WHEN A TREE DIES
Narrated by Anas bin Malik:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”
[Bukhari 2320]
All things come to an end but sometimes the end is the very beginning.
The end of life — a phase and we move on to the next — death.
In our graves, how we lived is all that matters. Every single act comes to play and this shows the importance of being mindful of everything we do.
In Islam, some of our deeds can continually be a source of reward even after death, and it’s called Sadaqah Jariyah which means a recurring source of reward. One of such acts is planting trees with the intention of seeking reward from Almighty Allah.
There’s a Yoruba adage that states “Bi ina ba ku, afi eru boju, bi ogede ba ku afi omo re ropo” that is “when fire dies, it is survived by ash, when banana plant dies, it replaces itself with its sucker”.
The banana part struck a chord because I love bananas, especially when I have groundnut to complement it. I prefer it over boli (roasted plantain) but we’re not going to delve into my food tastes here.
Well, that adage goes in line with how planting a tree can lead to recurring rewards. You know, if you were to plant a banana tree which never dies, humans and animals would benefit from it forever.
But then, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not specify the type of tree to plant as reported, and what if someone uproots the banana tree — taking away the omo that is supposed to continue the cycle.
What happens then; tree gone, reward over?
Not at all, think about weeds. The plants that manage to flourish even in unfavourable weather conditions, and without tending to them they have flamboyant and succulent leaves.
Weeds are plants that you have not cultivated but somehow find their way, from God knows where, into gardens or farms. They might have been brought by the wind or birds or even humans.
With this in mind, assume that you have planted a pawpaw tree. After two to three years of labour in the sun tapping the rays and taking in water from the rain, it starts to bear fruits.
If you are early enough, you get to pick the first fruit from the tree. You eat from it, you share with your neighbors, friends visit and you gift them.
When you eat and dispose the seeds, what happens? A number of the seeds would start a new cycle.
Also, a visitor you’ve gifted takes it home and does the same. Now, another pawpaw tree is growing somewhere away from your home because you chose to plant one pawpaw tree.
Or in a case where you do not get to the fruits fast enough, you find out birds have taken bites from some fruits.
Birds don’t care so much about finishing, they want to taste as much as they can. In the process of pecking, some seeds fall — into the soil.
And after much persuasion from the wind and rain, the pecked fruits rot and go into the soil to start another cycle.
Also, a nursing bird might keep a few bites in its mouth, to feed its young ones. Some seeds might have gone with it and as it lands on its nest some seeds fall — into the soil and another cycle begins.
So, you see for everything Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) does or says, there is always a reason. It’s either you know or you do not know.
We are humans and we’ve been blessed with intellect to understand the reasons for some of it, and it’s beneficial to inculcate the manners of the Prophet and heed his advice.
So, go plant a tree. It would be helpful for your Afterlife bi idhnillah and it’s certainly nature friendly.
One more thing. If you find this article helpful, kindly share with others to benefit them too.
