Lesson 10: Salmon fish and its upstream journey
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- Miraculous scientific facts
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Salmon fish and its upstream journey:
Dear noble brothers, one of the strangest travelers in the world,live in the waters in the west coast and east coast in North America. Salmon live in harsh conditions, being by that a Divine Sign that indicates Allah's Greatness. Whatever is made refers to the maker and whatever is created refers to the Creator.
Salmon spawn in the rivers that are located in the mountains in eastern and western coasts of America. When the eggs hatch, the young fish have yolk attached to their throats, eliminating the immediate need for a food source. This is the work of Allah, Who perfected all things.
Salmon's journey starts from rivers towards the oceans in the east till they reach the Atlantic Ocean and to the west till they reach the Pacific Ocean. Salmon may travel thousands of kilometers spending months in their journey till they reach their destination. As I have just mentioned, the young fish are provided with food till they grow up and are able to find their source of food from rivers. This is due to Allah's Favor on them, and it is a manifestation of His Wisdom and Mercy. Also, it is an application of His Words in the following Ayah:
﴾ (Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "Who then, O Musa (Moses), is the Lord of you two?"* [Musa (Moses)] said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each thing its form and nature, then guided it aright.") ﴿
Because the journey of salmon is long and very harsh, they are created to be strong and able to take this journey. Thousands of salmon fish migrate early in spring from rivers to the vast ocean, and in the film we are watching, they swim towards to the Pacific Ocean after a long period of time, and from the coasts of North America towards Alaska. After that, they travel till they reach the coasts of Japan. It is a journey of thousands of kilometers.
Ustaz Alaa', once they reach the salt water, some physical changes to the genetic structure take place to enable them to live in this type of water. In fact, fish which live in fresh water cannot live in the salty one, so some physical changes occur to adjust them to the salt water. Salmon fish may travel thousands of miles spending about four years till they reach the coasts of Japan.
How can salmon fish be guided back to their home river?
Salmon travel back to the rivers where they were born, but it is unbelievable how they know their home river? Actually, they have a innate sense like a magnet using the earth magnetic fields that alerts them to the north destination, which is one of the Divine Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness, but the last question concerning their journey, is how do they know the river mouth? They will reach it even if they are 1000 kilometers far from it. Well, salmon have a heightened sense of smell like that of the dogs. Every river has a specific odor, so even if they travel from the coasts of Japan to the western coasts of America, or from the Atlantic Ocean to the coasts of France by the help of the magnet that leads them to the north, they will get back by smelling the odor of their home river.
Before they reach their home river, they struggle with the waterfalls as you can see in the documentary film, jumping about four meters to pass them until they settle in the river of their birth.
Ustaz Alaa':
They recognize their home river.
Dr. Rateb:
They get back to their home river, the exact one of their birth. It is amazing how they are guided to it through their journey across the branches of the river and its waterfalls. As I said earlier, they are provided with a magnet that always leads them to the north, so with it, they travel from the coasts of France to the eastern coasts of America and from the coasts of Japan to the western coasts of America.
Many studies have been conducted about the magnets salmon are provided with and about the ability to recognize the odor of their home river. This is one of the Signs that indicate Allah's Greatness. Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ (And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty,) ﴿
In another Surah, He says:
﴾ (Say: "Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth,") ﴿
Also, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (And after that He spread the earth;) ﴿
The One Who created the universe is He Who has sent down the Quran:
The Ayat which revolve around the creation of the universe are about 1.300 Ayat. All of them indicate the Greatness of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. Since this Noble Quran is the Words of Allah that have been sent to all mankind, nations and peoples, there must be a proof that it is undoubtedly the Word of Allah the Almighty. Furthermore, the Ayat in which the creation of the universe is mentioned and which are about one third of the Noble Quran assert that the One Who created the universe is the One Who has sent down this Noble Quran.
Ustaz Alaa':
We have watched this documentary film which shows the inimitability of Allah's Creation. We have seen how salmon fish, after hatching in the rivers and becoming adult, start their journey, but they get back to their home river after a long journey of thousands of miles, crossing the branches of this river and travelling upstream till they reach it once again.
Dr. Rateb:
Salmon are given a strong and wonderful physical structure.
Ustaz Alaa:
Well, this- as you have just mentioned- indicates the greatness of Allah's Creation and how accurately it was created, so that there are no rifts. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Then look again: "Can you see any rifts?") ﴿
Dr. Rateb:
I wonder, how does anyone dare to disobey this Great Deity? How does anyone dare to stay away from Him? Would does anyone not seek His Paradise? Would anyone not fear His Hell-Fire? How does anyone dare to turn away from Him? I ask Allah the Almighty to guide us to Him.
