25 But give glad tidings to those who believe and work righteousness, that their portion is Gardens, beneath which rivers flow. Every time they are fed with fruits therefrom, they say: “Why, this is what we were fed with before,” for they are given things in similitude; and they have therein companions pure (and holy); and they abide therein (for ever).
The mention of this everlasting stay in Jannah is delayed for a reason. When you hear all this enjoyment that awaits believers in Paradise, you may wonder, as is the nature of worldly favours, when will it end? Whatever enjoyment there is in this world, it is not limitless. Favours and blessings do not last. They have an expiry date. They may disappear as quickly as they came to you. Or you may be forced to leave them. Your health may deteriorate in old age, and you will be forbidden from enjoying the favours. At old age, the wife becomes a sister. You were virile yesterday; today, you lack vigour. So, when you think of all this regarding the description of Jannah, Allah said, ‘they will abide therein forever’. They will keep enjoying all these things in an unchangeable nature in their body and stature.
The challenge of producing something like the Qur’an was not answered. They now changed their approach to rejecting him. Why do you mention despicable creatures like spiders and flies in a revelation said to be from Allah? This does not resemble the words of Allah.
- The likeness of those who choose other patrons than Allah is as the likeness of the spider when she taketh unto herself a house, and lo! the frailest of all houses is the spider’s house, if they but knew. (Al-Ankabut)
And:
- O mankind! A similitude is coined, so pay ye heed to it: Lo! those on whom ye call beside Allah will never create a fly though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly took something from them, they could not rescue it from him. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought! (al-Hajj)
They failed to perceive the wisdom in mentioning what they saw as despicable creatures because of their size and stature. The smaller the creature, the more reason we should ponder over the powers of the Creator. In this little trifle is the ability to move, evade capture or harm, search for livelihood, mate, and multiply. This little creature has the power of sight; it’s created with its ways of eating and disposing waste. Small as this creature is, it has a brain, anatomy and circulatory system. For people who understand, this is enough proof that there is a creator behind all this.
Ten bullet points on unique characteristics of mosquitoes:
- They are the deadliest animal on Earth. Mosquitoes are responsible for the deaths of more than 700,000 people each year, mostly from malaria.
- They can fly long distances. Some mosquitoes can fly up to 100 miles in a single day.
- They can lay hundreds of eggs. A female mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at a time.
- Their eggs can survive in harsh conditions. Mosquito eggs can survive in dry, cold, and even polluted water.
- They can transmit diseases. Mosquitoes can transmit various diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and yellow fever.
- They are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide. Mosquitoes are attracted to the heat and carbon dioxide that humans and animals give off.
- They can sense their prey from a long distance. Mosquitoes can sense their prey from up to 100 feet away.
- They can bite even through clothing. Mosquitoes’ mouthparts are long and thin, allowing them to bite through clothing.
- They are resistant to pesticides. Mosquitoes have become resistant to many pesticides, making it difficult to control their populations.
- They are evolving rapidly. Mosquitoes are multiplying, making developing new ways to control them challenging.
26 Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: “What means Allah by this similitude?” By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path),-
This is part of the allegorical verses (Mutashaabihaat), which sets the scholars in a contemplative mood.
If you disdain to do something, you do not do it, because you feel that you are too important to do it. This is for a human being and not Allah. There is nothing like unto Him. It is not fitting, therefore, for Allah to be so described as not being disdained to do anything. So, the scholars said: we believe in the verse and recite it as it is, but we shall not interpret it or translate it beyond what it says. The content of the verse is what it says it is. Some said we should read and interpret the verse according to its linguistic content. Others noted that if disdain means avoiding something to avert blame, then our interpretation will be that Allah will not avoid setting the example of things lowest and highest. Others still said that if anyone is shy about setting an example for little creatures, Allah will not disdain setting an example of things lowest and highest, like ants, flies, mosquitoes, etc.
The best of what was said on this is the position of the Salaf. There are many traits with which Allah has described Himself in the Qur’an that are in tandem with His Majesty, like anger, pleasure, love, dislike, disdain and whatnot. These are words that denote feelings and characteristics that we know and experience. But where Allah describes Himself with any of them, such description should be in a way that He desires, befitting His Majesty and Sublime Powers, not in the way we relate these feelings to ourselves, as none is comparable unto Him. Therefore, the verse:
“Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest…” means that Allah will not refrain from setting such examples of lower things as one of you will be ashamed of doing the same.
Yusuf Ali avoided translating the word Ba’udah which means a mosquito, and preferred instead to use the phrase ‘of things lowest as well as highest.’
Things lowest as well as highest, like a mosquito in size or even smaller. Why will Allah be shy of setting any example with what He created, whether that thing is big or small?
Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: “What means Allah by this similitude?”
Setting believers apart from those who reject Faith. The believers have combined the characteristics of faith, which are affirmation with the tongue, a conviction in the heart and practice with the limbs, the real meaning of Imaan. These know and believe that the similitude is the truth from their Lord.
But those who reject Faith. Who are they? Rejection of Faith means that they set up rivals to Allah and declared them intercessors and idols to be worshipped instead of their Maker. During Lesson Seven, we said that those who reject Faith accept that Allah is the Creator of all things. There’s no contention here. They do not accept that He should be worshipped alone without partners.
‘..but those who reject Faith say: “What means Allah by this similitude?”..’ They said this with derision; what kind of example is this with flies, mosquitoes, ants and whatnot? And the answer came, clear and straightforward:
By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path),-
He causes many to stray, which means that this did not stop with the immediate addressees. Whoever questions the ability of Allah to set examples of things lowest as well as highest, Allah will cause him to stray until the Day of Judgement.
