The verses,

We subdued the hills to hymn the praises (of their Lord) with him at nightfall and after sunrise. (38:18); and, O you mountains! Echo His psalms of praise! and you birds! And We made the iron supple for him. (34:10); and, We have been taught the language of birds. (27:16)

which are about David’s miracles, point out that Almighty God gave to the glorifications of David, upon him be peace, such a strength and a tone so resonant and pleasing that they brought the mountains to ecstasy, which, each like a huge gramophone or a man, formed a circle against the horizon around the chief reciter-David-and repeated the glorifications. Is this possible and a reality?

Yes, it is reality. Every mountain with caves can speak to man in human language like a parrot. For if you declare before a mountain, ‘All praise be to God,’ the mountain will echo it back. Since God Almighty has granted this ability to mountains, for sure it can be developed.

Since God endowed the Prophet David, upon him be peace, with both Messengership and Caliphate on the earth in exceptional form, He made this seed of ability flourish as a miracle in due measure with that comprehensive Messengership and magnificent sovereignty such that great mountains followed him, in the manner of soldiers, or students, or disciples, and under his direction and in his tongue, they declared the glorifications of the All-Majestic Creator. Whatever David, upon him be peace, uttered, they repeated. At present, due to the means of communication being multiplied and developed, a great commander can get a large army dispersed through the mountains to repeat his declaration of ‘God is the greatest!’ all together at the same time, and make the mountains speak and ring with the words. Now if an ordinary commander can make the mountains ring with the words of those present in them, for sure, a magnificent commander of Almighty God can get them actually to utter and recite God’s glorifications. Besides this, as I explained earlier in this book, each mountain has a collective personality and corporate identity, and offers glorifications and worship particular to itself. This means that just as every mountain recites glorifications in the tongue of men by way of echoing, so too it glorifies the All-Majestic Creator in its own particular tongue.

The sentences,

We have been taught the tongues of birds, (27:16) and, The birds assembled, (38:19)

point out that Almighty God bestowed on David and Solomon, upon them be peace, knowledge of the languages of the bird species, and of the tongues of their abilities, that is, of what they would be useful for. Since this is a reality, since the face of the earth is a laden table of the Most Merciful One, which He has set up in honor of man, most of the other animals and birds, which benefit from that table, may have been subjugated to man to serve him. God has put to work some of the smallest animals like the honeybee and silkworm, and employs them through the guidance of His special inspiration in a way that greatly benefits man. Also, by enabling man to use pigeons in various tasks and make certain birds like parrots speak, He has added to the beauties of human civilization. Similarly, if the ways of making use of other birds and animals are discovered, among them are many species which may be employed for important tasks just as domestic animals are employed.

For example, if the languages of starlings are known, which destroy locusts without eating them, and their movements can be arranged and regulated, they can be employed against plagues of locusts; what a valuable service they would render free of charge! Thus, the verses mentioned show the ultimate point in subjugating birds and benefiting from them, and in making lifeless beings speak like a telephone or a gramophone, and, by specifying the farthest aim in this field, the verses urge man toward it.

By the same verses, God Almighty indicates:

O men! In order that his infallibility as a Prophet and his justice as a sovereign might not be damaged even to the slightest degree, I subjugated to one of your fellow men, who was totally submitted to Me, the huge creatures in My Kingdom and made them speak, and I put most of My troops and animals in his service. Likewise, since I have entrusted to each of you the Supreme Trust2 from the bearing of which the heavens, earth, and mountains held back, and endowed you with the potential to become My vicegerent-one who will rule on the earth according to My commands-you should yield to the One in Whose hand are the reins of all creatures, so that the creatures in His Kingdom may yield also to you, and you may use them in the Name of the One Who holds their reins, and rise to a position worthy of your potential.

Since this is the reality, then rather than playing on the gramophone or record-players and other musical apparatus, harmful and obscene pieces, playing with pigeons, and being occupied with useless things like wasting time in making parrots speak, try for a most agreeable, elevated and sacred sort of amusement, that the mountains may function as huge gramophones for you as for David, and at the touching of the breeze the tunes of Divine praises and glorifications may reach your ears from the trees and plants, and the mountains may manifest themselves as wonderful creatures that recite Divine glorifications in thousands of tongues, and most birds may turn to be each an intimate friend or an obedient servant, like Solomon’s hoopoe. They may both entertain you and drive you with zeal towards the perfections and attainments of which you are capable, and not cause you to fall from the position required by your humanity, as vain amusements do.