Why the tiny mosquito was used as a Quranic example, and the science behind it

The mosquito is tiny, yet it can carry diseases that kill millions of people. That contrast forms the central theme of a Republika article about why the insect appears as an example in the Quran.

The article presents the mosquito as a reminder that divine greatness and wisdom do not depend on the size of a creature. It says the insect is also known in some regions as “namus” or “baqqah.”

The piece quotes Hasan al-Bashri reflecting on human weakness: “Pity the son of Adam. His appointed time of death has been determined, his hopes are hidden, and his illness is unseen. He speaks with a piece of flesh, sees with a piece of fat, and hears with a bone. He is held captive by his hunger and brought down by his fullness. He can be troubled by a small insect, made uncomfortable by sweat, and can die from choking.”

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Pity the son of Adam. His appointed time of death has been determined, his hopes are hidden, and his illness is unseen. He speaks with a piece of flesh, sees with a piece of fat, and hears with a bone. He is held captive by his hunger and brought down by his fullness. He can be troubled by a small insect, made uncomfortable by sweat, and can die from choking.

It then cites a verse from Surah An-Nisa: “Allah intends to lighten your burden, for mankind was created weak.” The article uses the verse and the mosquito’s power to harm people to emphasize that human beings cannot fully control their own life, death, benefit or harm.

The article also highlights scientific work at the University of Gadjah Mada’s insectarium in Yogyakarta. Since 2011, researchers there have bred Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to reduce dengue transmission. They began releasing mosquito eggs into communities in 2015, and the insectarium can now harvest about 550,000 eggs over a period of roughly three weeks.

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Allah intends to lighten your burden, for mankind was created weak.