As I tried to get rid of ants in my house, I tried dozens of ways to get them out. One of my friends suggested using insect repellent spray to get rid of them, but I couldn’t. I then had to explain why.
In our culture, mainly in Islamic culture, there are things that we behave toward in a more sensible way.
One of them, for example, is bread.
Bread is considered to be nearly sacred in our culture. If you see a piece of bread on the ground, you should pick it up and put it in an appropriate place because bread is a symbol of God’s generosity toward us.
Next, we must mention books. Books are handled differently in our culture. I myself have observed that no matter what kind of book it is or what it contains, especially older people care for and protect them more carefully than you might see in other cultures. I even checked with a totally used course book (that was no longer useful), and they still saved it. My hypothesis is that people’s inner minds relate books in general to the Bible.
Then, there’s water.
You can’t waste water here. There will always be someone to warn you. “Water is a key element of life and a gift from God,” say the elders. You shouldn’t even pour a glass of drinkable water onto the ground. It is considered to be extravagant.
There is also a Turkish saying for someone who spends more money or something than they usually earn: “SU GİBİ AKITMAK,” which means “to waste like water.”
Then I remember the notion of mother.
In general terms, maternity is considered to be sacred. In a debate, dispute, or fight, cursing someone’s mother is the highest form of insult. You shouldn’t do it.
Yes, it might not be different in other countries, but you will see the strictest version here.
So, coming back to the ants.
Not only in Turkey but in Islamic culture, ants are considered to be a symbol of hard work and blessings. There is even a prayer named “Ant Prayer.”
People put an Ant Pray paper in their homes, markets, and stores to gain a more lawful (halal) way and abundant income.
