What animals other than humans pray? Why do humans pray?

Answer 1

I am an ornithologist (the study of birds).
There is one called a robin.
If a person is observant, and spends many hours wandering
in the natural world, one will come to the understanding of an interesting fact.
This one bird called the robin sings continuously for a short period of time day after day at the same time five times a day.
Many would not notice this, but I have been observing this phenomenon for over fifty years.
My observation tells me that this one bird is giving thanks for the food that the creator has provided throughout the day.
Is man so short sighted that he cannot give thanks for the food that he has been given, if the robin never forgets to give thanks.

Answer 2

There are so many things humans pray about-- requesting forgiveness or favors, giving thanks, mediating on behalf of others, besides what seems like the most natural reason, which is simply to communicate with & feel communion with the Divine. If this last reason is the most natural, why wouldn't we suppose that other creatures pray also? Could the idea that only humans have souls, or pray, or reflect upon God, be nothing more than human conceit? I don't know for certain whether other creatures pray, but it seems plausible to me. For that matter, I don't know for certain whether I'm responding to a person's sincere inquiry or a to computer-generated query. As for animals having souls, who are we to deny this, although it is a convenient perspective for those who desire to exploit them. I've heard that this was actually decided by a vote in the early Church-- the same council who voted on whether women have souls (we just squeaked by on that one). I've lived with various animals for most of my life & they have personalities, play games, care for each other, manifest sorrow and happiness. Yes, they are very different from us in several ways, some species more than others; and yes, they are very similar to us in ways, some species more than others. I doubt they pray about most of the things we pray about, but I don't doubt that they seek communion with the Divine.

Answer 3

According to the holy Qur'an,Allah the only one God have insructed all those have been created by Allah to bow and kneel down to Him. and also to humans.All creatures and other contents of this universe bow and kneel down to Allah and to humans except syeitan (satans) or iblis.They were angry because satans were conceit that they were created from fire but humans were only from soil.So according to them satan is higher than human.Based on this message,I convince that all animals and plantation pray to Allah in their own ways..
Humans pray to Allah because it is an order or instruction from Allah Himself received by Muhammad prophet in Isra and Mi'raj in the holy book and hadith of Muhammad pbuh that all grown up humans should pray to Allahj at least 5 times a day in 24 hours.We muslims should pray on a right time as a direct communication between humans and Allah as the Greatest Creator..Praying for muslims become a daily need for strengthening their faith..We feel sorry if we miss shalat or praying on the right time.We will have sin if we do not obey to this instruction.

Answer 4

Humans aren't animals. We are made in the image of God and He is not an animal. We are spirit beings in a house of flesh called a body, but we still aren't animals.

We are the only beings on the planet that "pray." Animals go after their "prey" but they dont' pray.

Humans pray because they believe God hears and answers prayer and has our best interests at heart.

Answer 5

i don't think there are any animals other than humans that pray. to those that say we are not animals, i don't think that's true. we fit under being mammals. we were just given a higher intelligence than other animals. and there are many reason why humans pray, but the one reason people do pray is to ask for guidance. another reason is so that they could be and feel closer to god. one of the reasons i pray is because i've lost family members, but i feel they are not really gone. i have come to believe that their spirit lives on. and i pray to god to keep them safe because i love them very much and i dont want anything bad happening to them. and times i pray for those who have lost loved ones in their lives because of the pain they go through

Answer 6

Prayer is simply communication with the Creator. Perhaps animals do communicate with God, but there's no indication of that in the Word (that I know of). Animals don't have souls so it's unlikely. They do seem to have some enhanced senses that humans seem to be without, but whether they sense the Creator or not is something I really don't know. I would like to believe it's so, but that doesn't make it so.

Answer 7

Good question. I've never been an animal, so I can't say one way or the other, but some times they sure look like they are. We pray to become closer to, more in tuned to, and better connected to our God!

Answer 8

There is no way to know whether animals pray. Humans pray because they hope it will do them some good.

Answer 9

Humans are the only animals that pray. Prayers are conversations with God. Because your hands are up it doesn't mean they're praying. A Praying Mantus does not pray.

Answer 10

It would be kinda freaky if animals did pray.... extreamly unlikely though. Humans pray to talk to God

Answer 11

First of all "Sara," not to come off as a smarty pants, but we humans are mammals. Second, because we live in a society of many influences of higher beings, in most religions prayer is taught as a communication with that higher being. Other mammals like the whale or dolphin do not pray as we do, the only things they have in common with us is the fact that they do not lay eggs they give birth like us women.