Just look at the mercy and compassion of Allah, glory unto Him, that He postpones the full surfacing of teeth to two years after birth. In the first two years, babies are not able to receive nourishment in the fullest sense of the term except by being breastfed. They therefore do not need teeth during that period. Fully developed teeth during this period would have been a great cause of pain for breastfeeding mothers.

As the child develops so does his need for nourishment and there soon comes a time when milk alone is no longer enough to fulfill that need. Arising at this time is a strong need to digest certain foods and with that comes the need to chew and swallow. The full development of teeth in children is hence neither too early nor too late. They develop exactly at the right time. Were they to develop earlier, they would prevent proper breastfeeding. That Allah, glory unto Him, not only thrusts forth those hard bones from out of soft gums but also makes them surface at exactly the right time, is indeed cause for wonder.

The Almighty has moreover imparted parents with an exceptional feeling of compassion to look after the child. Who would have borne a baby’s brunt had not the Almighty placed in the parents’ heart a drop of His own mercy?

The human body presents an incredible object for contemplation. It is an indisputable witness to the existence of the Creator. But one entirely ignorant of this clear fact is constantly preoccupied with the desires of his ego. In attending to such desires, even animals stand on the same level as human beings. The ability that separates humans from animals and what grants them the credit of being the most honorable of creation is the wisdom acquired through gazing at the wonders of the skies and earth with a perceptive eye and contemplating the Divine works of art glaring throughout the universe, as well as human beings. As one grows deeper in this wisdom, he is raised to the level of angels, even higher, shortlisted to be resurrected in a state loved by the Almighty, amid the prophets and the righteous. This honor and privilege is remote from those enchained by their lusts, even more bewildered than animals.^[1]

^[1]     See, Imam Ghazzali, Ihyâ, VI, 58-62.

Source: Osman Nuri Topbaş, Contemplation in Islam, Erkam Public.

The Magnificent Subtleties of Creation