89
First of all, a great amount of energy is needed to keep these giant wings
permanently wide open. To have a better understanding of the difficult task
albatrosses carry out, let's compare albatrosses with humans. It is difficult
for a man even to keep his arms open in the air for a brief time. Soon his
muscles begin to ache and he lowers his arms. However, albatrosses can fly
suspended in the air for hours with their wings wide open.
There is a locking system inside the wing bones of albatrosses that enables
them to keep their wings open. By means of this locking system, they don’t
use any muscular strength. This makes flight much easier for the bird. By
virtue of this special system, it can fly without stopping for days, weeks, or
even for months expending only a very little amount of energy.
One merely needs to reflect for a moment to grasp that these features could
not have come into existence by chance. We see the mercy and compassion
of Allah upon these birds, which fly over the seas for long periods. It is Allah
Who granted albatrosses all the features they need to stay alive. Allah, Who
has power over all things, protects and gives albatrosses all their needs like
all other creatures. Allah refers to birds in a verse in Surat an-Nahl:
Do they not see the birds suspended in mid-air up in the sky? Nothing
holds them there except Allah. There are
certainly Signs in that for people who
believe. (Surat an-Nahl: 79)
W O N D E R F U L C R E A T U R E S
