Tariq nodded: "You like running, jumping and playing as much as
I do, don't you? How come you don't sweat?" he wondered.
Kashif's dog nodded in agreement: "We don't sweat like humans
do to control our body heat because we have no pores in our skin. We
have a respiratory system that controls our temperature instead. Our fur
prevents heat from outside from reaching our skin. Of course, when the
temperature rises our body heat rises too, and when we become too hot
we get rid of the extra heat by hanging our tongues out and panting,
so even on hot days we don't sweat, in spite of our thick fur."
"Allah has given us such a wonderful system that while humans
break out in a sweat after half an hour's exercise, we can run non-stop
for hours without sweating at all. From now on you'll understand that
when you see dogs with their tongues hanging out in hot weather
there's no need to feel sorry for them. Of course we dogs did not make
this system for ourselves. This is one of the proofs of the supreme cre-
ative power of Allah, Who created everything in a totally original
form."
"I believe your sense of smell is also very well developed," said
Tariq as he stroked the dog's nose.
"You're right," the dog agreed. "We have a very strong sense of
smell. The smell centers in our brains are 40 times more developed than
human beings'."
"So when police dogs smell something just once they can go and
find the owner!" exclaimed Tariq.
"Right again. You can see that the dogs you are used to seeing
every day are proofs of Allah's creation, just like all other living things.
Keep that in mind, and don't forget to remember Allah with thanks."
"Thanks a lot," said Tariq. "I won't forget. And I'll
tell all my friends what you have told me about what
Allah has given you, and ask them to thank Him
too."
Just then Kashif came back into the room,
and they all began to romp and play together.
41
