Page 115 - Miracles Within the Molecule
P. 115

Cellulose is the main build ing mate ri al in a plant's cell
             walls. As a result of the tight ly packed cel lu lose groups
             hold ing their cells rigid, plants with stand even the har -
             shest con di tions.


                  Termites also use cel lu lose for food stuff, because in their diges tive
             tracts  a  micro or gan ism  called  tri cho nym pha secretes an enzyme that
             breaks down cel lu lose. That is why ter mites gen er al ly pre fer woody
             struc tures and use them as food stuffs while bur row ing into them.  52
                  No doubt that it would not be dif fi cult for the tiny ter mite to find
             appro pri ate food. The rea son it pre fers a food stuff incom pat i ble with its
             metab o lism is most impor tant evi dence for those eager to see the mir a -
             cles cre at ed by Allah. This insect, less than 1 cen ti me ter (0.04 of an inch)
             long, needs a micro or gan ism in order to secure nour ish ment, which
             micro or gan ism assumes its place in the ter mite's intes tines as if
             instruct ed to do so. These micro or gan isms are ready to ensure diges tion
             in all ter mites, and all ter mites make use of cel lu lose. As in all things,
             the law of Allah oper ates in the ter mite's obtain ing its daily food. In this
             minute crea ture, Allah shows a flaw less mir a cle of cre a tion as a deter -
             rent and a les son. As He has revealed this in the Qur'an:

                  How many crea tures do not carry their pro vi sion with them! Allah
                  pro vides for them and He will for you. He is the All-Hearing, the
                  All-Knowing. (Surat al-‘Ankabut: 60)

                  These mutu al ly depend ent sys tems in liv ing things did not come
             into exis tence by chance. If a sin gle ran dom event were to take place,
             the entire order would become disorderly and the sys tem will become





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