-Article - Camel Part 1

Camel: A useful animal in the Service of Mankind (Part 1)

Camel is the most useful domestic animal; a powerful, tame and enduring beast. Camel is able to carry large loads and she sits on the ground for us to put the load on her back, which makes loading her easy. This animal can even go a full week without eating and drinking, and can travel carrying a heavy load up to 300 Kilometers a day. Camels are able to tell direction, thus, they do not get lost in the desert and can safely reach their destination. The palms of their feet are soft and flat, so they can easily walk on the sandy desert and their feet do not dig into the sands. Human make use of camel’s milk, flesh and wool, while this enduring animal’s food is nothing but thorns growing in the desert. The Beneficent God invites us to think about the creation of this and other creatures:

17 - Will they not then consider the camels, how they are created? أَفَلَا يَنظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ

18 - And the heaven, how it is reared aloft, وَإِلَى السَّمَاء كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ

19 - And the mountains, how they are firmly fixed, وَإِلَى الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ

20 - And the earth, how it is made a vast expanse? وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ

21 - Therefore do remind, for you are only a reminder. فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

22 - You are not a watcher over them; لَّسْتَ عَلَيْهِم بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

23 - But whoever turns back and disbelieves, إِلَّا مَن تَوَلَّى وَكَفَرَ

24 -Allah will chastise him with the greatest chastisement. فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ

25 -Surely to Us is their turning back, إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ

26 -Then surely upon Us is the taking of their account. ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ

The Holy Qur’an (Surah88, The Overwhelming, verse17-26)

Many characteristics of the camel constitute evidence that this animal is created particularly for the dry climate conditions, and put into service for the comfort of man. In the Qur’an, it is stated;

"Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day, and in all that Allah hath created, in the heavens and the earth, are signs for those who fear Him." The Holy Qur’an (Surah10, The Prophet(Jonah), verse6).

The camel is specially designed for the conditions of the desert. As a matter of fact, each part of the animal’s body has to be investigated in order to understand how it is "made" by Allah.

Feet for all types of land; its feet are donated with two toes connected to each other with a flexible cushion. This structure which enables it to firmly grasp the land is consisted of four fat-balls. These feet are totally proper for all kinds of land conditions. Its nails protect the foot against any potential damages that may occur as a result of blows. Knees are covered with a structure called "callus", which is composed of skin as hard and thick as horn. When the animal lays down on the hot sands, this calloused structure protects the animal from being defected by the extremely hot sand.

The hump as a food stock;

the hump of the camel form is a mass of fats, and provides nutriment to the animal periodically in times of starvation. With this system, this animal can live 3 weeks without water, whilst it looses 33% of its weight.

Under the same severe circumstances, a human being would loose 8% of his weight, but die within 36 hours. Since, he would completely lose the water in his body.

Heat insulating fur; this fur consists of thick and felted hair that does not only protect the body of the animal against cold and hot climatic conditions, but also eliminate the water loss of the body. The Hecin camel can delay the perspiration of its body by means of increasing its body temperature up to 41A° C, and thus prevents the water loss. With its thick fur, camels in Asia can survive high temperatures reaching up to +50A° C in summer and falling down to -50A° C in winter.

Sources:

The Book name Acquaintance with The Glorious Qur’an

imamreza.net