Surah Al-Baqarah 2:26

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًۭا مَّا بَعُوضَةًۭ فَمَافَوْقَهَا ۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَـٰذَا مَثَلًۭا ۘ يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا ۚ وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ

2:26 Fawq فوق means both greater and smaller (Râghib). Allâh cites the parable of a gnat to point out the weakness of false deities (cf. 22:73; 29:41). Such metaphors and similes express depth of meaning that cannot be adequately expressed otherwise. The symbol of the gnat is used because this insect is considered by the Arabs to be very weak and helpless. The reference to a gnat immediately after the description of Paradise is a figure of speech, comparing the earthly life with what is yet to come. It is also meant to say that the words used for Paradise in the previous verse may be as inadequate and insignificant as a gnat, yet the believers understand them; the more they reflect on this parable, the more they receive Divine light. Disbelievers, on the other hand, lack an understanding of this simile, and, because they do not understand, they find fault.

The expression “Yadzilla bi-hî kathîrah” يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًۭا- “Many does He adjudge to be erring “can also mean that He found them to have gone astray (Kashshaf). The Arabic expression adzalla ni saddîqî means, “my friend pronounced me to be in error” and not that “my friend misguided me or led me astray” (Râghib, Tâj). When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) came to a certain people, he found them to have gone astray (adzallâ-hum); it does not mean that it was he, the Holy Prophet (pbuh), who misguided them. So it is not Allâh Who misleads, but a given human beings nafs al-Ammârah (- the self that incites to evil; cf. 28:15; 6:119).