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29-11-2024
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Reflections on Quran- Lesson (01): Surat-Al Baqarah: The Mosquito.
   
 
 
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful  
 

Mosquito is one of the signs that indicate Allah's Greatness:

Dear brothers, Allah says in Surat Al Baqarah:

﴾ Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: “What did Allah intend by this parable?” By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah). ﴿

[  [Al-Baqarah, 26] ]


This Ayah mentions the mosquito, and there are many more similar Ayat that mention other creatures.
As if Allah says to us: "The mosquito is an example from which Muslims learn a lesson unlike disbelievers".
The example is the same for both.
Come to think of it, do we believe when we reflect on the creation of the mosquito, or do we believe first and learn a lesson from a creature like the mosquito, which comes first?
The bottom line is that the universe is full of signs.
When a mosquito lands on man's skin, and he gets upset of it, an electric flow in his nerves is created and is felt by the mosquito as if an earthquake is about to occur, thus it flies away before he has the chance to kill it.
This is why you can kill a mosquito on other person's skin but not on yours.
Mosquitoes can flap their wings up to 6000 times per second.
The mosquito has sensory organs similar to a radar due to which it heads directly to the sleeping child not to the furniture.
The mosquito can analyze the person's blood to verify if it is useful to it or not.
When the mosquito bites, it injects saliva into our skin which contains proteins that prevent our blood from clotting. This saliva also includes an anesthetic thus we don't feel its sting.
The mosquito has three hearts, central one and two hearts for both wings.
The mosquito's feet are equipped with hooked claws for clinging to skin and special foot pads enable it to land on slippery surface.
Again when man is annoyed, an electric flow is created through his nerves which can be felt by the mosquito so it flies away before he has the chance to kill it.

The word in Quran and Sunnah is used for reasons:


Were this world worth a wing of mosquito in the Sight of Allah, He would not have given a drink of water to an infidel.
You are familiar with this Hadith.
A question is raised when we recite the following Ayah:

﴾  Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, ﴿

[ Al-Baqarah, 26 ]


The question is: do we reflect on the mosquito and as a result we believe, or do we believe first and thus we sense the greatness behind the creation of the mosquito?
Actually the Ayah indicates that we believe first.
Some words in Arabic language are used to indicate the reasons behind mentioning them, for example the prophet PBUH said:
 

(( Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, were you not to commit sins, Allah would replace you with a people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Allah; and Allah would forgive them". ))

[Muslim, by the authority of Abi Huraira ]


The words "were you not to commit sins" mean "lest you feel the gravity of the sin".
Therefore, some Arabic words are used to indicate the reasons, the results, the alternatives or the surrounding conditions.
Therefore, if someone committed a sin and didn't feel the gravity of what he did, his heart is dead and thus he will be neglected entirely by Allah.
On the other hand, if someone sinned and felt as if a mountain is placed on his chest out of regret, then his heart is alive.
So the Hadith means, if you sinned and didn't feel the seriousness of your sin, Allah will replace you with people who would commit sins and then seek forgiveness from Allah, namely, they felt the guilt.
Based on the above, let me go back to the Ayah:

﴾ Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord,  ﴿

 

[ Al-Baqarah, 26 ]


"Those who believe" in the Ayah means: those who seek faith, who choose to believe, who are after the truth, who pursue the true path, who favor the hereafter and who want to be up to the purpose of their creation.
Those, per se, will believe if they reflect on the creation of the mosquito. This is a Divine law.
If you choose not to believe, you won't believe even if you ascend to the sky (against gravity), if a book from above is revealed to you or even if a dead man gets out of his grave and told you the truth.
When prophets showed tangible miracles to their people, their people didn’t believe in them, and this is a clear proof of this Divine Law.
Hence, the exact meaning of the Ayah is: If you choose not to believe, nothing will make you believe, even if you witness miracles or see the greatness in everything Allah has created.
On the other hand, any sign will lead the person, who seeks the truth, to Allah.

Everything in the universe leads the one who seeks the truth to it:

Allah Almighty says: 

﴾ But as for those who disbelieve, they say: “What did Allah intend by this parable? ﴿

  [Al-Baqarah, 26]


When I interpret a word, an Ayah or a fact, some of the attendances weep out of glorification and submissiveness, whereas others are in total indifference.
What is the difference between the two?
The first seeks the truth and he finds it, whereas the other has never sought the truth, so he rejects it when it is offered to him. 
Allah says:

﴾ As for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: “What did Allah intend by this parable?” By it He misleads many, ﴿

[ Al-Baqarah, 26 ]


In another Ayah Allah says: 

﴾ And if We had revealed it (this Qur’an) unto any of the non-Arabs, ﴿

[ Ash-Shu'ara', 198 ]


Had the Quran been revealed in a language other than Arabic, the Arabs would have never understood it.
If you go to Persia or any other country whose language is completely unfamiliar to you, you will not be able to understand a single word of any discussion you might hear.
Allah says:

﴾ And he had recited it unto them, they would not have believed in it. ﴿

[ Ash-Shu'ara', 199 ]


Now pay close attention to the following Ayah:

﴾ Thus have We caused it (the denial of the Qur’an) to enter the hearts of the Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, etc.). ﴿

[ Ash-Shu'ara', 200 ]


The Mujrim (criminal) and the corrupted, who know Arabic very well, will not believe if they read the miraculous Great Quran.
Allah also says:
  

﴾ And it (the Qur’an) is blindness for them ﴿


 

[ Fussilat, 44 ]


﴾ And it increases the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing but loss. ﴿

[  Al-Isra', 82 ]


The human being is like a very expensive camera that is very advanced with all its features; however, it is useless if there isn't a film in it to take pictures, and this is the example of the human being who doesn't seek the truth.
Again, our lecture today is about the following Ayah:
 

﴾ Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: “What did Allah intend by this parable?” By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah).  ﴿

 

[ Al-Baqarah, 26 ]


Allah ends the Ayah with:


﴾And He misleads thereby only those who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious, disobedient to Allah). ﴿


[ Al-Baqarah, 26 ]


When man disobeys Allah, he won't comprehend and he will go astray. This meaning is stressed in the following Ayah: 

﴾ Thus is the Word of your Lord justified against those who rebel (disobey Allah) that they will not believe (in the Oneness of Allah and in Muhammad as the Messenger of Allah). ﴿

[  Yunus, 33 ]


Hence, if you want the truth and pursue it, everything in the universe will lead you to it.
On the other hand, if you turn away from Allah, reject the truth and seek worldly life instead, you will not believe even if you meet prophets, see miracles, have a book revealed to you or a dead man comes out of his grave and tells you what he saw.
 

Everything is permissible save what is prohibited, and the religion is based on restraining: 

My second point is: Children of Isra'el asked Moses PBUH to enquire about the cow.
Allah Almighty forbids, permits,  orders and prohibits, but He kept silent about some matters.
If you pay attention to these matters, you will find a profound wisdom behind keeping silent about them. This wisdom is not less important than the wisdom behind ordering or prohibiting other matters.
Dear brothers, it is out of politeness with Allah Almighty to obey His Orders and refrain from His Prohibition.
If we ask about the matters Allah kept silent about, we will put ourselves in distress. Therefore, it is out of a Divine Mercy that Allah kept silent about some matters.
The religion is easy.
Umar bin Al Khattab and some of his companions ran into a basin full of spring water, so his companions asked the owner if predatory beasts usually drink from it. Umar said: "Don't tell us anything about it."
Everything in the world is originally permissible unless a religious text prohibits it.
The acts of worship on the other hand are only the ones that are obliged by a religious text due to which they are performed.
Therefore, there is a clear difference.
Ask for a religious proof for any act of worship before performing it.
Ask for a religious proof for any prohibited matter, because everything in the universe is originally permitted unless a religious text prohibits it.
Accordingly, if you see anyone performing any act of worship the prophet PBUH hadn't performed, ask him for a proof.
On the other hand, if someone prohibits anything the religion doesn't prohibit, ask him for a religious text that prohibits it.
Again, everything in the universe is permitted unless a religious text prohibits it.
The more you ask the greater distress you put yourself in.
Hence, follow Allah's Orders, refrain from His prohibitions and be aware that Allah kept silent about some matters out of Divine Mercy upon you.
Allah says:
 

﴾ And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: “Verily, Allah commands you that you slaughter a cow.” They said, “Do you make fun of us?” He said, “I take Allah’s Refuge from being among Al-Jahilun (the ignorants or the foolish).” They said, “Call upon your Lord for us that He may make plain to us what it is!” He said, “He says, ‘Verily, it is a cow neither too old nor too young, but (it is) between the two conditions’, so do what you are commanded.” They said, “Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour.” He said, “He says, ‘It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing to the beholders.’ “They said, “Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us what it is. Verily to us all cows are alike, And surely, if Allah wills, we will be guided.” He [Musa (Moses)] said, “He says, ‘It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no other colour except bright yellow.’ ” They said, “Now you have brought the truth.” So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it.  ﴿

[  Al-Baqarah, 67-71 ]


Interpreters said: Children of Isra'el could have slaughtered any cow, but since they asked so many questions, the price of that specific cow had increased manyfold, needless to mention how hard it was to find it.

(( "The religion (of Islam) is easy, and whoever makes the religion a rigor, it will overpower him." ))


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