Farhan and the Horse

Farhan's sister wanted to learn horse riding. At the weekend the whole family went to a riding school. While his sister, his mother and his father were talking to the riding teacher, Farhan went to look at a horse which was eating grass.

"Hello!" said Farhan: "That grass you are eating looks very dirty and dusty. Doesn't it hurt your teeth?"

The horse looked up and whinnied happily. "No, my little friend. Our teeth help to break it down. Allah created very long teeth for us. These teeth have deep roots going right down into our jawbones. The root part of our teeth is much deeper than yours. When our teeth wear down the part inside the bone comes out. Every tooth can lose 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) without us losing the ability to eat."

Farhan considered a moment, "So as a result of that characteristic given to you by Allah, you're saved from losing your teeth in a short time and going hungry."

"You're dead right," agreed the horse. "Allah created every living thing according to the surroundings in which it lives. This is one of the proofs of His supreme creation. Every living thing on the face of the earth is in need of Him."

Farhan thought of the films he had seen about horses, "If I get on your back, you can carry me for miles, can't you?"

"Yes. No other animal has been as much help to human beings as we have. Nowadays, of course, there are streets and roads and moving vehicles on them. The truth is though that it is only in the past century that cars and other forms of transport have begun to serve people. When your great great grandfather was born, people didn't know there would be any such thing as a car. In those days, carrying people was the job of animals, especially we horses."

Farhan had a closer look at his new friend: "With those long legs, I'm not surprised you can travel long distances. Can you run fast as well?"

The horse gently raised a front leg: "Allah created my legs not just so that I could carry heavy loads but also so that I could run fast at the same time. We don't have collarbones like other animals. This means we can take longer strides."

Farhan thought it over, "So, Allah created you to carry heavy loads easily and to be able to run fast."

"Yes, Farhan," agreed his new friend. "Allah created us with these characteristics so we could be of use to people."

Farhan grinned back, "I'm sure what I have learned from you will be much more interesting for my sister than learning to ride, when I tell her about it!"

"Bye bye, little friend," said the horse through a mouthful of delicious hay.

The Special Care Taken By Mother Pandas

Mother pandas look after their babies very well. Baby pandas need special protection because when they are born they cannot fend for themselves. If an enemy attacks a baby panda its mother will bite it with her powerful jaws and try to protect the baby that way. However, when mother pandas hold their babies in their mouths they can be extremely gentle. It is Allah Who teaches pandas how they need to behave, Who created them and Who knows best what they need.