By Zahid Ikram

Bio-Mimetics 

Science in Quran : 
Bioscience in Quran  Design In Nature!

Bio-Mimetics, Drawing Inspiration From The Nature.

Before scientists and research and development experts embark on new projects, they usually look for models in living things in nature and imitate their systems and designs. In other words, they observe the designs created in nature by Allah and, inspired by these, go on to develop their own new technologies.

This approach has given birth to biometrics, a new branch of science that seeks to imitate living things. In recent times, this branch of science has come to be widely applied in the world of technology. The use of the word "ibratan," (to learn from, advice, importance, important thing, or model) in the above verses is most wise in this regard.

 

 

سُوۡرَةُ النّحل
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ لَعِبۡرَةً۬‌ۖ نُّسۡقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهِۦ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ فَرۡثٍ۬ وَدَمٍ۬ لَّبَنًا خَالِصً۬ا سَآٮِٕغً۬ا لِّلشَّـٰرِبِينَ (٦٦)

There is instruction for you in cattle. From the contents of their bellies, from between the dung and blood, We give you pure milk to drink, easy for drinkers to swallow. (Quran, 16:66)

اور تمہارے لیے چارپایوں میں بھی (مقام) عبرت (وغور) ہے کہ ان کے پیٹوں میں جو گوبر اور لہو ہے اس سے ہم تم کو خالص دودھ پلاتے ہیں جو پینے والوں کے لیے خوشگوار ہے (۶۶)

 

سُوۡرَةُ المؤمنون
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ لَعِبۡرَةً۬‌ۖ نُّسۡقِيكُم مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِہَا وَلَكُمۡ فِيہَا مَنَـٰفِعُ كَثِيرَةٌ۬ وَمِنۡہَا تَأۡكُلُونَ (٢١) وَعَلَيۡہَا وَعَلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ تُحۡمَلُونَ (٢٢)

And there is certainly a lesson for you in your livestock. We give you to drink from what is in their bellies and there are many ways in which you benefit from them, and some of them you eat; and you are conveyed on them and on ships as well. (Quran, 23:21-22)

(۲۰) اور تمہارے لئے چارپایوں میں بھی عبرت (اور نشانی) ہے کہ ان کے پیٹوں میں ہے اس سے ہم تمہیں (دودھ) پلاتے ہیں اور تمہارے لئے ان میں اور بھی بہت سے فائدے ہیں اور بعض کو تم کھاتے بھی ہو (۲۱) اور ان پر اور کشتیوں پر تم سوار ہوتے ہو (۲۲)

 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسۡتَحۡىِۦۤ أَن يَضۡرِبَ مَثَلاً۬ مَّا بَعُوضَةً۬ فَمَا فَوۡقَهَا‌ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡ‌ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلاً۬‌ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ ڪَثِيرً۬ا وَيَهۡدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرً۬ا‌ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦۤ إِلَّا ٱلۡفَـٰسِقِينَ (٢٦)

Lo! Allah disdaineth not to coin the similitude even of a mosquito or anything above that. Those who believe know that it is the truth from their Lord; but those who disbelieve say: What doth Allah wish (to teach) by such a similitude? He misleadeth many thereby, and He guideth many thereby; and He misleadeth thereby only miscreants; (2:26)

الله اس بات سے عار نہیں کرتا کہ مچھر یا اس سے بڑھ کر کسی چیز (مثلاً مکھی مکڑی وغیرہ) کی مثال بیان فرمائے۔ جو مومن ہیں، وہ یقین کرتے ہیں وہ ان کے پروردگار کی طرف سے سچ ہے اور جو کافر ہیں وہ کہتے ہیں کہ اس مثال سے خدا کی مراد ہی کیا ہے۔ اس سے (خدا) بہتوں کو گمراہ کرتا ہے اور بہتوں کو ہدایت بخشتا ہے اور گمراہ بھی کرتا تو نافرمانوں ہی کو (۲۶)

 

 

سُوۡرَةُ العَنکبوت
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَوۡلِيَآءَ كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡعَنڪَبُوتِ ٱتَّخَذَتۡ بَيۡتً۬ا‌ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوۡهَنَ ٱلۡبُيُوتِ لَبَيۡتُ ٱلۡعَنڪَبُوتِ‌ۖ لَوۡ ڪَانُواْ يَعۡلَمُونَ (٤١)

The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider's house, if they but knew. (29:41)

جن لوگوں نے خدا کے سوا (اوروں کو) کارساز بنا رکھا ہے اُن کی مثال مکڑی کی سی ہے کہ وہ بھی ایک (طرح کا) گھر بناتی ہے۔ اور کچھ شک نہیں کہ تمام گھروں سے کمزور مکڑی کا گھر ہے کاش یہ (اس بات کو) جانتے (۴۱)

 

سُوۡرَةُ النّحل
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

 وَأَوۡحَىٰ رَبُّكَ إِلَى ٱلنَّحۡلِ أَنِ ٱتَّخِذِى مِنَ ٱلۡجِبَالِ بُيُوتً۬ا وَمِنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ وَمِمَّا يَعۡرِشُونَ (٦٨) ثُمَّ كُلِى مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ فَٱسۡلُكِى سُبُلَ رَبِّكِ ذُلُلاً۬‌ۚ يَخۡرُجُ مِنۢ بُطُونِهَا شَرَابٌ۬ مُّخۡتَلِفٌ أَلۡوَٲنُهُ ۥ فِيهِ شِفَآءٌ۬ لِّلنَّاسِ‌ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَةً۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ (٦٩)

[016:068] And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations;

[016:069] Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought.
 

اور تمہارے پروردگار نے شہد کی مکھیوں کو ارشاد فرمایا کہ پہاڑوں میں اور درختوں میں اور اونچی اونچی چھتریوں میں جو لوگ بناتے ہیں گھر بنا (۶۸) اور ہر قسم کے میوے کھا۔ اور اپنے پروردگار کے صاف رستوں پر چلی جا۔ اس کے پیٹ سے پینے کی چیز نکلتی ہے جس کے مختلف رنگ ہوتے ہیں اس میں لوگوں (کے کئی امراض) کی شفا ہے۔ بےشک سوچنے والوں کے لیے اس میں بھی نشانی ہے (۶۹)

 

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Scientists has been learning from other living things, as indicated in Quran:

 

[005:030] The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones.

[005:031] Then God sent a raven (crow), who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets-

 

Biomimetics refers to all of the substances, equipment, mechanisms, and systems that people produce in order to imitate the systems present in nature. The scientific community currently feels a great need for the use of such equipment, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology, robot technology, artificial intelligence, medicine, and the military.

Biomimicry was first put forward by Janine M. Benyus, a writer and scientific observer from Montana. This concept was later analyzed by many other people and began to find applications. Some of the comments made regarding biomimicry are as follows:

 

The theme of "biomimicry" is that we have much to learn from the natural world, as model, measure, and mentor. What these researchers have in common is a reverence for natural designs, and the inspiration to use them to solve human problems.

 

David Oakey, product strategist for Interface Inc., a company that uses nature to increasing product quality and productivity, says:

Nature is my mentor for business and design, a model for the way of life. Nature's system has worked for millions of years … Biomimicry is a way of learning from nature.

Scientists who began to favor this rapidly spreading idea accelerated their studies by using nature's incomparable and flawless designs as models. These designs represent models for technological research, for they provide the maximum productivity for the least amount of materials and energy, and are self-maintaining, environmentally friendly, silent, aesthetically attractive, resistant, and long-lasting. The High Country News newspaper described biomimetics as "a scientific movement" and made the following comment:

By using natural systems as models, we can create technologies that are more sustainable than those in use today.

 

[054:049] Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure.

 

[002:029] It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge.

 

Janine M. Benyus, who believed that models in nature should be imitated, gave the following examples in her book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature (Perennial: 2002):

Hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than 3 grams (one tenth of an ounce) of fuel

   

Dragonflies outmaneuver our best helicopters

 

 

    Heating and air-conditioning systems in termite mounds are superior in terms of equipment and energy consumption to those made by human beings

 

 

      A bat's high-frequency transmitter is more efficient and sensitive than our own radar systems

 

Light-emitting algae combine various chemicals to illuminate their bodies,

Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage,

Chameleons and cuttlefish change the pattern of their skin to blend instantly with their surroundings,

Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps,

 

Whales and penguins dive without scuba gear.

 

These astonishing mechanisms and designs in nature, of which we have cited only a few, has the potential to enrich technology in a wide range of fields. This potential is becoming ever more obvious as our accumulated knowledge and technological means increase.

[024:045] And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills for verily God has power over all things.
 

[036:036] Glory to God, Who created in pairs all things that the earth produces, as well as their own (human) kind and (other) things of which they have no knowledge.

 

[038:027] Not without purpose did We create heaven and earth and all between! that were the thought of Unbelievers! but woe to the Unbelievers because of the Fire (of Hell)!

 

[043:012] That has created pairs in all things, and has made for you ships and cattle on which ye ride,

 

All animals possess many features that amaze human beings. Some have the ideal hydrodynamic shape that allows them to move through water, and others employ senses that appear very foreign to us. Most of these are features that researchers have encountered for the first time, or, rather, that they have only recently discovered. On occasion, it is necessary to bring together prominent scientists from such fields as computer technology, mechanical engineering, electronics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology in order to imitate just one feature of a living thing.

 

[006:038] There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end.

 

[016:008] And (He has created) horses, mules, and donkeys, for you to ride and use for show; and He has created (other) things of which ye have no knowledge.

 

[016:080] It is God Who made your habitations homes of rest and quiet for you; and made for you, out of the skins of animals, (tents for) dwellings, which ye find so light (and handy) when ye travel and when ye stop (in your travels); and out of their wool, and their soft fibers (between wool and hair), and their hair, rich stuff and articles of convenience (to serve you) for a time.

Scientists are amazed when confronted with the incomparable structures and systems they are discovering with every passing day, and use that amazement to inspire themselves to produce new technologies for humanity's benefit. Realizing that the existing perfect systems and extraordinary techniques applied in nature are far superior to their own knowledge and intellect, they became aware of these matchless solutions to existing problems and are now resorting to the designs in nature to resolve problems that have eluded them for years. As a result, they will perhaps achieve success in a very short time. Moreover, by imitating nature, scientists are making very important gains with regard to time and labor and also to the targeted use of material resources.

Today we see the developing technology gradually discovering the miracles of creation and using the extraordinary designs in living things, as in the case of biomimetics, in the service of humanity. Benyus has stated that "'Doing it nature's way' has the potential to change the way we grow food, make materials, harness energy, heal ourselves, store information, and conduct business."

The following are just a few of the many scientific papers to have considered such subjects:

 

o        Science is Imitating Nature

o        Life's Lessons in Design

o        Biomimicry: Secrets Hiding in Plain Sight

o        Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature

o        Biomimicry: Genius That Surrounds Us

o        Biomimetics: Creating Materials from Nature's Blueprints

o        Engineers Ask Nature for Design Advice

 

In the nineteenth century, nature was imitated only in aesthetic terms. Artists and architects of that time were influenced by nature and used examples of the structures' external appearances in their works. Yet the realization of nature's extraordinary designs and that these could be used to benefit human beings only began in the twentieth century with the study of natural mechanisms at the molecular level. Scientists today are learning from living things, as revealed in the Quran 1,400 years ago. 

 

[045:004] And in the creation of yourselves and the fact that animals are scattered (through the earth), are Signs for those of assured Faith.

 

[027:018] At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it."

 

Ants and other insect species are widely used in advanced technology as models in robot projects and are intended to serve in a wide range of areas, from the defense industry to technology. The verse may be referring to these developments.

 

Latest Developments in Miniature Technology: Army-Ant Robots

The best known project using ants as a model are the "Army-Ant Robot" projects being carried out independently in several countries. One study being carried out by the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Virginia State University seeks to develop small, inexpensive, and simple physically identical robots that can be used as a robot army. Project officials explain these robots' functionality in the following terms: "The way they behave as a group, in a coordinated manner, perform a series of physical actions, and take joint decisions." These robot armies' mechanical and electrical designs have been based on the behaviour of an ant community. They are called the "army-ant" robots because of their similarities to their insect counterparts.

The "army-ant" robot system was originally designed as a "material-carrying system." According to this scenario, several small robots would be charged with jointly lifting and carrying objects. It was later decided that they could be used for other tasks. One report describes other tasks to which they might be assigned in the future:

Nuclear and hazardous waste cleanup with robotic "swarms," mining (including material removal and search-and-rescue), mine sweeping (both land and water), surveillance and sentry, planetary surface exploration and excavation.197

In a report by Israel A. Wagner, an expert on ant robot technology, the ant robot projects were described in these terms:

Ant-robots are simple physical or virtual creatures designed to cooperate in order to achieve a common goal. They are assumed to have very limited resources of energy, sensing and computing, and to communicate via traces left in the workspace or on the ground, like many insects naturally do…

The distribution of work among multiple a(ge)nts can be made by either a central controller who sends orders to the agents, or by an a-priori agreement on a certain partitioning that, if obeyed by the agents, eventually leads to a completion of the given mission. A third way, used throughout the current work, is to design the behavior of individuals such that cooperation will naturally emerge in the course of their work, without making a-priori decisions on the structure of the cooperation. The specific application that we address is covering, which is also known as exploring or searching. This variety of names hints to the many applications this problem might have: from cleaning the floor of a house to mapping an unknown planet or demining a mine field.

Israel A. Wagner, “My Travels With my A(u)nts: Distributed Ant Robotics,” www.cs.technion.ac.il/~wagner/pub/thesis_abs_eng.html

 

Communication with Birds and Insects

Modern science should work on communication with birds and Insects as indicated in Quran.

 

[027:016] And Solomon was David's heir. He said: "O ye people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and on us has been bestowed (a little) of all things: this is indeed Grace manifest (from God.)"

 

[027:019] So he smiled, amused at her (Ant) speech; and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favors, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants."

 

[027:022] But the Hoopoe (Bird) tarried not far: he (came up and) said (Bird Said to Solomon) : "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true.

 

 

§ Biomimetic
§ Fish
§ Life Cycle
§ Locusts Moving In Swarms
§ Pork (Flesh of Swine) and Its Harmful Effects
§ The Date and Its Uses
§ The Female Honey Bee and Benefits of Honey
§ The Fig
§ The Food Cycle
§ The Formation Of Milk
§ The Olive