Nocturnal Animals In Quran

Quran 6:13
To Him belongs whatever exists in the day and night. And He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

• This verse acknowledges that some creatures rest during the night and others rest during the day. By implication, it recognizes the existence of creatures that are active at night, which was not a widely understood concept 1400 years ago. – The phrase “rests in the night” refers to animals that are active during the night and sleep during the day. Conversely, “rests in the day” refers to diurnal animals that are active during the day.

The concept of nocturnality was studied in depth in the 20th and 21st centuries, revealing the significant role it plays in the survival strategies of many species. This behavior allows animals to conserve energy, avoid the heat of the day, or reduce competition with diurnal creatures.

Reference: Nocturnality

People in the Prophet’s ﷺ time could see that some animals moved at night (like owls, wolves, bats, insects). So the basic observation was not hidden.

But here’s the difference that makes the Qur’an’s wording special:

1. They only saw behavior – not the system
2. People noticed “some animals move at night,” but they didn’t understand that it was a designed survival system (energy saving, avoiding predators, reducing heat, competition balance). That deeper scientific explanation came much later.
3. They thought night = rest
4. For humans, night was universally seen as a time of sleep and stillness. The Qur’an breaks that human-centered assumption by saying: life exists both “in the day and the night.” It shifts focus from just humans to the entire ecosystem, which was unusual thinking at that time.
5. Hidden balance
6. The verse subtly reflects the ecological balance between nocturnal and diurnal creatures. This is not just about “some animals wake up at night,” but that Allah created a complete system where different species occupy different cycles. That concept of balance in creation was not something people of that time articulated.

So, people knew animals moved at night. But the Qur’an’s precision goes beyond mere observation:

• It describes night and day as designed domains of life.
• It universalizes it: “to Him belongs whatever is in them.”
• It leaves room for the modern scientific understanding of nocturnality.

Additional Information

This verse emphasizes Allah’s complete ownership and knowledge of all that exists in both day and night, reminding us that nothing is hidden from Him. The alternation of day and night itself is a sign of divine balance in creation, showing that different creatures follow different cycles beyond human routines. It also humbles mankind by illustrating that Allah manages the affairs of all beings, and serves as a reminder of resurrection, just as day follows night, life will follow death.