الملخص
Hayat al-Hayawan al-Kubra is a comprehensive zoological encyclopedia written in Arabic by the 14th-century Egyptian scholar Kamal al-Din al-Damiri. The manuscript organizes detailed descriptions of animals, drawing from Islamic traditions, hadiths, and pre-Islamic folklore.
It covers their physical characteristics, behaviors, and symbolic meanings, often linking them to religious, moral, and ethical teachings.
The text includes narratives, proverbs, and poetic elements, blending scientific observation with spiritual and philosophical insights.
Each entry explores an animal's significance in Islamic culture, its mention in the Quran or hadiths, and its practical or medicinal uses, reflecting a holistic view of the natural world through a religious lens.