Nabīl the little, son of the skilled fisherman Ḥasan, used to go out every day with his father to watch him, during his work in fishing, to witness what he did in amazement. One morning, Nabīl ascended to the surface of the boat. As soon as the engine started, amidst the blue waters of the sea, the fishermen began to prepare their nets to obtain the largest quantity of fish.
The fishermen cast their nets, pronouncing “In the name of God,” smiling at being in God’s care. When they began to pull their nets, they found many types and different sizes of fish—the strange and beautiful in form. Nabīl was amazed intensely at what he saw. He looked at his father and asked him whether he knew the names of all those types of fish. His father smiled with extreme affection and informed him that he knew them all, just as he, Nabīl, knew them. He told him that when he grew a little, he would know all their names because he would become a skilled fisherman like him one day.
The father took one of the large fish and approached his son Nabīl, saying to him: “That fish is called the swordfish. It is usually large in size, and in the sea there are found of it many sizes and varied. It is like other fish, but it is distinguished by the existence of a long sword upon its upper lip, so its form resembles a sword. It uses that bone to defend itself against enemies and also for swimming.”
Nabīl rejoiced at that strange information. He pointed to another fish and asked his father about its nature. He answered him: “That is the shark fish. It is a fish possessing sharp teeth. The fishermen hate it because it cuts their nets and eats most of the fish they have also fished. They separate it quickly today, so that it does not eat what they have fished of fish.”
Then the father said that God, glory be to Him and exalted, has created from the shark fish multiple types. Among them is what is extremely large, reaching several meters in length. It is called the tiger shark. Despite its largeness, it does not eat meat but feeds continuously on turtles and fish smaller in size than it. It lives at the bottom of the deep seas, burying itself in the sands until prey comes, then emerges to hunt it and devour it.
Then the father continued and said to Nabīl: “Just as there exists in the sea the largest animal on the face of the earth, which is the blue whale.” Nabīl was amazed and asked in astonishment: “I have seen the elephant and have not seen a creature larger than it in size.” His father smiled and informed him that the blue whale equals the weight of ten elephants gathered.
There also exists another type of fish beneficial to man, called dolphins, which have many fins, to rescue some swimmers from drowning, or protect them from shark fish until they emerge safe to the shore.
Nabīl rejoiced greatly at that strange information and told his father that he desired to fish until he became a large, skilled fisherman like him when the time came. His father embraced him and told him that he was a fisherman small in years, large in mind and knowledge as well.