qais and Azad, shahr's ex wife as she bitterly hated Aswad 'Ansi. 

Aswad 'Ansi was a man of suspicious nature. He felt that in order to strengthen his position he must overthrow Feroz and Qais. But before he could do something, he was assassinated.

The assassination team led by Fayruz entered the fortress in the night with the help of shahr's wife Azad and killed Aswad 'Ansi while he was asleep. 

"Fayruz and those of the Abna who were with Fayruz never for one moment had any doubt about the religion of God. No belief in the enemy of God entered the heart of any one of them. In fact they waited for opportunities to get hold of al-Aswad and eliminate him by any means.

When they received the letters of the prophet, They felt strengthened in their mutual resolve and each one determined to do what he could. Because of his considerable success, pride and vanity took hold of al-Aswad al-Ansi. He bragged to the commander of his army, Qays ibn Abd Yaghuth, saying how powerful he was. His attitude and relationship towards his commander changed so much so that Qays felt that he was not safe from his violence and oppression.

Fayruz cousin, Dadhawayh, and he went to Qays and informed him of what the Prophet, had told them and they invited him to "make lunch" out of the man al-Aswad before he could "make supper" out of him. He was receptive to their proposal and regarded them as a Godsend. He disclosed to them some of the secrets of al-Aswad.

The three of them vowed to confront the apostate from within his castle while their other brothers would confront him from without. They were all of the view that their cousin Azad, whom al-Aswad had taken to himself after the killing of her husband, should join them. They went to al-Aswad's castle and met her. Fayruz said to her: 'O cousin, you know what harm and evil this man has visited upon you and us. He has killed your husband and dishonored the women of your people. He has massacred their husbands and wrested political authority from their hands. 

Fayruz show the letter to her and said, "This is a letter from the Messenger of God to us in particular and to the people of Yemen in general in which he asks us to put an end to this fitnah. Would you help us in this matter?" 
'How can I help you? she asked. 
'On his expulsion...' Fayruz said. 
'Rather on his assassination,' she suggested. 
'By God, I had nothing else in mind,' Fayruz said, 'but I was afraid to suggest this to you.' 

'By Him Who has sent Muhammad with the Truth as a bringer of good tidings and as a warner, I have not doubted in my religion for a moment. God has not created a man more detestable to me than the devil al-Aswad. By God, from the time I saw him, I have only known him to be a corrupt and sinful person who does not promote any truth and does not stop from committing any abominable deed.' -she said. 
"How can we go about eliminating him?' Fayruz asked.

'He is well-guarded and protected. There is not a place in his castle which is not surrounded by guards. There is one broken down and abandoned room though which opens out into open land. In the evening during the first third of the night, go there. You will find inside weapons and a light. You will find me waiting for you...' she said.

'But getting through to a room in a castle such as this is no easy task. Someone might pass and alert the guards and that will be the end of us' Fayruz said. 
'You are not far from the truth. But I have a suggestion.' -she said.
'What is it?' Fayruz asked.
She said, 'Send a man tomorrow whom you trust as one of the workers. I shall tell him to make an opening in the room from the inside so that it should be easy to enter.'
'That's a brilliant suggestion you have,' Fayruz said.

Fayruz then left her and told the two others what they had decided and they gave their blessings to the plan. They left straightaway to get themselves prepared. They informed a select group of believers who were assisting them to prepare themselves and gave them the password (to signal the time they could storm the castle). The time was to be dawn of the following day.

When night fell and the appointed time came, Fayruz went with his two companions to the opening in the room and uncovered it. They entered the room and put on the lamp. They found the weapons and proceeded to the apartment of God's enemy. There was their cousin Azad standing at her door. She pointed out where he was and they entered. 

al-Aswad was asleep and snoring. But when Fayruz proceeded towards his bed, then find al- Aswad's eyes are open and he spontaneously told him, "Fayruz, I know what you are going to do!"- suddenly a horror creeped through Fayruz body. Terrified, he immediately jumped on him, al-Aswad fell from his bed causes broke his neck. Fayruz left him in that condition and rushed to the door but was stopped by his partner, who then moved with his knife towards Aswad. He was still alive convulsing on the floor. He [Fayruz's partner] then plunged his sharp knife in his neck. Aswad bellowed like a bull being slaughtered. When the guards heard that sound, they ran quickly to his room and found Azad standing on the door. They asked: 'What is this ?'
She said to them, 'You have nothing to worry. He is receiving revelation, now leave.', and they left. 

The assassination team stayed in the castle until the break of dawn. Then Fayruz went to the roof of the castle with Aswad's cutting head and shouted: God is Gracious. God is Merciful. I testify that Muhammad is His Rasool and I also testify that al-Aswad is an imposter. [''Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!' Ashhadu anna Muhammadur Rasulullah! 'Wa ashhadu anna al Aswad al-Ansi kadhdhab!]

That was the signal and Muslims then converged on the castle from every direction. The guards took fright when they heard the shouting and were confronted by the Muslims shouting Allahu Akbar.

People gathered in front of the castle and looking towards its roof to know what happened.  Then Fayruz throw Aswad's cutting head in their midst.

The mission completed successfully and they sent a letter to Medina at the same day addressing prophet Muhammad giving him the news of the death of al-Aswad, the imposter. But when the messengers reached Medina they found that the Prophet, had passed away that very night. 

The Prophet had predicted in Medina, a day and a half before his own demise that al-'Ansi had been killed. And actually the news of his assassination reached Medina while the Companions were preparing his funeral rights.

Years later, the Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab wrote to Fayruz ad-Daylami, saying: "I have heard that you are busy eating white bread and honey (ie. no doubt that he was leading an easy life). When this my letter reaches you, come to me with the blessings of God so that you may campaign in the path of God."

Fayruz did as he was commanded. He went to Medina and sought an audience with Umar. When he started towards Omar a young boy of Quraysh from the crowd pushed him. Fayruz angered and hit him on the nose.
The boy then complained to Omar who asked: "Who was that?"
At that time Fayruz entering tnto the room. and the boy indicating him, said,  "He is at the door," 
Then Omar asked: "What is this, O Fayruz?"

"O Amir al-Muminin," said Fayruz. "You wrote to me, not to him. You gave me permission to enter, not him. But he wanted to enter resisting me. And then I did what you have been told."
"Al-Qisas," pronounced Omar, "Fayruz, So you have to receive the same blow from this youth in retaliation". 
"Must it be?" asked Fayruz. 
"It must be," insisted Omar.

Fayruz then got down on his knees and the youth stood up to exact his retaliation. Omar said to him then: "Wait a moment, o young man, I want to tell you something about this man first. In a evening, I heard, prophet saying: 'This is the night, al-Aswad al-Ansi the Imposter has been killed. Fayruz ad-Daylami, the righteous servant has killed him' 
Omar then said the young: "Now, you can take retribution, hit him."
"I forgive him," the young said at once, "at the very moment, I heard the Prophet from you." 
"Do you think," said Fayruz to Omar, "that my escape from what I have done is a confession to him and that his forgiveness is not given under duress?" 
"Yes," replied Omar.
Fayruz then declared: "I testily to you that my sword, my horse and thirty thousand dinar that saved in my house is a gift to him."
"Your forgiveness has paid off, O my brother and you have become rich," said Omar to the young.

The End.
Not Yet Revised.

# A man Questioned, "The Prophet who is the Mercy to mankind, order to kill Ansi because he declared Prophethood? Killing a man without trial- is it legal?

@ I said, "Killing a man without trial- is not legal in Islam, surely it is a crime, but not for Prophets, who knows better Gods Laws. And for the case of Muhammad, how do you questioned his works and deeds when he was certified by the Magian, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian Scriptures! And when Bible certified of his righteousness and of his judgment!

Bible says- And when he [Ahmad] will come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

--Of sin, because they [Jews] believe not on me [Jesus];
--Of righteousness, because he [Ahmad] aroused the neglectful world from its heedlessness and gave it the knowledge of the criterion between truth and falsehood [Quran or Furqan];
--Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
 


I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the "Spirit of Truth", is come, "he will guide you into all truth": for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. "He shall glorify me": for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. -[See, John, 16:9-14] Now we will see why the Prophet ordered to kill al-Aswad bin Ka'b al-Ansi.

al-Aswad became Muslim and then claimed prophethood which was a crime against humanity. It can be explained as-

Accepting Islam or not is ones choice. But after accepting no one permitted to renounce Islam as it is the religion of God, a religion of Truth ie. renouncing Islam is equal to blaming and rejecting truth and at the same time adopt falsehood on God and His Apostle. This act will turning men from truth thus makes them looser in the hereafter. And when they will find themselves looser, they blamed Muslims for their misery. So, a Muslim never let anyone blaming or rejecting TRUTH after accepting it, as it considered an act of preventing men from following God’s path that causes mass people serious loosered in the hereafter, thus such act surely a grievous crime and deserves severe punishment.  

Quran says- "And if they break their oaths after their agreement and revile your religion, then fight the leaders of disbelief -surely their oaths are nothing -so that they may desist". -(Qur'an 9:12)

And a Hadith says- "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."- [Bukhari , Volume 9, Book 83, No-17,-Narrated by'Abdullah].

Besides this, Aswad persecuted many Muslims. He was a warmonger. In a report we find that he was liable for the death of prophets daughter Zaynab. [Abul As captured at the battle of Badr. He was released with the condition that he send his wife Zaynab to Medina. As keep his word and when Zaynab leaving Mecca riding a camel, some people attacked her and she fell from the camel when someone speared the camel. That causes her bleeding as she was pregnant. However, she reached Medina and died after some days. Historian and biographer reported this incident as- 

Tabari:
It was reported that Habbar used to relate [the following story]: "When the Prophet came out and preached [the belief in] Allah I was among those who showed hatred toward him, opposed him, and harmed him." 

Tabari further states-"[When] the Prophets ..daughter Zaynab on her way to Medina, some people from the Quraysh obstructed her way, and Habbar was among them. He poked her and wounded her back with a lance, and she lost the baby she was carrying; she was then brought back to the dwellings of the Banu Abd Manaf."

Zaynab died later in Medina and Habbar b. al-Aswad declared criminal and the Prophet allowed his blood to be shed with impunity. -[The History of al-Tabari– Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and Their Successors: al-Tabari’s Supplement to His History, volume 39, page 70]

Wahiduddin Khan:
Habbar ibn al-Aswad, who had been responsible for great persecution of the Muslims. When the Prophet’s daughter Zaynab, wife of Abu’l ‘As, was on her way from Makkah to Madinah, he stabbed her camel’s side with a spear. The camel went into a frenzy and Zaynab fell down. She was with child at the time. Not only did she suffer a miscarriage, but the effects of the mishap remained with her for the rest of her life. Orders were given for him to be killed, but he came to the Prophet and pleaded for mercy. ‘Prophet of God,’ he said, ‘forgive my ignorance. Let me become a Muslim.’ The Prophet forgave him. - [Muhammad: A Prophet for All Humanity By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan page 331]

Alalwani:

When the Messenger of God entered Makkah victoriously in the year 8 AH/629 CE, he had instructed his leading men not to kill anyone but those who had fought against the Muslims, as he wanted Makkah to be conquered peacefully. However, he did order a group of individuals, whom he named specifically, to be put to death even if they were seeking refuge under the covering of the Ka’bah. The group included six men and four women, namely: Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, Habbar ibn al-Aswad, Abd Allah ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Sarh, Miqyas ibn Subabah al-Laythi, al-Huwayrith ibn Nuqaydh, Abd Allah ibn Hilal ibn Khatal al-Adrami, Hind Bint Utbah, Sarah, the servant of Amr ibn Hisham, and Abd llah ibn Khatal’s two song-stressed, Fartana and Quraybah, who was also known as Arnab. The reason for this was that these individuals had incited the polytheists to go to war against the Muslims and prevent them from following in God’s path. -[Apostasy in Islam: A Historical and Scriptural Analysis By Taha Jabir Alalwani, page 50.]

Source: al-Qur'an
al-Nadīm, The Fihrist.
Sahih Bukhari , Volume 9, Book 83 , No-17.
The History of al-Tabari  – Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and Their Successors: al-Tabari’s Supplement to His History, volume 39, page 70
Muhammad: A Prophet for All Humanity By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan page 331
Apostasy in Islam: A Historical and Scriptural Analysis By Taha Jabir Alalwani, page 50
Encyclopaedia of Islam, By Mufti M. Mukarram Ahmed, Muzaffar Husain Syed, pg.91-92, 241
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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Crow: Significance to Cultures and Religions.

We do know that crows and ravens have appeared more times and across greater expanse of earth, history, and culture than any other bird in existence. They play prominent roles in Native American, Japanese, Wiccan, and Hindu mythology, They are associated with many tales of which some still hold religious meaning today. Actually they have deep symbolic significance to many different cultures and religions. Some believe that seeing a crow represents Spiritual Law and its black feathers are a symbol of death to ones enemy. They said to be able to communicate with gods; they can ascend into heaven and they even the feature of the Tree of Life often depicted with a serpent at their feet. 

Crow
Many cultures believe that the crow is a symbol of eternal life; the link between heaven and earth. The black crow is widely believed to be a symbol of bad news. Yet the bird was considered sacred to the Greek god Apollo. Native Aborigines believed that the bird carried stories. In Japanese Shintoism, the crow is an important symbol, it is the messenger of the gods or in other words- messengers from ones unconscious.

Crows and ravens, although in the same genus (Corvus) are different birds.Ravens have wedge-shaped tails and crows have fan-shaped tails.They belong in the Corvid family and are considered to be among the most adaptable and intelligent birds.They defined as black birds having a raucous call. They are social, so often found in groups. They have a life span 6-12 years. There are approximately 116 different species of crow. Birds in this species include magpies, jays, rooks, jackdaws and ravens.

Gustavus Hindman Miller Interpret dreams of birds in his Dream Dictionary. It says,--

--To see Moulting and song less birds, could denote merciless and inhuman treatment of the outcast and fallen by people of wealth.
--Seeing a crow in dream is a symbol of ones annoying habits and the darker part of character. 
--To see a wounded crow, is a symbol of fateful of deep sadness caused by erring offspring.  
--To see flying crows, is a symbol of prosperity. 
--To hear them speak, is owning one's inability to perform tasks that demand great clearness of perception, etc.

In the christian culture, the crow means nothing good, it is consider  [mostly in Europe] as a bad bird, a bird of negative omen. Thus we see the metaphor "the crow pierced you" to say "you have died" used in the welsh poetry. But for the Celts, it is sacred and meant the flesh torn by fighting. They thought crows escorted the sun during his nocturnal path, that is to say in Hell. So they were a symbol of evil, contrary to swanns that symbolizes purity. In Babylon, the crow was the name of the 13th month of the calendar, and had a very negative value.

For the Greeks, the crow was too gossipy. That's why Athena replaced him with the owl, to stay with her. The bird also devoted to Apollo. He sent him to the aquatic world, to bring back water. The crow discovered a fig tree whose fruits were not ripe yet, so he waited near the tree to eat ripe figs instead of accomplishing his task. He was punished for his disobedience and egotism: Apollo placed him in the constellations, but the hydra prevented him from drinking the cup: he is condemned to thirst.

In the Bible, the crow is sent by Noah to search earth after the flood. But the crow didn't come back to tell Noah that the flood was finished. So he is considered selfish. Saint Golowin thought that in Paradise, the crows had multicolored wings. But after Adam and Eve were driven away from the Paradise, the crows started to eat carrion. So they became black-feathered. At the end of time, the crows will find their beauty again and sing harmoniously to praise God. In the Mahâbhârat, Jamdev ie Azrael, the messengers of death are compared to crows. In Laos, the water soiled by crows can't be used for ritual purification.

For Tlingit Indians, the crow is the main divine character. He organizes the world, gives civilization and culture, creates and frees the sun... For Haïda Indians, the crow will steal the sun from the sky's God, to give it to the earth's people. Raven has also a magic canoe: he can make it change its size, from the pine needle size, to big enough to contain the whole universe. In North America, it is the personification of the Supreme Being. When it flaps its wings it creates the wind, the thunder and the lightning.

Scandinavians legends show two crows, perched on Odin's seat: Hugi, the Spirit, and Munnin, the Memory. They symbolize the principle of creation. In the same way, these birds are the companions of Wotan -"the God with the crows".

The crow is sacred for the Celts. It was associated to the creation of Lugdunum (Lyon), city of the God Lug. Lug is the great solar god. He has the form of a crow and is assimilated to Apollo.

The raven, is in the family Corvidae (crows), probably from where crows generated. In the Bible, the Jews are forbidden to eat "every raven after his kind," as they are detestable (Leviticus 11:15;  Deut. 14:14). although no further indication is given as to why the Raven is considered detestable (likely due to eating carrion).

Elijah
God sent ravens to feed Elijah, when he was in the wilderness: "The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening." -[1 Kings 17:6].
Noah had "sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth." -[Genesis 8:7].

Saint Vincent defended crows against the attack of carnivores; the crow is also seen at Saint Benoît's feet and in Saint Oswald's hands. Here, it symbolizes divine providence. It is also linked to Saints Boniface and Meinrad: their two tame crows allowed to find their corpses.

The crow has also a role in the Asiatic Mythology. In China and in Japan, he shows love and filial gratitude. According to chinese legends, ten red crows with three paws flew away from the East Blackberry Tree to bring light to the world. But they brought an unbearable heat to the Earth. Yi, the Good Archer killed nine of them, and saved the world. The last crow is now in the Sun. So the crow is a solar symbol. It represents the creative principle. In Japan, crows are also divine messengers, and in China they are the fairy queen Hsi-Wang-Mu's messengers. They also bring her food and are a good omen.

The major meaning of this black bird is to be a guide and the Gods' messenger. In Black Africa, the crow warns men that dangers are menacing them. The crow is their guide and a protector spirit. For Mayas, he is the messenger of the God of lightning and thunder.

In Celtic civilization, it has prophetic functions. Bodb, Goddess of the war, takes the form of a raven to observe the battlefields. The crows' fly and cawings told the future. The crow was also linked to Bran, God of the sailors as- "The sailors had crows on their boats. They released them at sea. They flied in the direction of the earth".

In Greece the crow foretold the future. Thus a crow stood near the Pythia of Delphes during her prediction. It is generally said in Greece that the white crow guides messengers. This function of messenger of the gods (especially Apollo's), may have its origin in a Greek legend. Coronis was unfaithful to Apollo, and a crow informed him. Apollo even took a form of crow to guide Santorin's people to Cyrena. It is also said that, two crows showed Alexander the Great the road to Amon's sanctuary.

Hugi and Munnin (Thought and Memory), are Odin's companions. In scandinavian mythology, they travel as a crow all over the world and come back to tell Odin all the events that happens on earth.

In Mithra's cult, the Crow can fight evil spells. Sol (the Sun God) entrust the crow with telling Mithra to sacrifice the bull.

According to Job [38:40-41], God feeds the ravens and their young, a belief also shared by Hindus. Echoing this sentiment, Psalm [147:9] says that God gives the young ravens food when they call.
Luke [12:24] and Psalm [137] offer a common adage, consider the ravens: "They do not sow or reap, they have no store room or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!"
Song of Solomon describes the man’s hair as “black as a raven” -[SOS-  5:11]
Psalm [30:17] says that “the eye that mocks the father will be pecked out by the ravens in the valley”. This passage has later been translated or adapted to include vultures and hawks to appeal to the current day man’s association with carrion.

In talking about the desert and its distinct desolation, as Isaiah [34:11] describes the ‘owl and raven’ as nesting there, attempting to portray a place where there was once life and now where there is only death. This passage has later been translated to include cormorants, storks, pelicans, somehow hedgehogs, and porcupines, but the raven part has stayed consistent.

The first bird Noah sent out from the ark was a white raven (Gen. 8:7), which kept flying back and forth until the water dried up from the earth. Today this has evolved into a dove with an olive branch.

In medieval times, crows were thought to live abnormally long lives. They were also thought to be monogamous throughout their long lives. They were thought to predict the future, to predict rain and reveal ambushes. Crows were also thought to lead flocks of storks while they crossed the sea to Asia.

Crows have been shown to have the ability to visually recognize individual humans and to transmit information about "bad" humans by squawking. An ancient Greek and Roman adage, told by Erasmus runs, "The swans will sing when the jackdaws are silent," meaning that educated or wise people will speak after the foolish become quiet. The Roman poet Ovid saw the crow as a harbinger of rain (Amores 2,6, 34). Pliny noted how the Thessalians, Illyrians, and Lemnians cherished jackdaws for destroying grasshoppers' eggs. The Veneti are fabled to have bribed the jackdaws to spare their crops.

Ancient Greek authors tell how a jackdaw (a passerine bird in the crow family), being a social creature, may be caught with a dish of oil into which it falls while looking at its own reflection. In Greek legend, princess Arne was bribed with gold by King Minos of Crete and was punished for her avarice by being transformed into an equally avaricious jackdaw, which still seeks shiny things.

In Australian Aboriginal mythology, crow is a trickster, culture hero, and ancestral being. Legends relating to crow have been observed in various Aboriginal language groups and cultures across Australia; these commonly include stories relating to crow's role in the theft of fire, the origin of death, and the killing of eagle's son.

Crows are mentioned often in Buddhism, especially Tibetan disciplines. The Dharmapala Mahakala is represented by a crow in one of his physical/earthly forms. In the Chaldean myth, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim releases a dove and raven to find land; however, the dove merely circles and returns. Only then does Utnapishtim send forth the raven, which does not return, and Utnapishtim concludes the raven has found land.

In Chinese mythology, the world originally had 10 suns either spiritually embodied as 10 crows and/or carried by 10 crows; when all 10 decided to rise at once, the effect was devastating to crops, so the gods sent their greatest archer Houyi, who shot down nine crows and spared only one. In Denmark, the night raven is considered an exorcised spirit. A hole in its left wing denotes where the stake used to exorcise it was driven into the earth. He who looks through the hole will become a night raven himself.

Kali on Crow
In Hinduism, crows are thought of as carriers of information that give omens to people regarding their situations. For example, when a crow crows in front of a person's house, the resident is expected to have special visitors that day. Also, in Hindu literature, crows have great memories which they use to give information. Symbolism is associated with the crow in the Hindu faith.

On a positive note, crows are often associated with worship of ancestors because they are believed to be embodying the souls of the recently deceased. However, many negative associations with crows are seen in Hinduism. Crows are believed to be connected with both the gods and goddesses, particularly the unfavorable or harmful ones such as ’Saturn’. They are often seen as dark and dangerous. Crows are also seen as being signs of bad luck or evil in some practices. Crows are also considered ancestors in Hinduism and during ’sradha' that is a ceremony after ones death, the practice of offering food  that called 'Pindi' to crows is still in vogue.Crows are associated with Dhumavati, the form of mother goddess that invokes quarrel and fear.

In Islam, according to a narration in the Hadith, the crow is one of the five animals for which no blame is placed on the one who kills them. The Surat al-Ma'ida describes the story of how the crow teaches son of Adam to cover dead body of his brother "Then Allah sent a crow digging up the earth so that he might show him how he should cover the dead body of his brother. He said: Woe me! do I lack the strength that I should be like this crow and cover the dead body of my brother? So he became of those who regret.".[Qur'an 5:31]

In Sweden, ravens are held to be the ghosts of murdered men. Norse mythology also includes Huginn and Muninn, bringing information to the god Odin. In Welsh mythology, the god Brân the blessed – whose name means "crow" or "raven" — is associated with corps and death; tradition holds that Bran's severed head is buried under the Tower of London, facing France —a possible genesis for the practice of keeping ravens in the tower, said to protect the fortunes of Britain. 

In Cornish folklore, crows -magpies particularly -are associated with death and the "other world", and proscribes respectful greeting. The origin of "counting crows" as augury is British; however, the British version rather is to "count magpies" -their black and white pied coloring alluding to the realms of the living and dead.

In Aesop's Fables, the jackdaw embodies stupidity in one tale (by starving while waiting for figs on a fig tree to ripen), vanity in another (the jackdaw sought to become king of the birds with borrowed feathers, but was shamed when they fell off),and cunning in yet another (the crow comes up to a pitcher and knows that his beak is too short to reach the water, and if he tips it over, all the water will fall out, so the crow places pebbles in the pitcher so the water rises and he can reach it to relieve his thirst).

jackal flatters the crow
A very early Indian version exists in the Buddhist scriptures as the Jambu-Khadak-Jatak. In this book a jackal flatters the crow’s voice as it is feeding in a rose-apple tree. The crow replies that it requires nobility to discover the same in others and shakes down some fruit for the jackal to eat as a reward.

“A crow sat on a tree,
Holding a cheese in his beak.
A fox was attracted by the odour,
And tried to attract him thus.

‘O crow, good day to you.
You are a handsome and good looking bird!
In truth, if your song is as beautiful as your plumage,
You are the Phoenix of this forest.’

Hearing these words the crow felt great joy,
And to demonstrate his beautiful voice,
He opened his mouth wide and let drop his prey.
The fox seized it and said: "My dear,
Know that every flatterer,
Lives at the expense of those who take him seriously:
This is a lesson that is worth a cheese no doubt
The crow, embarrassed and confused,
Swore, though somewhat later, 
that he would never be tricked thus again.”

“Flatterers thrive on fools’ credulity.
The lesson’s worth a cheese, don’t you agree?”
The crow, shamefaced and flustered swore,
Too late, however: “Nevermore!”

In recent years, crow populations have expanded into urban and suburban areas.  Noticing this, Emperor Akbar asked Mulla Nasiruddin to count the crows in his town. But Mulla immediately answered that they were 9,999 in numbers. But if counted more, to be consider, some come to visit their relatives here and if counted less, to be consider, some went to visit their relatives.

Crows are omnivorous and eat whatever is available—insects, spiders, snails, fish, snakes, eggs, nestling birds, cultivated fruits, nuts, and vegetables. They also scavenge dead animals and garbage. Their tameness becomes notable as they seek the plentiful food sources found anywhere. Sometimes, they drop hard-shelled nuts onto a street, and then wait for passing automobiles to crack them. Similarly, along the coast they drop mussels and other shellfish on rocks to crack the shells and expose the flesh.

Outside of the breeding season, crows travel as far as 40 miles each day from evening roost sites to daytime feeding areas. They usually post “sentries,” who alert the feeding birds of danger. They  built nests 15-60 feet above ground in tall coniferous or deciduous trees. Nests are 1½ to 2 feet in diameter, and solidly built in the crotch of a limb or near the tree trunk. Nests are constructed from branches and twigs, and are lined with bark, plant fibers, mosses, hair, twine, cloth, and other soft material. Hawks and owls inhabit old crow nests; raccoon's and tree squirrels use them as summer napping platforms.

Both sexes build the nest during a period of 8-14 days—beginning as early as mid-March and as late as mid-July—depending on latitude and elevation. The female incubates four to five eggs for 18 days, at times being fed by her mate or sometimes by offspring from the previous year.

The chicks grow quickly and are out of the nest at around four weeks after hatching, although they continue being fed by the adults for about another 30 days. Frequently, one or more young crows remain with the parents through the next nesting season, or several nesting seasons, to help care for nestlings. This cooperative behavior during breeding includes bringing food to the nest and guarding the nestlings.

In spring and summer, crows are usually seen in family groups of two to eight birds. During late summer, fall, and winter, crows gather from many miles to form communal night roosts. Adult crows have few predators—eagles, hawks, owls, and human hunters—with humans being their main predator.

Much of the time, crows are seen in small, noisy, family bands, spending the majority of their time in fairly restricted areas. For about a month during the nest building, egg laying, and incubation periods, breeding adult crows become uncharacteristically secretive and quiet. After the eggs have hatched, the parents become noisy defenders of their nest and later the young are heard wailing at their parents for food with an insistent, nasal caw.

In late summer through winter, crows are seen in large, raucous flocks that roam widely. In agricultural areas hundreds of crows may gather to forage in fields, while in cities, landfills and garbage dumpsters are crow favorites.

Interesting visual displays include male and female crows bobbing their heads up and down, and accentuating this by bowing. The wings and tail may also spread slightly and the body feathers may be fluffed. The bobbing display is usually performed in the presence of another crow in spring, and is possibly associated with courtship. Males may also engage in diving flight displays, chasing females.

Crows mob owls, hawks, and eagles throughout the year and are in turn mobbed by smaller birds. The loud, excited calls of crows are very characteristic and may lead you to sighting a local bird of prey.

Crows return to the same nest territory year after year, often a few weeks before they start building. If a small group of crows remains in a particular area day after day, this may signal that nest building is about to begin.

Communal roosting helps crows exchange information and find mates. Some birds, because of their age or familiarity with the surrounding landscape, are more efficient at finding food. Less experienced members of a roost can follow other birds to known feeding sites. Communal roosting also helps crows remain safe and warm. Crows occupying the center of the roost are less exposed to predators and weather than those on the edges or those roosting alone.

Crows are believed to return to the same roost each night, and their behavior is often predictable. Each morning the roost breaks up into smaller flocks that disperse across the landscape to feed. In mid-afternoon, these smaller flocks start back toward the communal roost. They fly along the same flight lines each day and are joined by other flocks as they go. Often there are pre-roosting sites, where flight lines coincide and crows stop to feed before flying the final distance to the roost. Communication between groups of crows often takes place at these pre-roosting sites.

Crows spend a lot of time on the ground and tracks can be seen in mud. Despite the fact that “crow footed” is a term used to describe people who walk with their toes pointed inward, crows usually leave relatively parallel tracks.

However, because crows are intelligent, opportunistic, and protective of their young, and at times congregate in large numbers, they can create problems for people. Crows are early risers and will visit unattended garbage at first light or shortly thereafter.

In the spring and summer crows and other birds establish territories, build nests, and rear young. During this period, adult birds may engage in belligerent behavior, such as attacking creatures many times their size. In this case, the birds are simply trying to protect their homes, their mates, or their young.

When possible, stay away from nesting areas with aggressive birds until the young are flying (3-4 weeks after eggs hatch) and the parents are no longer so protective. Do not attempt to “rescue” chicks found outside nests when adult birds are calling loudly nearby—see “Baby Birds Out of the Nest” for information. If you must walk past a nest, wave your arms slowly overhead to keep the birds at a distance. Other protective actions include wearing a hat or helmet, or carrying an umbrella.

Old adage "to eat crow," meaning to do something distasteful, which suggests that crows taste bad. The etymology of a saying like "To eat crow" is often hard to trace. "If you’re feeling defeated, you simply must eat crow--a bird that is as tasty as it is melodious. It's one of our domestic dishes from a recipe allegedly discovered during the War of 1812. A Brit had caught an American shooting a crow on the wrong side of the border. He talked the Yank into handing over his gun, then used it to force the fellow to take a big bite out of the crow and swallow it. Needless to say, once the American had his gun back, he forced the Brit to eat the rest of the bird."


It is the general belief among Hindu, that crow represent the father-side. People who died will take food and offerings through a variety of crows called "Bali kak". Every year people whose parents or relatives have died will offer food to crows as well as cows on the "sradha"- [a ceremony of the dead] day. Perhaps since they represent father-side, they never become close to people. They keep distance. It is very difficult to catch crow as a bird, put in cage and bring it up like parrots. During sradha, people ensure the crow to come and eat the Pindi, and somehow for the reasons unknown, crows are also ready by the time Pindi is to be offered.

Once sage Agastya was coming through South. He did not want to get separated from his wife Lopa Samudraa, so he changed her into water, and poured her into his Kamandal and carried her with him. Lopa Samudraa liked being water so much that she always desired to become a river. Once it was time for Rishi's Sandhyaa, so he kept his Kamandal on a small rock, went to a small nearby water pond and started performing Sandhyaa. Ganesh took the form of a crow and came near the Kamandal. He tilted it a little bit and water in it started flowing as a river. This is the origin of he River Kaaveree. Sage also thought that "Let her desire get filled up if it is so".

Shaneeshwar holds a crow in his hand. It is said to ward of evils if any occur during Sanir Dasha, or Kandak Shani or Ashtam Shani. Astrology recommends to feed crows at that time. Otherwise also, whether ’Sanir Dasha’ is there or not, it is always good to feed crows. During the phase of the saturn you will be more prompted to do so. It is good to give them water to drink. Since now-a-days because of new buildings architecture people cannot keep water outside, they really become thirsty with out getting water. So on can keep some water on one's terrace in a flat pot with out fail, especially in summer. They will come and drink water from there.

A story of a crow comes in Tulasee's Raamaayan. When Raam was passing his time in exile, once He made some flower ornaments and put on Seetaa's body and then lay down keeping his head in Seetaa's lap. By chance Indra's son Jayant was looking all this. He got attracted to Seetaa, as he could not do anything else to her, he assumed the form of a crow, bit her foot with his beak and flew away. Seetaa's foot started bleeding. As Raam knew that a crow had bit Seetaa's foot, He took a broomstick type of thin stick, read a mantra over it and released it at the crow. The arrow started following him. Jayant got afraid of that arrow so he started flying far and far from that arrow. However far he went the arrow followed him.

First Jayant went to his father Indra to ask for refuge, but Indra plainly refused him saying that he could not keep him saving from Raam's arrow. And not only he nobody, even Brahmaa or Shiv could give him shelter. If he has committed a crime towards Raam, only Raam can forgive him. In spite of this warning Jayant wet to Brahmaa and Shiv but nobody could give him shelter and said the same thing as his father had said to him. After roaming in Tri-Lok he had to come back to Ram and asked his forgiveness. Raam forgave him but he told that although he had committed the crime to be beheaded but since he was sparing him, he still must get some punishment. So he pieced his left eye with his arrow. Since that day all crows can see only with one eye.

This story from Tulasee's Maanas. Kaagbhushundi was a crow. He was fortunate enough to play with infant Raam and got the boon of being real immortal and telling Raam Kathaa to all birds. When Garud got deluded when he helped Raam and Lakshman to cut their নাগ-পাশ and free them, that what kind of Bhagavaan they were if they could not free from নাগ-পাশ themselves. He went to Shiv and thinking that Garud was a bird so only Kaagbhushndi could remove his delusion, he directed him to Kaagbhushundi. He went there, listened to Raam's Kathaa and got Gyaan.

The first mention of crow is that Ganesh assumed the form of a crow. When Shiv was marrying Paarvatee, all Devee-Devtaa, Rishi, Gandharv etc came to Kailaash Parvat to witness it. This gathering was so huge that the northern part of the land started dipping, so Shiv sent Agastya Muni to south to stabilize the earth, and told him that he would be able to see all the ceremonies from there only.

In those days, in south, there was a Demon named Shoorpadm who had terrorized all Devtaa. Varun could not rain so all areas were without rains and dry. Even Indra's garden was also dry and without flowers, so Indra's worship was also interrupted. Naarad told Indra that there was Kaaveree river in Agastya Muni's Kamandal." But Indra did not know how to take out Kaaveree's water out of his Kamandal and get that water for his garden, so he prayed Ganesh. Ganesh assumed the form of a crow, flew to Agastya Muni, sat on his Kamandal and toppled it. The water started flowing from Muni's Kamandal. Muni raised his hand to shoo the crow, but the River Kaaveree thought that the Muni was asking her to flow in that direction, so she started flowing in that direction.

After that the crow changed his form to a small boy, so muni hit him on his head. The boy changed his form again and came into his real form of Ganesh. Now Agastya knew that he was Ganesh. He started beating his head with his own hands in repentance, but Ganesh stopped him doing so. In fact once Kaaveree was disrespectful to Agastya, that is why he had trapped her in his Kamandal.

After obtaining boons from Brahmma, when Raavan went for the world victory tour, he went to Ubeershee country to win Raajaa Marut. At that time he was doing a Yagya. All gods were present there. As soon they saw Raavan, they got afraid and they assumed Tiryak Yoni form to disguise themselves from him. Indra changed himself to peacock, Azrael changed himself to crow, Kuber changed himself to chameleon and Varun changed himself to swan. When Raavan went away, they all granted boons to these animals and birds. 

Crows are not evil, and they are not purposely trying to torment you. They are just being crows, trying to live their lives and feed their families. 

The End.
Not Yet Revised

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