The importance of planting trees in Islam, By Murtadha Gusau

…that is the season for planting bushes. Let every of us contribute by planting bushes of every kind and taking care to guard them from harm. This can make sure that our land stays inexperienced and our gardens flourish. Our land is blessed by its location, its individuals, its local weather, and its atmosphere. It’s the place righteous individuals lives. Thus, it deserves to be lush and vibrant, offering sustenance and wonder for future generations.

Within the title of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy

All reward is because of Allah, Lord of all of the worlds. Could His blessings and benedictions be upon the Messenger, his family and companions.

Expensive brothers and sisters! Allah The Almighty has made the life of individuals on earth depending on crops. Crops draw nourishment from the earth, whereas people and animals rely on crops for his or her sustenance. In flip, people additionally derive nourishment from sure animals. Nevertheless, people can’t straight derive nourishment from the earth itself. The place there’s a lack of cultivation and bushes, life ceases to exist.

Subsequently, out of His mercy, Allah The Almighty prompted crops and bushes to develop, making this earth appropriate for human life. Allah The Most Excessive says within the Qur’an:

“It’s He who sends down water from the sky for you, from it comes your drink, and from it comes foliage the place you pasture your animals. With it, He grows for you crops, olives, date palms, vines, and each sort of fruit. Certainly, in that could be a signal for individuals who replicate.” [Surah An-Nahl, 10-11]

Furthermore, it’s not restricted to sustenance alone; Allah has additionally positioned magnificence and variety in crops to boost the lives of individuals. Allah The Almighty says:

“And an indication for them is the useless earth. We gave it life and introduced forth from it grain, and from it, they eat. And We positioned therein gardens of date palms and grapevines and prompted springs to gush forth therein, that they might eat of its fruit. And their palms didn’t make it. Will they not then be grateful? Glory be to Him who created all of the pairs, from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they have no idea.” [Surah Yasin, 33-36]

As well as, within the noble Qur’an, there are quite a few reminders of the blessing of plant and tree development, drawing individuals’s consideration to the significance of this blessing. That is to encourage them to thank Allah for it on the one hand, and to make them realise that their life on earth is just not by probability or chaos however by a clever association from Allah The Almighty. He’s the one who has ready the earth to be appropriate for human life. Allah The Most Excessive says:

“And We have now unfold out the earth, and the way wonderful We’re in spreading it out! And of every thing We have now created pairs that you could be bear in mind.” [Surah Az-Zariyat, 48-49]

Simply as Allah The Almighty has ready the earth, He has additionally outlined the trail to happiness for mankind upon it. Whoever obeys Him will discover happiness, and whoever disobeys Him will endure. Allah The Almighty says:

“Then whoever follows My steering will neither go astray [in the world] nor endure [in the Hereafter]. However whoever turns away from My Reminder will definitely have a depressing life, then We’ll elevate them up blind on the Day of Judgment.” [Surah Taha, 123-124]

Thus, true happiness lies in benefiting from what Allah has created on earth and in obeying Him in how we conduct ourselves upon it.

On one other observe, Allah teaches individuals to protect the plant sources as a result of their lives rely on them. If they permit the desert to devour the greenery, they are going to have doomed their existence on earth.

Subsequently, the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) inspired farming and planting in quite a few Hadiths. Amongst them is his saying:

“There is no such thing as a Muslim who crops a tree or sows seeds, after which a chicken, an individual, or an animal eats from it, however it’s thought to be charity for him.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) additionally stated:

“If the Hour (the Day of Judgment) is about to be established and certainly one of you has a sapling in his hand, if he can plant it earlier than it’s established, then let him achieve this.” [Imam Ahmad and others]

Which means that planting bushes is a righteous deed that displays the appliance of Allah’s knowledge on earth. It’s not merely a industrial endeavour targeted on revenue and its extent.

It goes with out saying that focus to agriculture is an indication of civilisation, reflecting a society’s understanding of Allah’s legal guidelines in His creation and its development within the ladder of human civilisation. We have now seen Muslims of their affluent eras handle bushes, even these that don’t bear fruit, as their shade alone is efficacious through the summer time days, and the birds that perch on them glorify Allah and pray for individuals who supplied them with this comforting shade. Our Islamic poets have typically sing the praises of bushes, their shade, and the birds and their melodies, weaving these themes into their poetry and songs.

The hallmark of a refined particular person is their selflessness moderately than selfishness. Thus, they plant as a result of Allah has commanded them to, to learn His servants, and to characterize the civilisation of their nation and other people. They plant as a result of greenery symbolises life and to learn future generations, whether or not or not they themselves will straight profit from that planting. That is why our righteous ancestors stated:

“They planted, and we ate; we plant, and they’ll eat. Via this, life on Earth continues.”

Imam Ahmad and others narrated that Salman Al-Farisi (might Allah be happy with him) embraced Islam whereas he was a slave. His grasp agreed to grant him freedom if he planted 5 hundred palm bushes, and in the event that they survived, he can be let out. When Salman consulted the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), he authorised of the situation and instructed Salman to arrange the seedlings and dig the mandatory holes. When every thing was prepared, the Prophet himself planted the bushes. The palms thrived, Salman was freed, and he joined the esteemed companions in spreading Islam and serving the Muslim Ummah. You see, the preliminary act of planting these palm bushes led to his freedom and a pivotal function within the Islamic mission. We should always observe the instance of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and fill our lands with blessed bushes that carry pleasure to the hearts, present shade, and nourish future generations.

In Surah Al-Waqi’ah, Allah Describes 4 key components that contribute to life on Earth: the rise of human beings, the expansion of crops, the falling of recent water, and the existence of fireside. All of this is because of Allah’s grace, mercy, and energy, and its continuation additionally depends upon His will and energy.

Concerning the expansion of crops, Allah The Most Excessive says:

“Have you ever seen what you sow? Is it you who make it develop, or are We the Grower? If We willed, We might definitely make it crushed particles, and you’d nonetheless be questioning, ‘Certainly, we’re laden with debt. Moderately, we’ve been disadvantaged.” [Surah Al-Waqi’ah, 63-67]

Subsequently, Expensive brothers and sisters! Observe how the Qur’an guides us to the necessities of human civilisation: humanity, crops, water, and fireplace. This steering directs us to be grateful to Allah and to protect these necessities in order that human life might proceed by His will. It’s as if Allah is telling us that simply as you are taking varied measures to protect your personal life, you must also protect the lifetime of crops by way of agriculture, for you can’t reside on earth with out them.

Certainly, the silent plant speaks to those that are clever, declaring:

“Nothing creates me besides the All-Clever, All-Realizing.”

This displays the essence of our Muslim poet’s contemplative verse on the creation of Allah:

“In each factor, there’s a signal *** That factors to the One, the Distinctive.”

The believer harmonises with the knowledge and energy of Allah on this universe, recognising the wonder and majesty of Allah in all issues. They construct moderately than destroy, plant moderately than reduce down, and glorify Allah with their phrases whereas listening to the glorification of His creation. In distinction, the disbeliever and ingrate, as described by Allah:

“And when he goes away, he strives all through the land to trigger corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allah doesn’t like corruption.” [Surah Al-Baqarah, 205]

When Allah The Almighty entices the believers in direction of Paradise, He describes its gardens, orchards, bushes, crops, rivers, and fruits. He emphasises that the trail to such a reward is thru righteous deeds, fulfilling the rights of Allah by way of obedience, and the rights of others by way of compassion, mercy, and efforts to avoid wasting them from the fireplace of this world and the Hereafter.

Certainly, that is the season for planting bushes. Let every of us contribute by planting bushes of every kind and taking care to guard them from harm. This can make sure that our land stays inexperienced and our gardens flourish. Our land is blessed by its location, its individuals, its local weather, and its atmosphere. It’s the place righteous individuals lives. Thus, it deserves to be lush and vibrant, offering sustenance and wonder for future generations.

All reward is because of Allah, Lord of the worlds. Could the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his household, his Companions and his true followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He may be reached by way of: gusauimam@gmail.com; or +2348038289761.

This Friday sermon (Jumu’ah Khutbah) was ready for supply at present Friday, 22 Rabi’ul Thani, 1446 AH (25 October, 2024).