FEMALE SPIDER: THE BIGGEST TRAPPER
41-The likeness of those who choose other friends than God is as the likeness of the female spider. She arranges a home for herself. But the flimsiest of all homes is the home of the female spider. If they only knew. .
29-The Female Spider, 41
While the masculine form of the word “spider” in the Arabic language is “ankeb” the female spider is “ankebut” and it is mentioned in the above verse. This difference of gender is often disregarded by interpreters of the Quran. Research carried out on these creatures by entomologists revealed interesting facts. These studies show the reason why the house that the female spider builds is unreliable.
Among the majority of living beings the males are more robust and stronger. Female spiders make an exception. For instance, in the genus called Latrodectus Mactons, the length of the female reaches up to four-fold of the male. Living beings in general build their home for protection against cold and hot weather as well as potential enemy, while the spider builds it with the intention to destroy and eat up the stray animal entrapped in its web. Therefore the most unsafe place is the spider’s web. Her own male being no exception to the rule. If the male that had had sexual relations with her contrives to run away, so much the better, if not it is also among her preys.
EVEN THE SUFFIX FOR FEMININE GENDER IS A MIRACLE
As one can see, the mere suffix indicating the sex of the spider is a marvel. In a verse the Quran had referred to the expansion of space, in another to the well protected roof, still in another to the submarine waves and to the detailed anatomy of mosquitoes, bees and spiders.
A man at the time of the Prophet could not possibly know anything about the expansion of the universe, the waves under the sea, and the doings of the male and female spiders. What is still not possible is the simultaneous display of all these marvels in different fields. For a believer, it is not so difficult to conceive the fact that these had been revealed 1400 years ago by the One that had caused the Quran to descend and the space to expand and that had made the sea and created nature with her spiders and bees, etc. All these phenomena corroborate that that the agent that had caused the descent of the Quran had created also the universe.
1-The revelation of the Book is from God, the Almighty, the Wise.
39- The Throngs, 1
1-Alif Lam Ra. This is a Book which We have sent down to you, in order to lead the people out of darkness into the light,- by the will of their Lord,- to the path of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
14-Abraham, 1
WARNING AGAINST FALSE FRIENDS
Persons who take refuge in friends rather than in God are bound to perish in the end. The female spider kills anyone that approaches including its male. Friends who are likened to female spiders do not flinch from destroying them.
The silk thread produced by the spider who uses it in the construction of its house is a marvel. These silk threads are nowadays imitated to be used in the manufacture of bullet proof jackets. This material is more resistant and solid than steel. The spider uses it in more than one end. It is established that it may use it as a parachute and travel in the air to a distance longer than 350 km. There are those- the dinopsis that use it as a net to catch its prey and others to catch fish emerging to the surface of waters - the dolmads. Entomologists who conducted research on spiders have revealed things hard to believe.
What is of special interest is the fact that the house of the female spider made of an extremely solid material is an unreliable house: a specimen of contradiction. A man’s seeking sanctuary in things other than his Creator is also a contradiction. Everything depends on God. Those who seek friends other than God may perish like victims of a spider. Here is another verse that warns us against friends but God.
3-Follow what has been revealed to you by your Lord, and do not follow any other friends besides It. Yet little do you care to remember.
7-The Purgatory, 3
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ANIMALS
16-And the Solomon was David’s heir. He said: “O my people! We have been taught the speech of birds …”
27-The Ant, 16
In the above verse, it is said that the Prophet Solomon was taught the speech of birds in addition to the endowments that God’s grace had adorned him with. The Quran refers to the communication between birds and to the fact that the twittering and singing or the body language of birds have particular meanings. Birds like human beings do communicate. This undeniable communication is certainly not as developed as it is in man.
Researches conducted by zoologists had established that sounds emitted by animals were meaningful and not haphazard. Birds, ants, dolphins, etc. had a system of communication.
MEANINGS IN SOUNDS EMITTED BY BIRDS
As the Quran speaks of the language of birds, let us take a look at researches conducted on birds. Brazilian and American ornithologists have studied the hummingbird (one of the tiniest birds in the world) and published their findings in the British journal Nature. The author of the article Maria Luisa Da Silva says that the vocabulary of the hummingbird is not innate but developed afterward. In other words the hummingbird learns to speak as human beings.
Studies on crows have demonstrated that they emitted a variety of sounds, namely, to call the colony of crows to come together; to express alarm, to communicate a state of distress they emitted different sounds. Ornithologists, who have recorded these sounds using a sonograph, are still engaged in deciphering the meanings behind them. Bernd Heinrich, among these scientists,who speaks of the difficulty in decoding the sonograms, associates this research work with the work of the inhabitants of other planets visiting our earth and trying to decipher the eating, playing, making love and the activities like catching fish using a sonograph. What we are trying to do is to imagine ourselves in their place. Bernd Heinrich speaks of the difficulty encountered in deciphering the language of animals as different species have different ways of communication, each calling for a different approach. There is a body language that expresses the changes in your body position and movements that show what you are feeling or thinking. Nodding means “Yes”, hailing is a sign of calling to someone in order to greet him or try to attract his attention. Although the sounds emitted by birds are a means of communication, they also have in general a body language. Their body language is easier to decipher. For instance a bird that emits a sound by touching its beak with his tongue means “I am a friend, I have no intention to harm you”. At the same time, he wants to say that it is protecting its location and feels that it is under threat. Theresa Jordan gives a whole list of signs demonstrating thereby that even the body language necessitates a glossary.
The physiology of birds is as interesting as their language, the long distances they cover without swerving from their destination are things to marvel at. Ornithologists studying the birds will see revealed God’s perfect artistry.
38-All the creatures on earth, and all the birds that fly with wings are communities like you. We did not leave anything out of this book. Then they will all be gathered before their Lord.
6-The Cattle,38
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ANTS
18-When they came to a valley of ants. One of the female ants said: “O you ants, get into your habitations...”
27-The Ants, 18
The 16th verse of the Surah Al Nahl (The Ants) informed us of the language of birds. In the continuation of the same Sura, it seems that Solomon had also been taught the language of ants and in the verse 18 the communication between ants is represented by an example. Researches on ants have in fact demonstrated that the ants had a very complicated social organization that enabled them to communicate with each other.
In their tiny heads, the ants have some 500 000 nerve cells. They are equipped with extremely sensitive antennae, bodies that secrete many chemical substances of which they benefit for realizing their communication. The pheromone secreted by their endocrine glands is one such substance. They use this secretion to communicate with one another. Ants perform certain things much more orderly than human beings, this secretion enables them to gather, to share things, to defend and feed themselves. Different species of ants have different endocrine glands. For instance, the alarm and attack commands are given by the dufour glands while the sternal glands are used during exodus in colonies and in chasing their prey. Every ant uses these secretions as human beings use their language.
Apart from the liquids of glands the ants communicate also by sounds. For instance the striking of the ground with their bodies is used in colonies whose nests are in the bark of trees. Carpenter ants beat drums to this end. The members of the colony communicate with each other and direct themselves to their destination without any misunderstanding. Giving alarm, eating, cleaning, gathering together and exchanging food and recognition are the main headings of communication. The Quran draws attention to ants’ giving alarm, which is one of the main points that research work has established.
FEMALE ANTS
In the verse the ant is question is female. Just like in the case of mosquitoes, bees and spiders, this use of feminine gender is significant. Colonies of ants show similarity with the swarm of bees. The only function of male ants is to have sexual relations when they are mature. Male ants die soon after they copulate. All the work is performed by barren female ants in colonies. Like in the case of the beehive, the colony is a world where reign the mother and sisters.
If we consider that it was the female ants that kept watch or collected food had announced of the advancing army of Solomon. If we remember, that in the colony, the privileged and the elite member of the caste, i.e. the queen made this announcement.
It is estimated that there are 10 million ants per man. Magnitude and the vastness of numerical concepts are no problem for God. This shows again God’s power of creation. There are ants that eat leaves cutting them with the mastery of a tailor, there are harvesters ants that live in the desert etc. All these are proof of the great wisdom and artistry of God.
11-Such is the creation of God,show me now what those beside Him have created. Indeed, the trangressors are far astray.
31-Luqmaan, 11
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DOLPHINS AND OTHER ANIMALS
In the Quran special consideration is given to the communication between birds and ants. This fact may lead the inquirers to study other animals also, among others elephants’ communication with one another from long distances.
Dolphins’ communication also has been among the points of interest among researchers. Because of their intelligence and ability, to communicate with one another through a range of distinct sounds, dolphins have become the object of serious scientific and experimental studies. Whistling, screeching and clicking enable them to establish communication between them. They send sound waves with a kind of sonar. This system enables them to recognize objects in dark waters and measure distances. Their sound frequencies range between 0.25kHz and 200kHz. The higher frequencies are used to spot location and the lower ones are used for communication and orientation. Microphones have been immersed in the sea to constitute obstacles for them to detect the communication signs of dolphins. The result was that they talked to each other although different sounds emitted have so far not been deciphered. (See the experiments conducted by Dr Dreher, Dr Evans and Dr. John C. Lilly).
In all the specimens of creation the perfection and impeccability of God’s work have been manifest. The eyes that can perceive and the hearts ready to receive what is manifest witness to this.
46- Have they not roamed the earth so that their hearts may thus understand and their ears may thus hear. Indeed, blindness is not the blindness of the eyes, but the blindness of the hearts inside their breasts.
22-The Pilrgimage, 46
