Quranic botanical garden in Sharjah and Doha have Lucknow connection

Plants mentioned in the Quran have assumed much importance in the recent past because of keen interest shown by Islamic countries and proposed Quranic Botanical Gardens by the Unesco.

The holy book specifically mentions date palm, which is known as khajur in India. It is mentioned 20 times in Quran as ‘tree of life’ due to its various qualities - food, shelter, fuel and clothing. Olive or zaitun also finds mention in Quran due to its medicinal values. Other plants mentioned in Quran are manna, grape, pomegranate, fig, cedar, tamarisk, tooth brush tree, heena, ginger, lentil, onion, garlic, cucumber, acacia, gourd, mustard, sweet basil, euphorbia, bitter thorn and blessed tree among others.

Many Arab nations have proposed to set up gardens having plants specifically mentioned in Quran.

However, two West Asian cities -- Sharjah and Doha - have taken the lead in setting up the Quranic Botanical Gardens. These gardens have a Lucknow connection, as these two cities are setting up the gardens with guidance from two books written by former deputy director of National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, Dr Mohammad Iqtedar Husain Farooqi.

Speaking to HT here, Farooqi said the gardens would have 22 plants mentioned in the Quran.

Farooqi, a renowned expert on Quranic and prophetic plants, has penned 26 books, including two books based on plants mentioned in the Quran -- Plants of Quran and Medicinal Plants in the traditions of Prophet Mohammad. The 79-year-old plant chemist, who has dedicated his professional life to study of plants and their uses, said he had chemically screened more than 1,000 plant species.

Based on Farooqi’s research, Unesco had approved a project for establishment of Quranic Botanical Gardens in Islamic countries in general, and West Asia in particular. Sharjah, the third largest and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar’s capital Doha took the lead in establishing the gardens.

Officials connected with the Sharjah and Doha gardens consulted Farooqi while executing the project.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, ruler of Oman, was so impressed by Farooqi’s research work on preand post-Islamic plants and his two books that he awarded him ` 12 lakh.

“In the Quran, several plants have been mentioned by their specific names, including black cumin, saffron, toothbrush tree, aloe, marjoram, fenugreek, senna and chicory among others,” said Farooqi.

He said that many plants mentioned in the Prophetic traditions were imported by Arab countries from India in the pre-Islamic era.