The hoopoe

Allah - the Most High - did not create anything in vain, and He is All-Wise, Glory be to Him, as He places the right thing in the right place at the right time. Is there a significance to the use of the hoopoe in the army of Solomon, peace be upon him, and what does the Lord of the Worlds want from this sign?

The Holy Quran

God Almighty said

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيۡرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِيَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَآئِبِينَ (20) لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًا أَوۡ لَأَاْذۡبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوۡ لَيَأۡتِيَنِّي بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ (21) فَمَكَثَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٖ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ بِنَبَإٖ يَقِينٍ (22) إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ ٱمۡرَأَةٗ تَمۡلِكُهُمۡ وَأُوتِيَتۡ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَلَهَا عَرۡشٌ عَظِيمٞ (23) وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوۡمَهَا يَسۡجُدُونَ لِلشَّمۡسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَصَدَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمۡ لَا يَهۡتَدُونَ (24) أَلَّاۤ يَسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡخَبۡءَ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تُخۡفُونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ (25) ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ۩ (26) ۞قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ (27)

And he inspected the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absent ones?" (20) I will surely punish him with a severe punishment, or I will slaughter him, or he must bring me clear authority. (21) So he stayed not long, and he said, “I have encompassed that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Sheba with certain big news.” (22) Indeed, I found a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. (23) I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of God, and Satan had made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from the way, so they were not guided. (24) Do they not prostrate to God, He who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare. (25)

We benefit from the verses, The following: 

1- And he inspected the birds: Who? Our master Solomon, peace be upon him, and was he the commander of the highest forces in the army, or the king? If it was this or that, then it is amazing that he inspected the conditions of the army himself, not only that but he inspected the birds in the army, that is, the smallest element in his army, as his army included humans, jinn, animals and birds, wasn’t that right?

2 - He said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe?" 

Question here is: Did the hoopoe have a specific place to stand in the army's military parade? Or was it just an observational force from Solomon - peace be upon him -?

3 - Or was he among the absentees?

 This is an absence without permission from a young soldier among the soldiers, and he is not accepted in the army of Solomon, peace be upon him - an indication of the extent of discipline in attendance and absence.

4 - I will surely punish him with a severe punishment, or I will slaughter him, or he must bring me clear authority

Who will pluck out all his feathers to suffer, or will he be severely tortured, or will he be killed altogether: all because of an absence without permission? Strange, or will he come with a medical certificate or a certificate of where he was, when, and with whom? This is seriously beyond seriousness, he really is an army.

4 - So he stayed not long, and he said, "I have encompassed that which you have not encompassed.

 That is, the hoopoe. Staying: remaining and residing for a period of time that is neither short nor long. Look. So he said, "I have encompassed that which you have not encompassed." Who is speaking to whom?

The smallest soldier addresses the king or the supreme commander of the forces in this manner (I have encompassed what you have not encompassed) What is this and Solomon - peace be upon him - He does not scold him or tell him why you are speaking in this inappropriate manner or refer him to a military disciplinary board or anything else. Rather, he gives him space to speak. Of course, Suleiman is a supreme commander.

And I have come to you from Sheba with certain big news. That is, the hoopoe traveled to another country and another kingdom, to the Kingdom of Sheba, and he did not just migrate without a reason, but rather he returned with confirmed news threatening the origin of Solomon’s kingdom, which was based on the monotheism of God - the Almighty -

Indeed, I found a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. (23)

It was a surprise to the hoopoe that a woman ruled a kingdom. He did not talk about the kingdom, but rather talked about the queen. She has been given everything, and she has a great throne: indicating that her kingdom is rich.

I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of God. In a little while, in modern science

you will learn why the hoopoe spoke about the sun and the extent of his connection to it. His second shock was in the Kingdom of Sheba, that they worshipped the sun instead of God.

And Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from the path, so they are not guided. (24)

And Satan made their deeds seem good to them: indicating that ugly, sinful, or bad deeds have an ugly appearance, even in front of people, and Satan beautifies these actions so that the perpetrators do not see this ugliness and thus increase their sin.

Then He averted them from the way, so they are not guided. 

Then the hoopoe wonders that they do not prostrate to God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare. (25) God - there is no god except Him, Lord of the Mighty Throne.

As s if he wanted to say that the thrones of kings are one thing and the throne of the King of Kings is another thing. Then Solomon responded with the response of kings.

(26) ۞He said, “We will see whether you have told the truth or whether you are among the liars.” (27)

Because he did not disbelieve the hoopoe and did believe him, but rather he told him that he would verify this news. This also indicates the high level of intelligence knowledge that Solomon’s army - peace be upon him - had at this time in history.

The modern Science

Recent studies have shown that the hoopoe is more efficient than pigeons in the uses of transportation and communication, as it flies faster and does not need a group to fly, and its self-defense is more efficient and it can withstand hunger and thirst more, in addition to its famous intelligence and cunning.

Unique Behaviors of Hoopoes

Sunbathing: One of their most charming habits is sunbathing, where they spread their wings and tail to soak up the sun’s warmth.

Protective measures: When young hoopoes are threatened, they produce a foul-smelling fluid to deter predators. This unusual defense mechanism is effective in warding off potential threats. Communication between hoopoes is complex and varied, involving visual and auditory signals.

The implication

1 - Does Allah Almighty want to teach Islamic armies to use animals like the West, and are Arab Islamic armies completely far from this matter?

2- It is the cosmic system created by one God, the All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, who places each of its elements in its proper place, even insects have a great role in the ecosystem, Please maintain the ecological balance so that we are not among those about whom God Almighty says (And do not cause corruption on the earth after its reformation). Our excessive use of pesticides, deodorants, perfumes, and floor cleaning tools with strong odors reduces the biodiversity of insects and animals and disrupts the hormones of children who reach puberty.

The animals which used in the warfare in the West