Science - Mosquito
Mosquitos are considered to be the world's most dangerous animal. They cause over 700,000 to 1,000,000 human deaths annually by transmitting diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, Zika, and yellow fever. While often overlooked due to their size, these insects are responsible for more human fatalities than any other creature, including sharks and lions.
The head acts as the sensory center with eyes, antennae, and a feeding proboscis. The thorax supports locomotion with six legs and two wings, while the abdomen contains vital organs for digestion and reproduction. Proboscis is a long, needle-like, straw-like tube used for feeding on nectar (both sexes) or blood (females only). The Antennae is used to detect carbon dioxide, chemicals, and movement. The Compound Eyes used to detect movement, even in low-light conditions up to 149 degrees of the surroundings. Palps are sensory organs near the proboscis used for smelling.
Mosquitoes are parasitised by hydrachnid mites, ciliates such as Glaucoma, microsporidians such as Thelania, and fungi including species of Saprolegniaceae and Entomophthoraceae.
The parasites live on the body of mosquitos bodies and feed on their blood.
Qur'an - Mosquito
إِنَّ اللّهَ لا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يَضْرِبَ مَثَلاً ما بَعُوضَةً فَما فَوْقَها فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ
وَ أَمَّا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَيَقُولُونَ ما ذا أَرادَ اللّهُ بِهذا مَثَلاً يُضِلُّ بِهِ كَثِيراً وَ يَهْدِي بِهِ كَثِيراً وَ ما يُضِلُّ بِهِ إِلاَّ الْفاسِقِينَ
"In fact, God does not shy away from making an example of a mosquito, or something above it. As for those who have believed, they would know that such an example is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieved, they then say, “What did God intend by this example?” He leads astray many by such an example and He guides many by it. He only misleads those who are disobedient by it." 2:26
The disbelievers complain why the Holy Qur’an mentions examples of creators that were insignificant in their opinion.
In the first part of the verse, the Arabic phrase “فَما فَوْقَها” could be translated as something "below or above" in various translations. Basically, the verse is saying: “Allah doesn’t shy away from mentioning the example of mosquito or “other creators that are smaller and less significant than the mosquito in the eyes of disbelievers” or “other creators that are greater and more significant than the mosquito in the eyes of disbelievers”.
However, there is another idea that can be drawn from the verse: “Allah doesn’t shy away from mentioning the mosquito as an example or even the smaller creatures above it”. Are there any smaller creatures above the mosquito?! In the Science section above, we noted that many types of parasites live on the mosquito.
1400 years ago, people considered mosquitos as some of the smallest and most insignificant creatures and they disliked them because of getting bitten by them. Note that the verse uses the feminine form of the word for mosquito. It was explained in the Science section above that only female mosquitos feed on blood!
Additionally, the books of Tafseer (interpretation of the Quran) and history reported that the death of Nimrood and his soldiers was caused by mosquitoes. Nimrood died because of a mosquito that entered into his nostrils and reached his brain, and this caused him to start hitting his head for a long time until he died.