Luminescent Underwater Creatures

Many underwater creatures, like the ones shown in the pictures, possess systems as fireflies do for producing light. They generally use their light to stupefy or frighten their enemies. Almost all of them have series of cells along their backs like the seams of a fabric and these cells can produce light. Now let's have a look at the general characteristics of these creatures.

One of these species is an animal that looks like a jellyfish. They generally feed on small marine animals and plants that are invisible to the naked eye. Some seize their prey by use of their sticky tentacles, which move in water like a fishing line. Members of another species have such large mouths that they can open them wide and swallow many creatures. They have series of thin hairs on their bodies, which they use to propel themselves forward in the water.

Luminescent creatures have some other extraordinary traits. For example, some red species shine when they are struck, and can leave glitteringly illuminated particles in the water. This is a way to confuse, and thus to escape from, their enemies.

Creatures like starfish, sea urchins and feather stars are “spiny”: Many of these creatures are covered with spines, which are used as a means of defense. They live on seashores, in coral reefs and on the seabed. These creatures also produce their own light to protect themselves against their enemies. Having luminous arms or spines, they can also produce clouds of light in the water when they are attacked.

The most interesting feature of luminescent marine creatures is probably the fact that they use their light to mislead others. A starfish species is a good example of this. This starfish species lives about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) deep in the sea. It emits bright green-blue light from the tip of its arms. This gleaming warning notifies its enemies that it is not tasty. Another starfish species starts flashing when it is attacked and detaches and throws one of its arms towards the enemy to divert it. The attention of its enemy is distracted by the torn arm, which still emits white light. In the meantime the starfish finds the time to flee.

As we have seen in the few examples given above, the mechanisms in living creatures that enable them to produce light demonstrate to us the perfect creation of Allah. What have been mentioned here are creatures that live underwater, the dominant component of whose bodies is usually water – as in our own bodies – and that cannot possibly have intelligence like that of human beings. Yet each possesses such wonderful features that it astonishes us to know about them. This reveals that Allah originates things matchlessly. These examples are in order to make us comprehend that there is no other god besides Allah, the Creator of everything. One who understands this will comprehend Allah's infinite might and will strive only to earn Allah's good pleasure.

Remember that Allah informs us in the Qur’an that those who dare to associate other gods with Allah will be forsaken: