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Writer's pictureMoneeb Minhas

Plants having feelings, A reconciliation between Science and Prophetic Hadith




The Quran says:


وَٱلنَّجْمُ وَٱلشَّجَرُ يَسْجُدَانِ ٦

And the stars and trees prostrate (to God).

- QURAN 55:6


The Books of Ahadith and Seerah say:


Imam Ali bin Abu Talib (as) reports: "I was coming along with the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) in Mak'kah. No mountain or tree met him but was saying: “As-Salamu Aiaika Ya RasulAllah (peace be on thee, Oh Messenger of Allah ﷺ)"

- SAHIH MUSLIM / MISHKAT.


Narrated Ibn Umar “The Prophet ﷺ used to deliver his khutba (speech) while standing beside a trunk of a date-tree. When he had a pulpit made, he used it instead. The trunk started crying and the Prophet ﷺ went to it, rubbed his hand over it to calm it down”. The Prophet ﷺ said, “It was crying as it missed what it used to hear from the dikhr and knowledge given near it”.

- SAHIH AL BUKHARI


“…During these few years it often happened that after he had left the town and was approaching his hermitage he would hear clearly the words "Peace be on thee, Oh Messenger of God",' and he would turn and look for the speaker but no one was in sight, and it was as if the words had come from a tree or a stone.”

- SEERAH IBN HISHAM


Imam as-Sadiq said that Allah revealed to Prophet Sulaiman (as), “The sign of your death is a carob tree from Jerusalem. One day Sulaiman (as) saw a tree at Jerusalem. He asked the tree, “What is your name.” It said “carob.” After hearing this Sulaiman (as) came to place of his worship…”

QASAS UL AMBIYAH


In the narrations and events described above, from prophetic narrations (Ahadith), it is clear that there is some sort of communication occuring between plants or trees and the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions. We have some narrations where the trees express feelings, emotions and stress, whilst in other narrations they actually communicate with the Messenger (ﷺ). In other narratives and literature we find Prophet Sulaiman (as) also speaking to trees and even animals. In Surah Al-Naml (The Ants) there are many instances where the Prophet Sulaiman (as) communicates with animals and even ants.


Obviously, within the science of religion these events would be considered miracles, so no explanation is required for proving its possibility, giving evidence or explaining the reasoning behind its possibility, as the definition of a miracle is the impossible becoming the possible. Regardless, one may question can plants/trees talk or have feelings and emotions like in the incidents mentioned above. Is this scientifically possible or can it be proven through scientific experimentation?


Recently, there have been some science papers and articles published, which mention that recent science studies show that plants may be able to feel pain, can undergo stress and even have emotions similar to what humans have. The attached video shows a glimpse of this as it experiments two similar plants in different conditions. One plant is constantly surrounded by negative words whilst the other is played positive words over the course of one month…what unearths is phenomenal, as the plant under the “positive words” condition flourishes and grows whilst the other withers and darkens.


Could this be the start of some explanation on the historical events that occurred at the time of the Prophets before us. Could this be the start of some understanding of the language of plants and how they communicate?



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