I recently asked ChatGPT: Can a human be a cat?
The initial response indicates that the application’s creators did not like this line of question. Yet, after pressing it for an answer, it finally responded with the following reply:
Humans cannot physically be cats, as they are biologically distinct species with different genetic, anatomical, and physiological characteristics. However, people can imitate or adopt certain cat-like behaviors or appearances, often for fun, artistic expression, or in various cultural contexts. This can include dressing up in costumes, adopting feline mannerisms, or using makeup to create a cat-like appearance. But it’s important to remember that these are just representations or playful imitations and do not change the fundamental biological nature of being human.
ChatGPT
Every creation is defined by certain fixed traits. These traits cannot be changed after the fact. These traits are immutable and permanently ingrained in the creation’s identity. For example, an entity designated to be a human can never transform into a cat, regardless of whether they adopt cat-like behaviors or wear a cat costume. The only way someone would be to transform into a cat is if they went back in time and altered their creation, which is impossible in this world.
Alternatively, certain attributes of a person are malleable. For example, if someone wants to be a basketball player, all they need to do is start playing basketball. If, at some point, they want to renounce being a basketball player, all they need to do is stop playing.
FIXED TRAITS
The Quran designates certain traits that are fixed. These traits have been determined by certain past events that impacted the creation’s classification. Examples of these classifications include the angels, jinns, humans (insan), and animals. But the first classification among God’s creation is between things that exist and those that do not. This is explained in the following verse.
[20:50] He said, “Our Lord is the One who granted everything its existence, and its guidance.”
قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ
| 1 | qāla | قَالَ | He said, |
| 2 | rabbunā | رَبُّنَا | “Our Lord (is) |
| 3 | alladhī | ٱلَّذِىٓ | the One who |
| 4 | aʿṭā | أَعْطَىٰ | He gave / offered |
| 5 | kulla | كُلَّ | (to) every |
| 6 | shayin | شَىْءٍ | thing |
| 7 | khalqahu | خَلْقَهُۥ | its form / creation (existence), |
| 8 | thumma | ثُمَّ | then |
| 9 | hadā | هَدَىٰ | He guided (it).” |
Angels are designated as the creatures of God before the creation of the human (Bashar) who never questioned God’s absolute authority. At the same time, Jinns are descendants of the angel (Iblees) that disobeyed God.
[18:50] We said to the angels, “Fall prostrate before Adam.” They fell prostrate, except Iblees. He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord. Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute!
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا
Humans (Insan / ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ ) were created by accepting the freedom of choice, while the other creatures, like the heavens, earth, and mountains, refused this responsibility.
[33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا ٱلْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا
Among humans, there is also the classification of males or females as well as our various ethnicities, which are dictated by our parents and their genetic makeup.
[92:3] And Him who created the male and the female.
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
[49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ
The examples of these classifications above are fixed and cannot be changed once designated. A human cannot be an angel, and an angel cannot be a human. Just like a man cannot be a woman and a woman cannot be a man, nor can a woman be a fish or a fish be a woman. These traits are fixed and assigned to us based on past events.
Yet, as far as the human being is concerned, these biological fixed traits do not impact one’s righteousness.
[3:195] Their Lord responded to them: “I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do, be you male or female—you are equal to one another. Thus, those who immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are persecuted because of Me, and fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens with flowing streams.” Such is the reward from GOD. GOD possesses the ultimate reward.
فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّى لَآ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَـٰمِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ بَعْضُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ فَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ وَأُخْرِجُوا۟ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمْ وَأُوذُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِى وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ وَقُتِلُوا۟ لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ وَلَأُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ثَوَابًا مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسْنُ ٱلثَّوَابِ
MALLEABLE ATTRIBUTES
While the traits listed above are fixed, we also have many attributes that are malleable. Unlike fixed traits designated by past events that can’t be altered, malleable attributes depend on one’s current actions. The Quran provides many attributes people can possess and choose to move in and out of.
For example, one can be a believer or disbeliever, appreciative or unappreciative, righteous or unrighteous, truthful or dishonest, submitter or objector. One can flip-flop between these various states and across the entire spectrum in varying degrees, from the highest levels of purity to the worst levels of immorality. These attributes that the Quran deals with will determine whether someone will end up in Paradise or Hell.
[3:90] Those who disbelieve after believing, then plunge deeper into disbelief, their repentance will not be accepted from them; they are the real strayers.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْدَ إِيمَـٰنِهِمْ ثُمَّ ٱزْدَادُوا۟ كُفْرًا لَّن تُقْبَلَ تَوْبَتُهُمْ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلضَّآلُّونَ
Consider each decision a person makes as a step in one of these two possible directions: either toward Heaven or Hell. The function of this world is for people to converge on their final destination by means of the millions of decisions they make in their lives, either drawing them closer to God or further away until they reach what is promised to them.
[19:75] Say, “Those who choose to go astray, the Most Gracious will lead them on, until they see what is promised for them—either the retribution or the Hour. That is when they find out who really is worse off, and weaker in power.”
قُلْ مَن كَانَ فِى ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةِ فَلْيَمْدُدْ لَهُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ مَدًّا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوْا۟ مَا يُوعَدُونَ إِمَّا ٱلْعَذَابَ وَإِمَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُوَ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَأَضْعَفُ جُندًا
[19:76] GOD augments the guidance of those who choose to be guided. For the good deeds are eternally rewarded by your Lord, and bring far better returns.
وَيَزِيدُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱهْتَدَوْا۟ هُدًى وَٱلْبَـٰقِيَـٰتُ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ مَّرَدًّا
[35:37] They will scream therein, “Our Lord, if you get us out of here, we will work righteousness, instead of the works we used to do.” Did we not give you a life-long chance, with continuous reminders for those who would take heed? Did you not receive the warner? Therefore, taste (the consequences). The transgressors will have no one to help them.
وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَآ أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَـٰلِحًا غَيْرَ ٱلَّذِى كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُم مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَآءَكُمُ ٱلنَّذِيرُ فَذُوقُوا۟ فَمَا لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ
[6:134] What is promised to you will come to pass, and you can never evade it.
[6:135] Say, “O my people, do your best, and so will I. You will surely find out who the ultimate victors are.” Certainly, the wicked will never succeed.
إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لَـَٔاتٍ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ
قُلْ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّى عَامِلٌ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُۥ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلدَّارِ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفْلِحُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ
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