Why Sheep?

What about sheep — how come specifically sheep? How come it didn't say they were shepherds of camels, shepherds of cows? How come specifically sheep? We might say that in the case of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) being brought up in Arabia, it wasn't their custom to raise cows, but they did raise camels, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was never in his life a shepherd of camels. Other prophets who lived in other areas — how come it was specifically sheep? Well, sheep are very weak animals. They are weaker than cows, and much weaker than camels — therefore they need more protection, they need more care, and because of this weakness they could easily fall prey.

And when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wanted to warn us from Shayṭān, what did he say? He brought in his experience, and he said, "Stick with the jamāʿah." Be with the group, be close to the group of the Muslims, because the wolf eats from the stray sheep. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) learned as a shepherd that if one sheep goes astray, that will be the target of the wolf — the wolf will not hit the flock, the wolf will hit the one that is alone. And we are weak, as these sheep, when it comes to Shayṭān — Shayṭān can tempt us and attack us.