Page 69 - Devotion Among Animals Revealing the Work of God

Selfless Devotion of Creatures Within the Family

greatest care and attention to protecting their eggs or young, are those
that reproduce in the fewest numbers. Birds, for instance, lay only a lim-
ited number of eggs each year, but guard them meticulously. Likewise,
larger mammals produce only one or two young, but take it upon them-
selves to protect and care for them for a very long time. Some fish and
insects lay thousands of eggs at any one time; and mice have several lit-

ters per year. But they do not pay the same attention to their eggs or off-
spring. Even if only a few survive, they are enough to guarantee the con-
tinuation of the species, because of the original high numbers involved.
Were they to try and show the same devotion to every single one of their
offspring, there would be a significant damage done to the world's eco-
logical balance. For example, were this the case with field mice, who re-
produce in great numbers, their population would increase to such an
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extent that they would overrun the world. Reproduction is a vital fac-
tor in the preservation of the ecological balances, but it is impossible for
animals themselves to monitor and balance this factor by conscious con-
trol.
None of these animals is a rational being. They cannot know that

they need to reproduce to begin with, nor that they should consider the
balances of the ecosystem and act accordingly. However, natural bal-
ances are indeed preserved, and each animal exactly fulfills its respon-
sibilities. This clearly shows that all living things are governed by the
same authority. Nothing in nature is unsupervised or uncontrolled; all
bow to God, their Creator, and act accordingly.
God says in the Qur'an that no creature could reproduce unless He
wills it, and that He determines death as well as life:
God knows what every female bears and every shrinking of the
womb and every swelling. Everything has its measure with Him.
(Qur'an, 13: 8)

. . . And no fruit emerges from its husk, nor does any female get
pregnant or give birth, without His knowledge. . . (Qur'an, 41: 47)

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