Nature's Inspiration for Entrepreneurs

The Father of the Prophets, Ibrahim (peace be upon him), contemplated ِAllah's creation, focusing on clear phenomena like the Sun, the Moon, and the stars. He asked himself: "How could these objects possibly be God?!" He realized that everything in this universe is affected and eventually perishes, while God alone is the Ever-Living, Who never dies.

Thus, guidance came to Abraham through contemplation of the universe and reflection on creation. He realized that the universe has one, unique God Who alone deserves worship; He is God the Creator, "there is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."

A Journey of Doubt and Discovery

I recall that during our teenage years, in a world devoid of internet and satellite TV, we only read books. We would draw knowledge and sciences from them in various fields. My favorite spot was Dar al-Kutub (The National Library), rich with its collections and impressive with its 1909 architectural style.

The library housed all genres of global literature, and as young boys, our minds were shaped by the ideas within these works. We began asking questions like: "Where is God? And where did He come from?!", and we started to doubt everything.

My parents were unable to dissuade us from this line of thinking until I encountered a tiny creature: a small ant, seeking its sustenance on a Friday morning on the Corniche of Mansoura, Egypt, in the late seventies. I was sitting alone, contemplating my main inspiration at the time: the Nile River.

The ant was walking in front of me, right next to the Corniche wall, and many questions poured into my mind. First: This ant has feet striking the ground; it must be making a sound, so why can't I hear it?! I answered myself: Because my hearing is limited to a specific decibel range, so I cannot hear the sound of the ant or other similar sounds.

The second question: As I looked at the other side of the Nile, where there were no buildings, just green as far as the eye could see, I asked myself: Far away in that direction of the Nile Delta lies the island of Cyprus, and behind it Turkey, and to its left Greece. Why can't I see these countries?! I answered myself: Because my sight is limited.

The questions continued until I arrived at the final answer: My intellect is limited.

I felt as if a cold shower had poured over my head. For the first time in years, I felt a strange sense of peace, convinced that my mind is bound by certain limits that cannot be surpassed, just like my hearing, my sight, and all my senses.

The Ant That Changed My Life

That ant was the reason my life changed. Immediately afterward, I got rid of the books by Sartre, Marx, and the like. I even replaced my friends with others who aligned with my new birth, in which I came to know God, my Creator, Who is far Exalted above His creation. He (Exalted is He) hears what we do not hear, sees what we do not see, knows what we do not know, and is capable of what we are not capable of: the One, the Unique, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing.

Bio-Inspiration: Learning from Creation

Scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs have also sought inspiration in God's creation in their search for ideas to design new technologies or improve existing ones. This is known as Biomimicry (or Bio-Inspiration), a branch of science that studies how to imitate the creations of the Majestic Creator in engineering, science, and technology. It looks at how living organisms work and uses that information to design new systems and devices.

Examples of Biomimicry include:

• Robots that simulate the actions and thinking of humans.
• Ultrasonic diagnostic and therapeutic devices, inspired by how bats send and receive waves.
• Aircraft design with a tail and two wings, like any bird in nature.
• Incubation machines designed to simulate the behavior of a hen incubating eggs, to control temperature and humidity.
• Swimsuits inspired by shark skin, to reduce water resistance and increase glide.

Further examples:

• Prosthetic limbs that mimic natural limbs and provide high control.
• Adhesives inspired by the gecko's tongue for their strength and flexibility.
• Self-cleaning surfaces inspired by the lotus plant.
• Energy-efficient building designs that mimic the natural ventilation structure of termite mounds.
• Hydroelectric turbines inspired by the fins of fish.
• Solar cells inspired by plant leaves for efficient light absorption.
• Medical patches inspired by frog skin for their water resistance and fast healing.

Inspiration was also drawn from the eyes of insects to develop ultra-high-resolution cameras and artificial eyes for improving vision performance. The bee cooling system within hives was studied to design efficient and sustainable cooling technologies, aiming to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency in cooling systems. Architects were inspired by the structure of trees for load distribution to design stronger and more sustainable buildings. Environmental cleaning robots were designed to mimic the worms and marine organisms that clean the marine environment; these technologies are used to develop effective and eco-friendly cleaning systems. Designers of light and strong materials were inspired by the structure of spider webs to develop materials used in aviation and space. Engineers studied how insects climb to develop robots capable of effective climbing; these technologies are used for inspection and maintenance tasks in difficult-to-reach places.

The creation of Allah, Who perfected everything He created, is the primary source of inspiration for creativity and innovation in various fields. Entrepreneurs should seek to explore this richness to devise and develop new and sustainable solutions. Contemplation in the creations of the Lord of the Worlds, the Creator, the Shaper, the Initiator, the Majestic, is an inexhaustible treasure and an unending resource.