Reality of dinosaurs
Question:-
Did dinosaurs ever exist? A number of children believe in the reality of dinosaurs. This information is documented in books, found on You-Tube videos and dinosaur-related toys are available on the market. Similarly, these matters are discussed when attending school and Madrassah. Being children, they are naturally inquisitive and have questions that require answers. How do we respond to them as parents?
Answer:-
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “From the beauty of a person’s Islam is that he refrains or leaves out those things that do not concern him.” Whether Muslims believe in dinosaurs or not, is a futile query bearing no consequence whatsoever. We have not been informed of any such creature in the Quraan and Hadith, thus we cannot confirm its existence nor deny its existence. Believing or rejecting dinosaurs in no way affects our Imaan and Deen.
However, scientists claim that it is incorrect to believe that all dinosaurs have died and become extinct, as birds are considered as modern dinosaurs. Refer to the webpage www.newdinosaurs.com. If the dinosaur refers to a huge bird that existed in the past (based on the information on the website), then it is not farfetched, as the people of the previous nations were also much taller, stronger, and even enjoyed a lengthier lifespan in comparison to this Ummat. The Kitaab, ‘Jazaaul Aamaal’ states that so large was a pomegranate (in the past) that an entire group of people were able to consume from a single pomegranate, and a grain of wheat was the size of a large date pit. In conclusion, it is possible that it refers to a huge bird.
However, due to not having sufficient information on the issue, it is difficult to comment. We may inform our children that we are not aware of the reality of the matter, thus this matter is known to Allah alone. However, we should ensure that we don’t purchase any dinosaur-related books or toys for our children. Similarly, we should prevent our children from watching all forms of You-Tube videos, particularly when they comprise of animate objects which includes videos on dinosaurs.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 05 Jumadal Ula 1444 / 28 November 2022