Why Does the Quran Mention a Mosquito?

When we think of mosquitoes, nothing significant usually comes to mind. However, when Almighty Allah, the Creator of heaven and earth, mentions the mosquito in the Quran to present an example of His power and control over everything, then the mosquito as a creation must manifest that power. So, how does a feeble mosquito manifest Allah's power?

Allah mentions in Chapter 2, Verse 26 of the Quran: "Surely Allah does not shy away from using the parable of a mosquito or what is even smaller. As for the believers, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. And as for the disbelievers, they argue, "What does Allah mean by such a parable (of the Mosquito)?" Through this ˹test˺, He leaves many to stray, and guides many. And He leaves none to stray except the rebellious." (Translation copied from Sahih International.)

A remarkable feature about mosquitoes, apart from their biology and organ systems, is that they wield power over humans. Mosquito-borne diseases continue to kill millions of people worldwide.

These diseases are devastating and complex to eradicate. So much so, despite enormous efforts by scientists around the globe, only a few vaccines have been approved. The efficacy of such vaccines is not significant enough to be protective or eradicate mosquito-borne infections.

In fact, the latest vaccine tested against malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, failed. Let us examine the diseases caused by mosquitoes in detail. The list of mosquitoes, the diseases they cause, and the annual deaths that occur are listed below:

1. Aedes aegypti & Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes are vectors for viruses such as chikungunya, dengue, and Zika. Dengue infects 100 to 400 million people each year. These mosquitoes have developed resistance to insecticides. The Zika virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquito species, leads to congenital defects in babies and neuropathy in adults. Again, there is no treatment available to prevent disease caused by the Zika virus except the eradication of mosquitoes. The Chikungunya virus, transmitted by Aedes species, affects millions of individuals, mostly in Africa.
2. Malaria: People contract malaria from infected Anopheles mosquito bites. Globally, around 600,000 people die annually due to malaria. An estimated 249 million malaria cases are reported annually. Malaria continues to be a leading cause of death in many countries.
3. Encephalitis, caused, among others, by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), is spread by mosquitoes, e.g., Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Active disease leads to neurological damage. Encephalitis is endemic in South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions; transmission due to mosquito bites can potentially put 3 billion people at risk of infection.

Imagining the scale of infections due to mosquito bites and the human toll they take in the absence of approved vaccines, the parable of the mosquito put forth in the Quran conveys how His power manifests through this creation. Humans often ignore Allah, and in their ignorance become rebellious by rejecting Allah's signs. The mosquito is one such sign.