Brian Griffith's Blog - Posts Tagged "sufis"
The Animals' Lawsuit Against Humanity
In tenth-century Iraq, a band of Sufis wrote a morality tale called “The Animals’ Lawsuit Against Humanity.” In this fanciful but disturbingly realistic account, the animals bring their legal appeal to the King of Spirits. In graphic detail they report the abuse and even genocide they have suffered from human arrogance. The lawyers for humanity argue that mankind’s inherent superiority justifies its abuse of lower beings. The animals, however, argue passionately, with snakes, camels, etc. citing verses of scripture to justify their complaints. Although the humans attempt to bribe the judge, the animals prevail in court. The King of Spirits pronounces his verdict, predicting what will happen if humanity continues its savagery toward the beasts. For anyone interested, here it is:
"The animals will begin to disappear, one by one, forever from the face of the earth, and the air in your settlements and fortresses will become dangerous to breathe.
"Should you still not change, the sky will weaken and the earth will reveal its nakedness to the sun; the water in your streams and the rain in the sky will slowly turn undrinkable.
"Persevere in your wicked ways and still worse will happen: the seasons will be reversed and your climates turned on end; the earth will cease yielding up its goodness and the sky will cease its rain. In the middle of summer, plants will drop their leaves and unripe fruits will fall as if it were autumn.
"Nor shall this be the end. Continue, and the animals you eat—fish and fowl, beast and bug—will bring sickness and death upon you, and you will be forced to fight each other—and even to eat each other—for lack of food." War and Peace with the Beasts: A History of Our Relationships with Animals
"The animals will begin to disappear, one by one, forever from the face of the earth, and the air in your settlements and fortresses will become dangerous to breathe.
"Should you still not change, the sky will weaken and the earth will reveal its nakedness to the sun; the water in your streams and the rain in the sky will slowly turn undrinkable.
"Persevere in your wicked ways and still worse will happen: the seasons will be reversed and your climates turned on end; the earth will cease yielding up its goodness and the sky will cease its rain. In the middle of summer, plants will drop their leaves and unripe fruits will fall as if it were autumn.
"Nor shall this be the end. Continue, and the animals you eat—fish and fowl, beast and bug—will bring sickness and death upon you, and you will be forced to fight each other—and even to eat each other—for lack of food." War and Peace with the Beasts: A History of Our Relationships with Animals
