Joseph: I first noticed
him when I saw his tiny head emerging from the earth. His head
attracted my attention, as it was a bit bigger than his body. I
wondered why his head was like that and started to watch this tiny
friend of mine. The big head on his little body was helping him
serve as a guard at the entrance of the nest. Do you want to know
‘how?’ He was checking whether the ants that attempted to enter
the nest belonged to his own family or not, and did not let them
in if they were strangers.
 Doorman ants guard the nest. They do this job very
successfully. Other ants are also very hard-working. They do
all the work of the nest.
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Soon after seeing him, I met
him and asked him to tell me what was happening inside. My little
friend understood my curiosity, and started to tell me about it.
What I was wondering most was how the ants with big heads recognized
their nest-mates and let them in.
 |
...and these are my hard-working
friends. |
 |
The Ant: Joseph, let me
first tell you that we call our families a ‘colony.’ In other
words, we live in communities called colonies. An ant can easily
tell whether another ant belongs to its own colony or not. He does
it by touching the other ant’s body with his antenna, (thin little
rods coming out of the top of his head) which helps him to
distinguish strangers, thanks to the ‘colony scent’ they have. If
the ant is a stranger, then we cannot let him into our home.
Moreover, we may even have to use force to send him
away.
| Ants "talking" to one another by
touching. |
 |
| Joseph was
surprised to hear about their perfect security system and wondered
how strangers that tried to enter the nest dared to do so. When he
shared this thought with his friend, he smiled at him and said
that there were many other things that would surprise
him. |
 |
The Ant then said:
"Let me tell now you about the inside of our nest, which you were
eager to know about. Our colonies consist of the queen ant, male
ants, soldiers, and worker ants.
The queen and male
ants keep our species going. The queen is larger than all of us.
The duty of the males is to make the queen give birth to new ants.
Soldiers are responsible for protecting our colony, hunting, and
finding new places for nests. The last group consists of the
worker ants. Worker ants are all sterile female ants. That is,
they cannot give birth to new ants. They take care of the queen
and her babies, and clean and feed
them.
In addition, they also have
to do all the other jobs in the colony. They build new corridors
in the nest, search for food and clean the nest up. The worker and
soldier ants also divide into smaller groups among themselves.
Some of these are breeders, builders, and food-hunters. Each group
has a different job. While one group fights off enemies or hunts,
another group builds the nest, and yet another takes care of the
cleaning and repairs of the nest."
As Joseph’s little
friend explained all that, he listened to him with wonder, and
then asked him: "Do you never get bored, waiting at the entrance
of the nest all the time? What is your duty
in the nest?"
|
The Ant
replied: "I am also a worker, and
my duty is to serve here as a doorman. As you see, my head is big
enough to cover the entrance hole of the nest. I am pleased that I
have this ability, and I carry out my duty with great pleasure. I
never get bored; on the contrary, I am very glad that I protect
friends from threats."
|
 |
From what his little friend
told him, he could easily understand that the work of the nest was
perfectly divided up between the ants. It was obvious that the life of
ants was very well-ordered and all the ants had to be quite unselfish.
Then he wondered whether they had any fights amongst themselves
because some of them claimed that they were better or stronger than
others. His friend said that nothing like that ever happened and
added:
" We are a big family, Joseph. There is no jealousy,
competition or ambition among us. We always help each other and do
our best to serve the colony. Everything in the colony is based on
sacrifice. Each ant thinks of the good of his friends first, and
only then of himself.
Let me give you an example. When
there is a shortage of food in the colony, the worker ants
immediately change into ‘feeder’ ants, and start feeding others
with the food in their reserve stomachs. When there is enough food
in the colony, they again become worker ants.
I used to hear people
saying that there is competition among living things in nature. Never believe what they say. We know
very well that we have to cooperate to be successful. "
Joseph said that what he had told him about himself and
his colony was a very good example of this. He was very glad to
know that God had created him so unselfish, helpful and so fond of
his friends. After what he told him, he decided to be at least as
thoughtful of others as ants were, and be a good person whom God
loves.
It had got quite late and he had to get to school. He
told his friend that he had to go, but would certainly come to see
him the next day.
The next day Joseph
went back to the same place and waited for his little friend.
After a few minutes, he appeared. He told him that he had waited
impatiently all night to see him again. Then he reminded him of
his promise to tell him about the inside of the nest. So the ant
started to tell him about his home:
" Although we are tiny animals, our nest is amazingly
big, just like the headquarters of a big army. If you are a
stranger, you can never get in. Because, as you already know,
there are guards like me at the doors.
Inside, there
is extremely orderly, non-stop activity. Thousands, even
millions, of soldier and worker ants carry out their jobs in an
organized way. Our buildings are very suitable for indoor work.
There are special departments for each job, and these
departments are designed in such a way that both the soldier
ants and the worker ants like me can work in the easiest
manner.
Besides, we consider
all our needs while putting up our buildings. For instance, our
building has floors underground which only let a limited amount
of sunlight in. But there are also some departments where the
sun’s energy is needed. We build these departments on the top
floors, which receive sunlight at the widest possible angle. And
then again, there are departments that have to stay in constant
touch with each other. We build these close to one another, so
that the ants can easily reach each other. Our storehouse, where
the surplus materials are kept, is built as a separate
department at one side of the building. The larders where we
store our provisions are in places which are easy to reach. In
addition to these, there is also a big hall right at the center of the building where we gather on certain
occasions."
 |
At the side, we
see an underground city built by ants. Despite their tiny
size, they can, amazingly, build such big cities.
|
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1. Air Defence System
2. Greenhouse
3. Main entrance and side entrances
4. Ready-made chambers
5. Storage cemetery
6. Guards'
chamber
7. Outer shield
8. Nursing chamber
9.
Meat depot
10. Grain depot
11. Childcare for larvae
12. Wintering room
13. Central heating department
14. Brooding room
15. Royalty
room...
There is no doubt that ants
cannot plan and
devise all these details themselves. They
are inspired by God to do so. |
The house that ants build for themselves is almost
like a castle for them.
When
Joseph heard all that, he asked his little friend: "Do you
really do all these things? I did not know that ants could work
like skilful engineers and architects. If people are to build
such perfect buildings, they have to spend many years at school
and work very hard. Do you also receive such training?"
In
reply, the ant went on telling him more mind-boggling things
about his friends: "No, Joseph. All of us have these skills within us.
These are never taught to us, but we know exactly what to do,
and when. And that is not all. What I am going to tell you next
will surprise you even more.
As I told you before, our
building is very big compared to our size. In spite of this,
however, it is heated evenly. In our nests, there is a very
advanced central heating system. This way, the temperature stays
constant all day long. To guarantee this, we cover the outside
surface of our building with various materials that do not let
the heat in. In this way, we prevent cold air getting in during
the winter and keep hot air out in the summer. That is how we
always keep the temperature at the same level."
There was no doubt that if Joseph had not met his
little friend, he would hardly have believed that ants could do
all this. He said to the ant: "Before you told me all this, if
someone had come up and told me about the details of your nest
and asked who could build a nest like that, I would have come up
with very different answers. I would have said that such a nest
could only be built with very fine tools and hard work by highly
skilled people. If someone had told me that this building was
not constructed by educated people but by ants, to tell you the
truth, I would never have believed him."
While
his little friend, the ant was talking to him, many thoughts
crossed his mind. He thought that they were more skilful than
people, and started to see these animals differently. He
understood that ants were created by God, and that it was God’s
inspiration at them every moment that made them behave the way
they did. Otherwise, they would never be able to do all these
things successfully.
As all
this was crossing his mind, his little friend kept on speaking.
As he went on, Joseph grew even more interested, and wanted to
ask him about everything that came to his mind. He asked
the first question that occurred to him right away. He had
earlier been told that ants behaved like farmers, so he asked
him how they managed to do that. How could an ant, being so
small, farm land without any tools, something that even a man
could hardly do?
The Ant said:
" Let me
tell you one more thing about us. That way, it will be easier to
answer your question. Although we all look very much alike, we
are divided into many distinct groups according to the way we
live and look. There are around 8,800 different kinds of ants.
All the species have distinct features. The farmer ant is one of
these species. Now, I will tell you about ants that engage in
farming. They are called "attas", that is, leaf-cutting
ants.
The foremost characteristic of attas is their habit of
carrying on their heads the leaf pieces that they cut out. For
this purpose, they first smooth out their path, so that they can
easily move about on it. The road they travel to their nest
while carrying the cut leaves looks like a small highway. Ants
walk slowly along this path, collecting all the twigs, small
bits of gravel, grass and wild plants on the ground, and
removing them. Thus, they clear a path for
themselves.
Attas cut leaves skilfully and with great
care.
After
much long and hard work, the highway becomes straight and smooth
as if flattened by a special tool. Attas walk towards their nest
on this path, hiding under big pieces of leaves, which they hold
in their tightly clamped jaws. "
Joseph: Did you
say they hide under leaves? Why do attas feel the need to hide
under leaves?
The Ant: Attas have to
be careful sometimes, Joseph. For instance, medium-sized atta
workers spend almost all day away from the nest, carrying
leaves. It is difficult for them to protect themselves when they
are doing that, because they carry the leaves in their jaws,
which they normally use for self-defense.
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1. Ants chop the leaves they bring to
the nest into bits
2.They chew these bits into pulp.
3.They apply this pulp
over a base of dried leaves in new
chambers.
4.They place bits of fungus they take
from other chambers over
this pulp.
5.A busy group of ants cleans the
garden and removes all
unnecessary materials. |
Joseph: So, if they are
not able to protect themselves, who does it for
them?
| The Ant: Leaf cutter worker ants are always
accompanied by smaller workers. These workers climb on the top
of the leaves that the attas carry and keep watch. In the event
of an enemy attack, they protect their friends, despite their
small size. |
 |
Joseph: That is another
amazing example of self-sacrifice. But I want to know one more
thing. What do attas use these leaves for? Why do attas keep
carrying those leaves all day long?
The Ant: They need them
for their farming. Attas use these leaves to grow fungus. Ants
cannot eat the leaves themselves. So, worker ants make a heap of
these pieces of leaves after chewing them, and then place them
in the underground chambers in their nest. In these chambers,
they grow fungus on the leaves and obtain their food from the
shoots of the growing fungus.
You must now be wondering how
tiny ants can carry out such miraculous events all by
themselves?
| Joseph:
Yes. I am really trying to
understand how ants manage to do all that. For example, if you
asked me to grow fungus, it would not be at all easy for me to
do. At the very least, I would have to read some books or else
seek the advice of people who do know how to do it. But I know
that attas do not receive any training like this.
|
 |
Now I can
better understand what makes you and your ant friends so
talented. You are programmed to do your jobs. For example, attas
come into the world already knowing about farming. Certainly,
God, the Creator of all living things, gave attas this skill. It
is God Who created you and all your friends with all these
awesome features.
The Ant: You are right, Joseph. We know all these things
innately. Our Creator, God, gave them to us as blessings .
Joseph was late
again. He thanked him, and left for school. As he walked, the
things his ant friend had told him were still echoing in his
ears. Meanwhile, he kept on thinking.
Ants’ skilful actions pointed to a great wisdom. But
this wisdom could not belong to the ants themselves. They were,
after all, tiny creatures. Then all ants’ skills must show man
the wisdom of God. In order to show the greatness of His being
and His art of creation, God, the Creator of the ants, made
these tiny creatures carry out tasks they could never do by
their own wisdom and will.
His friend owed his
innate wisdom, skill and sacrificing nature to the inspiration
of God. Everything he did was proof not of his, but of God’s
power and wisdom.
Thinking about all that, he
realized that certain things that he had earlier imagined
differently had been replaced by true versions of the facts. He
understood once again that the stories told about living things,
how they came into existence by chance, how they acquired the skills they
had by chance over periods of time, were lies. How could they be
true? Just think, how could ants "talk" to each other so
perfectly if they had come into being by chance? How could they
make contact with each other without any disorder, and build
perfect nests? Besides, even if all these ants had come into
existence by chance and if they lived only to defend themselves,
how was it that they could make such enormous sacrifices for one
another?
He thought about these things all day at school. When he
got home in the evening, he decided to read the Qur’an, which God sent
down to all people. The first verse he read was the
following:
- In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and
the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people
with intelligence: those who remember God, standing, sitting
and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the
heavens and the earth (by saying): ‘Our Lord, You have not
created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us
from the punishment of the Fire.’ (Surah Al Imran:
190-191)
He was totally convinced that
God alone created the ant, himself, his mother and father, his
brother and everything in the universe. His little friend had
reminded him of the most important fact in the world: that there
was no creator but God.
| I believe that when you
read these lines, all of you will also understand the truth like
Joseph, and know that it is God Who created everything. Then you
will say: "Darwin, who said that
‘living beings were not created, but came into existence by
chance’ was a big liar. When we are surrounded by creatures
with so many fascinating skills, it is impossible to think that
they came into existence by chance."
|
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So, if like Joseph you
also chance upon a good friend one day, never forget that you
have a lot to learn from him. Investigate and think about the
perfection in the art of God, Who created him. And if you ever
meet liars like Darwin, tell them about the features of your
little friends and say that you will never ever believe in
their nonsensical lies.
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