Science and Religion (Quran about Gnats) (II part)

The Qur’an frequently summons people to investigate nature and see the “signs of Allah” therein. All living and non-living beings in the universe are full of signs revealing that they are “made”, and they are there to demonstrate the power, knowledge and art of their “maker”. Man is responsible of identifying these signs by using his wisdom and revere Allah.

While all living beings bear these signs, there are some animals which the Qur’an specially refers to. The gnat is one of these animals. The 26th. Verse of Surat al-Baqara mentioning the gnat.

Indeed, Allah is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allah intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient, (Quran 2:26)

 Mostly considered as an ordinary and insignificant creature, even the gnat is worthy of being examined and pondered on since it bears the signs of Allah. This is why

“Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable - (that of) a gnat or any thing above that”.

THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE OF THE GNAT:

What is generally known about gnats is that they are bloodsuckers and they feed on
blood. However, this is not a very correct information, because not all the gnats but only
the females suck blood. Besides, the females do not suck blood because of their need for food. Both male and female gnats feed on flower nectar. The only reason why females,unlike males, suck blood is their need for the proteins found in the blood that help their eggs to develop. In other words, the female gnat sucks blood just to secure the perpetuation of its generation.

The point to be stressed here is that the above verse points out to the “female gnats”. As we have previously mentioned, it is only the female gnats who draw near to the humans and who have the superior features that will be detailed hereafter. Although this important detail was unknown at the time the Qur’an was revealed, it is surely quite considerable that “female” gnats are particularly emphasized in the verse.The development process is one of the most amazing and admirable qualities of the gnat. The animal transforms from a tiny larva into a gnat after passing through many
different phases.The story of this development can be shortly summarized as follows;Gnat eggs, which are fed by blood and get developed, are laid on damp leaves or dried ponds by the female gnat during summer or fall. Prior to this, the mother initially examines the ground thoroughly, by using the delicate receptors under her abdomen.Upon finding a convenient place, she starts to lay her eggs. Eggs, which are less than 1 mm. in length, are arranged in a row either in-groups or one by one. Some species lay their 300 eggs.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM:

The respiratory system of the larva is based on breathing air by means of a hollow tube pulled up over the water surface. Meanwhile, larvae are hung upside down under the water. A viscous secretion prevents water from leaking into the openings through which larvae breath.The carefully placed white eggs soon start to darken and turn completely black in two hours. This dark color provides protection for the larvae by preventing them to be noticed by other insects and birds.It takes a winter for the incubation period to be completed. Since eggs are created with a structure that allows them to survive through a long cold winter, they stay alive until spring when their incubation period ends.

GETTING OUT OF THE EGG:

When the incubation period is completed, larvae start to get out of their eggs almost concurrently. The first egg is immediately followed by the others. After that, all of the larvae start to float in water. The larvae, which feed continuously, grow in a short while. Soon, their skin becomes too tight so as not allowing them to grow any further.

This indicates that it is time for the first skin change. The hard and brittle skin easily
breaks down. Until the development is completed as a whole, the gnat larva is to change
its skin two more times.

The method used for the feeding of the larvae is rather impressive. The larvae make
small whirlpools in the water with their two fan-shaped extensions made up of feathers,
and thus make bacteria and other microorganisms flow towards their mouths. An aerial
tube similar to the “snorkel” used by divers provides the respiration of the larvae. They
repose upside down in the water. A viscous secretion secreted by their body prevents
water from leaking into the openings through which they breath. Briefly, the animal
lives with the cooperation of many delicate balances. If it did not have an aerial tube, it
could not survive; if it did not have a viscous secretion, its respiratory tube would be
blocked. In the mean time, most of the larvae change their skin once more. The last skin
change is rather different from the others. With this last change, larvae pass onto the
final stage of their maturation, the “pupal stage”. Now, it is time for the larvae, which are
sufficiently grown in the larval skin, to get rid of this shell.

However, such a different creature gets out of the shell that it is indeed hard to
believe that these two are different developmental phases of the same being. And this
metamorphoses is far too complicated and delicate to be designed neither by the larva
itself, nor by the mother or any other living thing...During this latest stage of metamorphoses, the animal faces the danger of being choked, as its respiratory openings rising above the water through an aerial tube are to be closed. However, from that stage on, respiration is not to be done through these holes, but through two tubes newly emerging on the anterior of the animal. This is why these
tubes rise to the water surface firstly prior to skin change. During the three or four days
long pupal stage, no feeding takes place.

Now, the gnat within the pupa cocoon is mature enough and has taken its final
form. The gnat is ready to fly with all its organs and organelles like antennas, trunks,
feet, chest, wings, abdomen and large eyes.

AMAZING TECHNIQUE OF BLOOD SUCKING

The gnat’s technique of “blood sucking” is unbelievably amazing.After the gnat lands on its target, it first detects a spot by using the two devices around its mouth. The syringe-like sting of the gnat is protected with a special sheath,which is stripped off during the blood sucking process.The gnat does not prick the skin by thrusting its sting into it with pressure as assumed. Here, the duty falls to the upper jaw that is as sharp as a knife, and the mandible on which there are teeth bent backwards. The mandible is moved forwards and backwards like a saw and the skin is cut with the help of the upper jaws. When the sting inserted through this cleavage on the skin reach to the blood vessel, the drilling ends.

Now it’s the time for the animal to suck blood.However, as known, in the slightest harm made to the vessels, the human body secretes an enzyme that clots the blood and stops its shedding. This should be a great problem for the gnat, because the body would also react to the tiny hole opened by the
gnat, therefore, the blood would be clotted and reparation would start. This means that the animal would not be able to suck any blood.But the problem is specially eliminated for the gnat. Before the animal starts sucking blood, it leaves a special liquid secreted in its body into the cleavage opened in
the human vessel. This liquid neutralizes the enzyme that provides for the clotting of the
blood. This liquid which prevents clotting causes the itching and swelling of the spot bitten by the gnat.

This is surely an extraordinary process and it brings the following questions to the mind.

1. How does the gnat know that there is a clotting enzyme in the human body?
2. In order to produce a neutralizing secretion in its own body against that enzyme,it needs to know the chemical of the enzyme. How can this be possible?
3. Even if it somehow attains such a knowledge (!), how come can it produce such asecretion in its own body and constitute the “technical rigging” needed to transfer it toits sting?

The answer is obvious; it is not possible for the gnat to perform any of those above.It neither has the required wisdom, or the chemical knowledge, or the “laboratory”environment to produce the secretion. What we talk about is only a gnat of several millimeters without any wisdom or consciousness, that’s all!

It is quite clear that it is Allah, “Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and of all that

is between them”, who has created both the gnat and the man, and donated the gnat with
such extraordinary and marvelous features.

“Whatever is in the heavens and on earth, let it declare the Praises and Glory of
Allah: for He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. To Him belongs the dominion of the
heavens and the earth: It is He Who gives Life and Death; and He has Power over all
things.”(Qur’an, 57: 1-2)

The gnat starts to fly with special sensing systems at its disposal to detect the place of its prey. With these systems, it resembles a warplane loaded with detectors of heat,gas, dampness and odor. It even has an ability to “see in conformity with the temperature” that helps it find its prey even in pitch dark.

From the book (Quran and science by Mlivo)