on This Earth

Ramadhan in the Hijri Year (the Islamic calendar) of 1446 started on 1st March 2025. As part of my routine during Ramadhan, I usually do a study of one of the chapters in the Qur’an. This year, with the blog, I intend to do a reflection of natural phenomena related to certain Qur’anic concepts. To frame it within the context of the key principles of:

• being still/silent
• observe
• reflect
• practice

this series will focus on the third key principle and give ideas on the fourth. If you would like to know more about the key principles, please click this link. If you want to see an example of how the key principles are applied, please click this link

Seed

The humble seed comes in many colours, shapes and sizes. From single large round ones of the avocado to the numerous flat ones of the pumpkin. Squishy ones of the papaya to the hard pit of the dates. The common factor between them is the potential they have within them to grow and produce yield that benefits others.

Manifestation of Love

If Love was a seed,
O My One and Only Friend, let it nestle deep within my soul.
Shine the light of faith on it, Beloved.
As flawed as my obedience is, 
Let it be enough to protect that beautiful seed.
Let my sincere tears of longing be the river beneath it.
And my inadequate good actions fertilise it.
O My Friend, grow it for me into a mighty tree
Under whose shade weary travellers rest.
And bears the sweet fruits of Mercy
Whose juice quenches their thirst.
That they might replenish for their journey back to You.
For only You have the power to let love take root in my soul

While the poem refers to love as a metaphorical seed, a seed is a physical manifestation of love. The love of the plant in pouring its care and energy to producing the fruit. The love of the fruit that encase the seed to keep safe. And all of these made possible by the love of the Creator. The Fashioner who perfected each seed in its form and imbued in it its full potential.

Similarly, God, the Fashioner, has perfected for us our forms as in Surah Al-Mu’minin 23:12-14

وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ۬ مِّن طِينٍ۬ (١٢) 

ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَـٰهُ نُطۡفَةً۬ فِى قَرَارٍ۬ مَّكِينٍ۬ (١٣) 

ثُمَّ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلنُّطۡفَةَ عَلَقَةً۬ فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡعَلَقَةَ مُضۡغَةً۬ فَخَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡمُضۡغَةَ عِظَـٰمً۬ا فَكَسَوۡنَا ٱلۡعِظَـٰمَ لَحۡمً۬ا ثُمَّ أَنشَأۡنَـٰهُ خَلۡقًا ءَاخَرَ‌ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحۡسَنُ ٱلۡخَـٰلِقِينَ (١٤)

NOW, INDEED, We create man out of the essence of clay, (12)  and then We cause him to remain as a drop of sperm in [the wombs] firm keeping, (13)  and then We create out of the drop of sperm a germ-cell, and then We create out of the germ-cell an embryonic lump, and then We create within the embryonic lump bones, and then We clothe the bones with flesh – and then We bring [all] this into being as a new creation: hallowed, therefore, is God, the best of artisans! (14)

Conditions for Germination

As a gardener, I’ve planted many a seed over the years. Some successfully germinate while others just rot away. What factors contribute to a successful germination?

The main ones are:

• darkness or light
• soil
• moisture/water
• oxygen
• correct temperature

One of my earliest memory of seed germination is that of the coconut. The coconut floats miles away from its parent tree in the water. Then it get deposited onto a sandy soil where it starts to sprout its green shoot. Others, like the pine cones or the acorn, sprout close to their parent trees. Depending on the right conditions, the seed will start to germinate. But the seedling need to break free from its container. This is the ‘make-or-break’ time for the transition from a seed to a seedling.

Unlike the gardener who sometimes get the conditions wrong, God never makes such mistake. As He said in Surah Al-An’am 6:95

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ فَالِقُ ٱلۡحَبِّ وَٱلنَّوَىٰ‌ۖ يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡحَىَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ وَمُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَيِّتِ مِنَ ٱلۡحَىِّ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُؤۡفَكُونَ (٩٥)

It is Allah Who causeth the seed-grain and the date-stone to split and sprout. He causeth the living to issue from the dead, and He is the one to cause the dead to issue from the living. That is Allah; then how are ye deluded away from the truth? (95)

Similarly, He has placed us in the right circumstances for our full potential. It is up to us, like the seedling, to ‘break free’ of our own self-imposed limitations and realise that potential. That can only happen when we fully submit to God’s will. Just as He created and put us in the right circumstances, He guides us to be the best version of ourselves.

As He stated in Surah At-Tin 95:4-6,

 لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِىٓ أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِيمٍ۬ (٤) 

ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَـٰهُ أَسۡفَلَ سَـٰفِلِينَ (٥) 

إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَيۡرُ مَمۡنُونٍ۬ (٦)

Verily, We create man in the best conformation; (4) and thereafter We reduce him to the lowest of low. (5) excepting only such as attain to faith and do good works: and theirs shall be a reward unending! (6)

the ones who submit to Him and do good are those who achieve their full potential. Making a moral/ethical stance, standing for justice and restoring due balance. All these fall under the category of doing good.

Realising Our Potential

Once the seedling is out, it depends on the right amount of nourishment, sunlight, water, and companionship to grow. But not all seedlings survive. A healthy seedling will grow strong, firmly rooted, and bearing fruit. It will realise its full potential. A sickly seedling is not firmly rooted and unable to derive the necessary nutrients to grow. As God reminds us of the parable of the ‘good and bad tree’ in Surah Ibrahim 14:24-27

 

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلاً۬ كَلِمَةً۬ طَيِّبَةً۬ كَشَجَرَةٍ۬ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصۡلُهَا ثَابِتٌ۬ وَفَرۡعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ (٢٤) 

تُؤۡتِىٓ أُڪُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينِۭ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهَا‌ۗ وَيَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَذَڪَّرُونَ (٢٥) 

وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ۬ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ ٱجۡتُثَّتۡ مِن فَوۡقِ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ۬ (٢٦)

يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِٱلۡقَوۡلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ‌ۚ وَيَفۡعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ (٢٧)

ART THOU NOT aware how God sets forth the parable of a good word? [It is] like a good tree, firmly rooted, [reaching out] with its branches towards the sky. (24) Yielding its fruit at all times by its Sustainer’s leave. And [thus it is that] God propounds parables unto men,’ so that they might bethink themselves [of the truth]. (25) And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up [from its roots] onto the face of the earth, wholly unable to endure. (26) [Thus,] God grants firmness unto those who have attained to faith through the word that is unshakably true in the life of this world as well as in the life to come. But the wrongdoers He lets go astray: for God does whatever He wills. (27)

The parable alludes to the good word, i.e. the words of truth – the Qur’an. For us to reach our potential and be like the good tree, we must embody the Qur’an. To be a walking Qur’an just as the Prophet s.a.w. was described. We must stand as the criteria by which truth is distinct from falsehood. We must establish justice and uphold the balance. Only then will our deeds bear fruit in abundance as He promised in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:261

 

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُمۡ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِى كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٍ۬ مِّاْئَةُ حَبَّةٍ۬‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَـٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٲسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ (٢٦١)

THE PARABLE of those who spend their possessions for the sake of God is that of a grain out of which grow seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains. For God grants manifold increase unto whom He wills; and God is infinite, all-knowing. (261)