… There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. My Lord is on a Straight Path. (Surat Hud, 56)
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Animals get prepared for the coming seasons; this state takes place independent from unexpected seasonal developments such as snow in November or sunshine in March. How do these unconscious living beings accomplish this perfect order?
This mechanism must work so delicately that even in cases of seasonal changes, it must not give different reactions. Besides, this mechanism has to enable animals’ body to anticipate the changes in the outside world and prepare biologically for them rather than adapting to them when they come into existence. For example before winter comes they grow a thick coat in preparation for winter.
The only element that always remains constant in a specific time of a year is day light. Animals use day and night length to understand in which period of the year they are in. An internal clock calculates the time of the light and the darkness. This is a perfect clock that counts minutes and even seconds and thus is crucial for the survival of animals. It is surely impossible for living beings to make these critical arrangements in their bodies. Allah grants all these features to them.
The key that ensures the tuning of seasonal changes according to daylight and darkness cycles is hormone secretion. The key chemical signal that transmits seasonal behaviours and physiological changes to the brain is thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
The mechanism, linking the daily ‘circadian clock’ to the yearly seasonal clock, triggers the production of high levels of TSH in the spring and a decline in the autumn. Also melatonin, which is another hormone, generates a system that measures night length. Long duration melatonin signals promote a winter physiology and short duration signals promote a summer physiology. The effects of photoperiod/melatonin on diverse aspects of seasonal physiology are believed to be mediated by melatonin receptors expressed in a range of different neural, pituitary, and possibly peripheral target cells. Seasonal changes in day length are used by animals to synchronize major life-history events such as migration, molting, and reproduction.
Surely all these structures and functions are only causes our Lord creates in this world. Allah continuously creates flawlessness and glory, regulates an order for it and creates causes in compliance with the trial in this world. No doubt Allah is able to create also without causes. Every detail including the causes is a manifestation of Allah’s glorious creation. This is the flawless and unique creation of Allah.
In the Qur’an our Lord reveals:
Have they not seen how We created for them, by Our own handiwork, livestock which are under their control? (Surat al-Yasin 71)
And there is certainly a lesson for you in your livestock…. (Surat Al-Muminun 21)
…He created everything and determined it most exactly. (Surat Al-Furqan 2)
