MISUNDERSTANDING
In hot regions, a particular kind of insect is found. It is commonly called the praying mantis, but more accurately it should be called the preying mantis, because it feeds by hunting other insects.
Around one thousand types of mantis have been discovered worldwide. They range in length from one inch to seven inches. Their colours vary according to their environment—for example, brown, red, or green.
Once, a man made a small kitchen garden on open land near his house. In small plots, he planted coriander, chilies, eggplant and tomatoes. When the plants grew and became lush, one day he noticed two large, double-coloured insects in one of the beds. He feared they would eat and damage his vegetables. At once, he caught both insects and killed them.
That evening, a friend came to visit him. He was a botany teacher at the local college. The man proudly told him, “Today two big insects entered my kitchen garden. They wanted to eat my vegetables, but before they could do any damage, I killed them.”
He described the incident in such a way that his friend became curious about what the new insects might be. He asked, “Are the dead insects still there? Let me see them.” The man then showed both insects to his friend. After looking at them, the friend said, “You acted very foolishly. Don’t you know, this is a mantis? And a mantis is not a plant-eating insect—it is well known as a carnivorous insect. It had come here by nature’s arrangement to help you. It was against its nature to eat any vegetables. It would not have harmed your plants at all. Instead, it only eats those insects that damage your vegetables, insects that are otherwise very difficult for you to eliminate. How unwise you were—you did not understand what was good or bad for you. You killed a valuable watchman of your garden.”
Hearing these words from his friend, the man was left speechless. He deeply regretted what he had done. He became so upset that he fell ill and was unable to work for several days.
This example shows how misunderstanding can lead a person into serious mistakes. At times, a misunderstanding may even drive someone to take another person’s life, though that person may be completely innocent. One may go to the extent of insulting another, when in fact that individual deserves the highest respect.
That is why Islamic law instructs us to investigate fully before forming an opinion or taking any action against someone. Do not make the mistake of hearing a report and immediately believing it, then acting against someone based on it. It could turn out, once investigated, that the report you heard was completely false and baseless:
“Believers, if an evil-doer brings you news, ascertain the correctness of the report fully, lest you unwittingly harm others, and then regret what you have done.” (49:6)
Avoiding the harm of false reports is simple—do not believe anything until you have confirmed it through reliable, direct sources.
