Page 864 - Atlas of Creation Volume 1

Whales

Mammals regularly need to breathe and for this reason water is not a
very convenient environment for them. In a whale, which is a sea mam-
mal, however, this problem is handled with a breathing system far more
efficient than that of many land-dwelling animals. Whales breathe out

one at a time discharging 90% of the air they use. Thus, they need to
breathe only at very long intervals. At the same time, they have a
highly concentrated substance called "myoglobin" that helps them

store oxygen in their muscles. With the help of these systems, finback
whale, for instance, can dive as deep as 500 meters and swim for 40
minutes without breathing at all. 181 The nostrils of the whale, on the
other hand, are placed on its back unlike land-dwelling mammals so that it
can easily breathe.

The Design in The Gnat

We always think of the gnat as a flying animal. In fact, the gnat spends its developmental stages under
water and gets out from under water through an exceptional "design" being provided with all the organs it
needs.
The gnat starts to fly with special sensing systems at its disposal to detect the place of its prey. With these

systems, it resembles a war plane loaded with detectors of heat, gas, dampness and odour. It even has an abil-
ity to "see in conformity with the temperature" that helps it find its prey even in pitch dark.
The "blood-sucking" technique of the gnat comes with an incredibly complex system. With its six-bladed
cutting system, it cuts the skin like a saw. While the cutting process goes on, a secretion secreted on the wound

benumbs the tissues and the person does not even realise that his blood is being sucked. This secretion, at the
same time, prevents the clotting of the blood and secures the continuance of the sucking process.
With even one of these elements missing, the gnat will not be able to feed on blood and carry on its gener-
ation. With its exceptional design, even this tiny creature is an evident sign of Creation on its own. In the

Qur'an, the gnat is accentuated as an example displaying the existence of God to the men of understanding:
Surely God disdains not to set forth any parable - [that of] a [female] gnat or any thing above that; then as for
those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve, they say:
What is it that God means by this parable: He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He
does not cause to err by it [any] except the transgressors, (Surat al-Baqara: 26)

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