Author: Dr. Noor Mohammad Mohibi
The Quran: A Miracle Beyond Time- A Study of Its Miraculous Nature (part 91)
Divine Miracle in the Astonishing World of Fish
The Sea: An Open Book of Miracles
The seas are among the greatest divine signs across the vast expanse of creation—living, complex, and orderly worlds in which millions of species exist within a precise and purposeful system. Scientific study of fish not only acquaints humanity with biological wonders, but also unveils manifestations of divine power, knowledge, and guidance. The Noble Qur’an repeatedly calls humanity to reflect upon the signs within the horizons and within themselves, presenting the sea and its creatures as clear indications of divine lordship.
The Whale: The Grandeur of Creation on a Cosmic Scale
Among the most remarkable signs of divine greatness in the oceans are whales—especially the blue whale, the largest living creature ever known. According to some scientific estimates, the population of blue whales exceeds 150,000 worldwide. Each blue whale weighs approximately 130 tons and may reach up to 35 meters in length.
If the total weight of these whales were calculated and divided among the world’s six billion people, each person’s share would exceed four kilograms—an illustrative figure mentioned merely to help comprehend the magnitude of this extraordinary creature.
Astonishing Growth and Biological Adaptation
The blue whale is a mammal and gives live birth. At the beginning of gestation, its embryo measures only about one centimeter in length; yet at birth, it reaches approximately seven meters and weighs nearly two tons.
This whale can remain underwater for more than thirty minutes without breathing, whereas a human being can barely endure three minutes. The secret lies in its oxygen storage system: oxygen is stored in muscles, blood, and tissues, while only about ten percent remains in the lungs.
Global Migration and Thermal Regulation
The blue whale migrates from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from icy waters to equatorial regions. A thick layer of blubber beneath its skin—sometimes reaching one meter in thickness—protects it from extreme cold, while in warmer waters, this layer becomes thinner. This precise regulation is a clear example of purposeful adaptation in creation.
Nutrition and Divine Subjugation
A blue whale may consume up to four tons of food in a single feeding. Despite its immense size, the same biological systems found within it also exist—on a smaller scale—in tiny fish. This astonishing harmony exemplifies the noble verse: «وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِي ٱلأَرضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنهُ» Translation: “He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, all from Him.” [1]
Fins and the System of Guidance and Balance in Fish
Fins: Instruments of Motion and Stability
Fish use their fins for movement, stopping, changing direction, ascending, descending, and maintaining balance. Every forward motion, reduction in speed, turn, or vertical movement is carried out through precise coordination of the fins.
The Pressure-Sensing System
Allah has placed within the body of fish an astonishing mechanism for measuring depth. The lateral line, extending from the gills to the tail, functions as a pressure-sensitive system. Through changes in water pressure, fish determine their depth—without instruments, compasses, or calculations.
Buoyancy Regulation
Fish can ascend or descend by producing or releasing air into their swim bladder. This gas is generated through metabolic processes related to consumed food. Such a refined system reflects divine guidance embedded within creation.
The Salmon: A Miracle of Guidance in Migration
Return to the Birthplace—An Unresolved Scientific Mystery
The salmon is among the most astonishing examples of divine guidance. Born at the source of rivers, it migrates to the Atlantic Ocean—sometimes reaching the coasts of France—and later returns thousands of kilometers back to precisely the same river and even the exact birthplace.
Even a one-degree deviation would redirect its path to another continent. This precise return—without map, compass, or technology—astonishes the human intellect. The Qur’an expresses the answer to such marvels: «قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِيٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ» Translation: “Our Lord is He who gave everything its creation, then guided it.” [2]
The Jellyfish: A Soldier Among the Hosts of Allah
Structure and Biological Weaponry
There are over one thousand species of jellyfish. Their bodies consist of up to 98 percent water. They lack a brain, eyes, and ears, yet are equipped with venomous tentacles that can extend up to eighty centimeters. With the slightest contact, millions of toxic threads are released, paralyzing or destroying their prey.
Mysterious Mass Swarms
Large-scale invasions of jellyfish along European coastlines have perplexed scientists, who find no clear biological explanation for such migrations. Believers, however, view such phenomena within the framework of divine decree: «ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِي ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي ٱلنَّاسِ Translation: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have earned.” [3]
The Cleaner Fish: Ethics, Healing, and Social Order
In the depths of the sea lives a small fish whose role is to treat the skin diseases of larger fish. Large fish do not harm it; rather, they line up for treatment. With its precise mouth, it removes parasites and infections—food for itself and healing for others.
This remarkable coexistence reflects an unwritten yet universal law—one no human intellect established: «هَٰذَا خَلْقُ ٱللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ» Translation: This is the creation of Allah; show me what those besides Him have created.”
Rapid Healing of Wounds: The Divine Pharmacy in the Sea
Certain fish wounds heal in remarkably short periods. Research indicates that some fish secrete substances containing clotting agents, muscle-contracting elements, and adhesive compounds. These operate in coordination.
When tested on human wounds, these substances reduced healing time from ten days to three—without side effects. Such harmony signals divine wisdom and knowledge.
Electric Fish and Eels: Energy in Service of Survival
Biological Electricity
Some fish can generate electrical currents exceeding 600 volts—lethal to humans. This electricity is produced by specialized chemical cells arranged in series and discharged simultaneously upon neural command.
The Amazon Electric Eel
The electric eel, reaching up to two meters in length, can produce about 500 volts and control the intensity—whether as warning, detection, or fatal attack. Such precise control of energy humbles the intellect.
Conclusion: The Silent Glorification of the Sea
All these manifestations—from the mighty whale to the jellyfish, from the migrating salmon to the healer fish—sing one unified hymn: the glorification of the Creator: «وَإِن مِّن شَيْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِۦ وَلَٰكِن لَّا تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ» Translation: “There is nothing except that it glorifies Him with praise, but you do not understand their glorification.” [5]
This is a call to awaken the intellect, revive the heart, and return to knowledge of the Lord. For miracle is not only in breaking natural laws, but in the order, guidance, and wisdom flowing through every particle of creation.
The Qur’an declares: «تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ نَتْلُوهَا عَلَيْكَ بِٱلْحَقِّ» Translation: “These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you in truth.” [6]
«إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَآيَٰتٍ لِّأُوْلِي ٱلْأَلْبَابِ» Translation “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are signs for people of understanding.” [7]
“فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَهُ آيَةٌ تَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ وَاحِدٌ Translation: everything there is a sign that points to His Oneness.” [8]
Continues…
Previous Part
References:
[1] Al-Jāthiyah 45:13.
[2] Ṭā Hā 20:50.
[3] Ar-Rūm 30:41.
[4] Luqmān 31:11.
[5] Al-Isrāʾ 17:44.
[6] Al-Baqarah 2:252.
[7] Āl ʿImrān 3:190.
[8] Summary adapted from Mawsūʿat al-Iʿjāz al-ʿIlmī fī al-Qurʾān wa al-Sunnah, vol. 2, pp. 175–184.
