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Worker ants concentrate on enlarging the nest, digging new chambers underground, making
repairs where needed. They also keep the colony clean, removing dirt and debris and the dead
from the pathways.
Soldiers are equipped with larger heads, a hard armor like covering and larger and
stronger jaws. They will attack insects, both for protection and for food. They will gather food
and can carry up to 50 times their weight.
There are ants, which steal eggs from other ant colonies and raise them as slaves. There are army
ants, which are constantly moving and hunting down insects. There are ants, which keep herds of
aphids and actually milk them, enjoying the substance the aphids produce from flowers. There are
ants, which work in teams to sew leaves together to use in building their nests. And there are
"parasol" ants which carry large leaf segments over their heads like umbrellas back to the nest,,
where they partially chew them, then use them as mulch to grow mushrooms-their food of choice.
All the societies of ants are perfectly coordinated and organized as in human societies. That
should be enough for us to gain respect for them.
Most species of ants live in highly organized colonies with a queen, a few males for mating and
many female workers. There is a specific division of labor among the ants. The ant is born into
the job it will perform for life.
The nurses are meticulous in caring for the young; they constantly clean them, move
them for providing them with the right amount of moisture, warmth, etc.
Worker ants concentrate on the architecture of the nest; they enlarge it, dig new
chambers, and make repairs. They also keep the colony clean by removing dirt, debris, and the
dead.
The soldiers are bigger and wear something that looks like armor. They will attack
insects, both for protection and for food.
The gatherers get the food.
More interesting, there are ants, which steal eggs from other ant colonies and raise them
as slaves. There are army ants occupied in warfare, constantly moving and hunting down insects.
There are ants, which keep herds of aphids in order to milk them, enjoying the nectar they
produce. There are ants, which work in teams to sew leaves together as construction matters.
Finally, there are "parasol" ants, which carry large leaf segments over their heads like umbrellas.
Back to the nest, they compost those leaves and use them as mulch to grow mushrooms for their
subsistence.
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CAMELS:
Of course Islam makes mentions of one of the most amazing animals on earth, the camel, as proof
of Allah’s wisdom:
Do they not look at the Camels,
how they are made?-
[Surah Al-Ghâshiyah (The Overwhelming): 88:17]
2000-2001
Camels are a gift from Allah for desert people all over the world, from Asia to Africa.
They are perfectly constituted, and they are of service for men. Our beloved prophet (peace be
upon him) was in shock by the way the Meccans sometimes treated their camels. Apparently,
pre-Islamic people used to cut the hump of camels during their pilgrimage. The hump was
appreciated for its fat. Afterwards, they let the wound heal while the animal was still alive and
suffered a lot. They were ungrateful to what the services camels rendered them!
For surely the camel is a beautiful creation!
A camel's feet have large pads that keep him from sinking in the desert sand. His thick lashes
keep out sand from his eyes and there's a transparent eyelid that can close in heavy storms. His
nostrils can close against blowing sand. Thick hair prevent ear infections.
A camel's hump is a source of energy when food is scarce. The lining of the mouth is very tough
so that the camel can bite and chew anything, even thorny cactus plants without harm to the
mouth. Furthermore, it has a low metabolic rate, so that energy is used slowly. Its body
temperature can reach high to cope with the heat of the desert, and the camel is one of the few
animals that can sweat as a cooling system.
The camel will only drink when needed; it only replaces what is lost.
Therefore, camels fit perfectly their niche which is the desert sand and rock.
Without the camels, nomads would die and deserts would be uninhabited by men. Are men
grateful for that? Do men fit their ‘niche’ so well?
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