وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ ...

Of all the creatures in the world, man has been given special superiority. When the moon and the stars have not been endowed with consciousness, why has man been given consciousness and will power? Man exploits everything on this earth—trees, mineral ores, animals—but has the power to prevent any other creature from exploiting him. The animals have to rely upon their teeth, horns and hooves to do things with, but man makes tools and machines to achieve his ends. The only possible thing for a river to do is flow downwards, following the slope of the land over which it passes, while man can climb to any height, having the power to travel up or down, in any direction he wishes. Man has been provided for on a large scale in this world. The tree leaves convert solar energy into chemical energy in order to prepare food for man. Cows eat grass in order that they may return it in the form of milk. The honeybee is engaged in hectic activities day in and day out, sucking the nectar of the flowers from all around it to transform it into precious honey for man, etc. All these gifts of God to man demand that he should become His grateful servant. But he shows little if any gratitude to his Maker.

— Source: Tazkirul Quran (Maulana Wahiduddin Khan) via Quran.com (17:70)