Category: Quranic Botanic Gardens

Introduction

Botanical gardens refer to locations where endangered plant species are cultivated, protected and preserved for scientific research (Gemici 2184). The Quranic Botanic Garden (GBG) present a new ideology in the realm of botanical gardens, emphasising the importance of plants that the Holy Quran and Hadith mention (QBG – Qur’anic Botanic Garden). Throughout history, botanical gardens have acted as sources of scientific knowledge of different plants. However, the QBG in Qatar presents nature’s cultural, religious, and ethical aspects. In particular, the QBG enhances the knowledge of the importance of plants highlighted in the Islamic texts. Besides, QBG explains the terms relating to the plants and provides ways of preserving them. The following post presents the QBG solves environmental issues relating to non-human life.

A New Form of Botanical Gardens

The QBG promotes the rights of plants, animals, and human beings, unlike other botanical gardens like Jardin des Plantes that showcase imperial power. Historically, the QBG differs from botanical gardens that have existed over the years, most notably the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, France. Jardin des Plantes forms the most famous botanical garden in the world, which developed as scientific study centres. Botanical gardens emerged in Europe in the nineteenth century as an impact of European colonisation (Klemun 2). During this time, these gardens provided scientific knowledge of different groups of plants. Additionally, European exploration in the early nineteenth century led to the acquisition of several groups of plants that never existed in western science (Klemun 2). This further led to the establishment of greenhouses that assisted in the display of large species of plants acquired from different parts of the world. To this end, the Jardin des Plantes in France became a model that unites theoretical and practical, local and international, and certain and uncertain knowledge (Klemun 2).

In contrast to the Jardin des Plantes, the QBG is a new concept of botanical gardens that emerged in Qatar in 2008 to promote and preserve the cultural and religious aspects of various plants mentioned in Islamic texts (QBG – Qur’anic Botanic Garden). The QBG displays plant species native to Qatar and those mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Hadith, such as talcum, figs, pumpkin, and ginger. This affirms the ideology of plants being intrinsic beings created by an Almighty Creator. On the other hand, the Jardin des Plantes showcase invasive plant species, raising the question of what is native and invasive in botanical gardens. According to Ritvo (2017), various aggressive invasives in British and Irish botanical gardens include plant species introduced in the European nations due to political and commercial expansion (173). From this perspective, the plant species in Jardin des Plantes are invasive since the historical context of the botanical garden shows that most plant groups originated from different parts of the world (Klemun 2). On the other hand, nature refers to anything intrinsic, original, and raw rather than cultivated, civilised or refined (Daston 7). The QBG consists of native plant species since it comprises plant groups, which the Hadith and Holy Quran mention. Based on this, the QBG affirms the ideology of plants being intrinsic beings created by God, The Almighty, while also showcasing native plant species based on religious texts.

Concept of Nature & the Display of Non-Human Life

The QBG presents a modern perspective of nature, while the Jardin des Plantes has a traditional view of what is natural. The latter are ecological gardens, which aim to promote natural biodiversity devoid of human intervention. As a result, the public had no access to the Jardin des Plantes from the time of its construction until 1982, after the implementation of various improvements. The botanical gardens consist of seven different open environments artificially established based on the geographical origin of species and ecological affinities of plants. This shows that the Jardin des Plantes promotes the traditional concept of nature that emphasises a distinction between the artificial and natural components of the earth. Aristotle defines specific nature as things that reproduce faithfully (Daston 11). According to this principle, specific nature adopts features of its form. As a result, the botanic garden maintains an environment that enables each plant to reproduce after its form. Therefore, this explains the theory behind the construction of the Jardin des Plantes in a manner that blocks public access. Besides, the botanic gardens provide space for natural biodiversity, which implies that the Jardin des Plantes promotes the ideology of Aristotle about the definition of nature. 

On the other hand, the QBG emphasises the modern conception of nature. Modern philosophy presents nature as materials without human influence but as things that can be preserved against corruption (Ducarme and Couvet 4). Unlike the traditional view of nature presented by Aristotle as something beyond the control of human beings, the modern concept of nature defines it as anything that requires protection and preservation, even if it exists without human intervention. Based on this, QBG provides principles humans can use to maintain and preserve different plant species. For example, the Botanical Museum provides enlightening information, Islamic inscriptions, paintings, and images to give visitors a sense of Arab and Islamic natural history (QBG – Qur’anic Botanic Garden). These museums also display historical items distinguished by four categories:

• Traditional Agricultural
• Food and Beverage Tools
• Cosmo-Medicinal
• Date Palm Tools

Below are a few items displayed in these museums:

The QBG emphasises the intrinsic value of all life, hence eradicating the view of humans as the only essential element of existence. Primarily, there is an interdependent relationship between humans and non-human life. As a result, various ecologists promote the comprehensive ideology that all life forms have intrinsic value and refute views that consider humanity or non-human life as the only essential element of existence (Guha and Nixon 43). Therefore, it is vital to consider the value of both to promote a sustainable environment. In this case, the QBG recognises the spiritual significance of different plant species, forming the basis of the anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric perspectives that the QBG promotes. It unveils plants as unique blessings that God gifted humanity with, thereby respecting the value of different species. Unlike the Jardin des Plantes, the QBG considers the significance of non-human life to humans, enabling the display of plants to encourage the conservation and protection of the environment. This line of thought shows that humanity has the moral obligation to protect non-human life due to its inherent value and impact on human life. In fact, several notable mentions have been made in the Quran urging humanity to protect the Earth:

“And We brought down from the sky blessed water, and produced with it gardens and grain to harvest.”

Surah Qaf: 9

“Eat and drink from God’s provision, and do not corrupt the earth with disobedience.”

Surah Al-Baqarah: 60

“And you see the mountains, and imagine them fixed, yet they pass, as the passing of the clouds—the making of God, who has perfected everything. He is fully Informed of what you do.”

Surah An-Naml: 88

“It is He who made the earth manageable for you, so travel its regions, and eat of His provisions. To Him is the Resurgence.“

Surah Al-Mulk: 15

The QBG applies anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric ethics, while the Jardin des Plantes considers only anthropocentric ethics in displaying non-human life. Environment anthropocentric ethics considers how materials and non-human life influence humans, while non-anthropocentric ethics only emphasises the intrinsic value of nature (Guha). Additionally, they highlight the responsibility of humans to the ecosystem and wild species and constitute anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric views (Guha). 

Notably, Jardin des Plantes aims at preserving the biodiversity of plant groups collected from different parts of the world. As a result, the botanic gardens in France display non-human life in ways that promote their intrinsic value. Chaudhuri (2017) argues that all living things have unique intrinsic value, stressing the importance of recognising the intrinsic value of every living thing (147). Based on this concept, the Jardin des Plantes value the biodiversity of different groups of plants, further emphasising the non-anthropocentric values. While the Jardin des Plantes offers these plants representation, their display does not offer the same spiritual value that the QBG portrays.

Contrastingly, the QBG considers the importance of all living things. Primarily, there is an interdependent relationship between humans and non-human life. As a result, various ecologists promote the comprehensive ideology that all life forms have intrinsic value and refute views that consider humanity or non-human life as the only essential element of existence (Guha 74). Therefore, it is vital to consider the value of both to promote a sustainable environment. In this case, the QBG recognises the spiritual significance of different plant species. This forms the basis of the anthropocentric and non-anthropocentric perspectives that QBG promotes. It unveils plants as unique blessings that the Almighty God presented to humans, thereby respecting the value of different species. Unlike the Jardin des Plantes, the QBG considers the significance of non-human life to humans. This enables the botanic gardens to display plants in a manner that encourages the conservation and protection of the environment. This line of thought shows that humanity has the moral obligation to protect non-human life due to its inherent value and impact on human life.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the QBG is a new form of the botanical garden, which provides various solutions to environmental issues relating to non-human life. It promotes the rights of all life, creates awareness of the importance of maintaining a sustainable environment, and ensures the preservation of different groups of plant species. Even though this post presents QBG as a new kind of botanical garden, further research should evaluate whether it is ethical for botanical gardens to display both human and non-human life.

Works Cited

• Chaudhuri, Una. “Interspecies Diplomacy in Anthropocenic Waters: Performing an Ocean-Oriented Ontology.” The Routledge Companion to the Environmental Humanities, by Ursula K. Heise et al., Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2017. 
• Daston, Lorraine. Against Nature. MIT Press, 2019. 
• Ducarme, Frédéric, and Denis Couvet. “What Does ‘Nature’ Mean?” Palgrave Communications, vol. 6, no. 1, 2020. wrlc-gu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com, https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-0390-y. 
• Gemici, Ruhugül Özge Ocak. “Education Function of Botanical Gardens.” World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering, Jan. 2015. www.academia.edu, https://www.academia.edu/32392921/Education_Function_of_Botanical_Gardens. 
• Guha, Ramachandra, and Rob Nixon. “‘Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique’ (1997).” The Future of Nature, Yale University Press, 2013. 
• “Jardin Des Plantes.” University of Montpellier, https://www.umontpellier.fr/en/patrimoine/jardin-des-plantes. Accessed 6 Nov. 2022. 
• Klemun, Marianne. “The Botanical Garden.” EGO(Http://Www.Ieg-Ego.Eu), June 2019, http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/crossroads/knowledge-spaces/marianne-klemun-the-botanical-garden. 
• QBG – Qur’anic Botanic Garden. https://qbg.org.qa/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2022. 
• Ritvo, Harriet. “Invasion/Invasive.” Environmental Humanities, vol. 9, no. 1, May 2017, pp. 171–74. Silverchair, https://doi.org/10.1215/22011919-3829190. “University of Montpellier – Science, Technology, Health, Law, Economics, Management.” University of Montpellier – Science, Technology, Health, Law, Economics, Management, https://www.umontpellier.fr/en/. Accessed 6 Nov. 2022.

Introduction

The Anthropocene is the new geological epoch that has yet to be officially recognised but is now in practice. Its most obvious manifestation, climate change, is the subject of increased scientific understanding, yet neither governments nor individuals are doing much to address it effectively. It is possible that cultural responses to the issue could increase interest in and comprehension of the problem. Clark makes the case that scale effects are becoming increasingly relevant in modern international politics and have substantial ramifications for literary studies. This post will discuss the issue of scale and how it relates to the Quranic Botanical Gardens (QBG).

The Issue of Scale, the Anthropocene, and Climate Change

The difficulty of depicting climate change, one of the Anthropocene’s distinguishing symptoms, is added to the problem of visualising it. Given how widely scattered it is in time and space, it is difficult to understand global warming. As a result, we can never witness all climate change at once; we can only ever see parts of it (Morton 9). The current political structure undermines efforts to manage global climate change because it operates on the incorrect scale by encouraging “the unmolested use of individual property and exploitation of natural resources” (Clark 6). Because of how enormous the scales of climate change are, we can only see and experience the local and temporary manifestations of this vast phenomenon, such as a scorching summer or extended periods of rain. One must look beyond everyday life to understand climate change. In light of this, the QBG launched the Ghars Campaign to increase environmental consciousness and the significance of green conservation projects within Qatar and develop an informed, responsible, and globally aware community.

As in modern political governance, the text is viewed as “an arena for the contestation of individual or collective interests, rights or identity claims” (Clark 8). To avoid this approach to literary criticism, we must be creative to appropriately convey climate change in a way readers find engaging due to its enormous spatial and temporal scales. The question is, do art, literature, and science fields reach a point of no return in the Anthropocene, where human consciousness and creativity cannot go any further? It is still evident that representational and narrative difficulties confront writers, artists, and scientists who try to capture the slow horror of climate change in engaging stories (Nixon 1). Therefore, to adapt to the appropriate scale, we must plot and give figurative structure to formless threats whose lethal ramifications are distributed over space-time (Morton 10). To this end, the QBG was created to showcase the many plants’ harmony and reflect Islamic art and architecture. Modules of plant components and conventional tools manufactured from plants in the past and may still be used today are also on show in its museum. The symbolic constraints are also severe, necessitating innovative methods of alerting the public to destructive acts that are low in immediate spectacle but high in long-term impacts (Nixon 1). The QBG is home to an information centre that details the plants mentioned in the Holy Quran and Hadith, Islam’s relationship to the environment, morality, and cultural legacy. The Botanical Museum, a part of the Information Center, offers insightful information, Islamic inscriptions, paintings, and pictures so that visitors can obtain a sense of natural Arab and Islamic history while realising the urgency of responding to the effects of climate change.

Works Cited

• Clark Timothy. “Scale: Derangements of scale.” Telemorphosis: Theory in the Era of Climate Change, Vol. 1, 2012, pp. 1-22.
• Morton, Timothy. “Hyperobjects: Philosophy and ecology after the end of the world.” Minnesota Press, 2013.
• Nixon, Rob. “Slow violence and environmental storytelling.” Nieman Storyboard, 2011.
• “Our Plants.” QBG, qbg.org.qa/plants.

Introduction

Humans do not always have the fairest interaction with the natural world. The complexity of ecological inquiry compels us to probe this unequal partnership. A question arises; should we give all living and non-living creatures the same value regardless of their utility to people, or should we prioritise the needs of human beings above all others? Using a deep ecologist perspective and the QBG as evidence, I argue that the former is correct.

Deep Ecology: Two Perspectives

When it comes to how people interact with the natural world, “deep ecology” advocates for a paradigm shift; people are just as crucial to deep ecologists as any other component of nature (Botar and Wünsche 15). Critics of deep ecology say it is unfair to focus on protecting the wild when so much of the developing world needs development (Guha 75). Guha (75), for instance, contends that the natural riches of the agrarian society are being lost to the wealthy due to deep ecology’s efforts to protect the wild. However, such attitudes would be unfortunate to undermine the many conservation groups working together, especially in light of climate change. To appreciate nature, one must look beyond its potential benefits to humanity. Humans are responsible for aiding in nature’s preservation, not the other way around. The QBG accomplishes this through its initiative to identify and catalogue the many plants and botanical words referenced in the Holy Quran and Hadith. Plants referenced in the Quran and Hadith have been compiled into a single volume as part of the Garden’s mission to protect nature.

Additionally, there is strong opposition to deforestation among deep ecologists because it is typically done for economic benefit. Deep ecologists believe society should be structured to prevent corporations from destroying entire ecosystems for profit (Talukder 9). Using philosophical and ecological lenses, Naess explores how anthropocentric attitudes, such as our drive for consumerism and materialism, negatively impact the environment. With the expansion of subsistence farming in the forests of the Third World providing neither aid to the poor nor protection from the forests’ destruction, he asks, “Is consumerism progress?” (Naess 253). Deep ecology rejects the anthropocentric view, which holds that humans are at the centre of all that is meaningful and that other flora and fauna only have value while they are valuable to us (Nations 79). “Subsistence farming” adds to consumerism since no foods or things would need to be imported from abroad in a living economy built on deep ecology. As a result of not being able to grow all of their food, subsistence farmers must import some items, which is neither a sustainable method nor one that fosters a close relationship with the land.

Therefore, Naess defends nature for its own sake. The biocentric perspective, which suggests this idea, argues that the non-human world is just as essential to humans as the human world is (Botar and Wünsche 15). We cannot accept our place in this vital connection if we shut ourselves off from it. Thus, to encourage a spiritual bond between humans and the natural world, deep ecology draws on Eastern religious traditions that offer explanations for this bond (Naess 254). There are two primary ways in which the QBG supports biocentrism. First, the Garden performs a crucial role in protecting the environment by preventing harm to the many species of plants collected from all corners of the globe. Secondly, the Garden’s educational programmes run all year long, promoting a sense of civic responsibility and reverence for the environment, highlighting the need for tree planting, and helping to preserve Qatar’s flora and fauna.

Works Cited

• Arne Naess, “The Third World, Wilderness, and Deep Ecology” (1995)
• Botar Oliver A. I and Wünsche Isabel. “Biocentrism and modernism.” Ashgate, 2011.
• Nations, James D. “Deep ecology meets the developing world.” National Academy Press, 1988.
• “Our Plants.” QBG, qbg.org.qa/plants.
• Ramachandra Guha, “Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Critique” (1989)
• Talukder Munir Hossain. “Nature and life: Essays on deep ecology and applied ethics.” Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2018.

Botanical Gardens Throughout History

The mission of the Western and European botanical gardens is to increase people’s understanding of the intrinsic values of plants. It has done this through developing educational programs, the exhibition and interpretation of collections, and conducting relevant research (Rakow and Lee 269). Cohen and Foote (162) stated that much of the nineteenth century saw significant European botanical gardens gathering specimens from colonies and displaying them as indicators of the scope of their imperial power and advancing their goals.

In contrast to imperialist gardens that served colonial purposes, the Quranic Botanic Garden (QBG) in Qatar is the first of its kind in the world. Its promotion and safeguarding of the natural, cultural, and spiritual legacy of Islam and Arab states in a broader global context has provided creative opportunities for learning and exploration and is an overall innovative use of botanical gardens. The primary emphasis of the Garden is to explore the traditional uses of plants, their purposes in human existence, and long-term, sustainable methods of employing such plants, all with the overarching goal of reviving the cultural tradition. The Garden seeks to amass examples of these cultural artefacts from around the globe so they may be displayed at the local Botanical Museum.

It is important to note that one of the primary missions of the QBG is to identify and catalogue the various plants and botanical terms mentioned in the Holy Quran and Hadith. This is crucial to conserving Islamic culture and plants because despite their presence in the Quran and other Islamic scriptures, many Muslims, even self-proclaimed religious experts, are unfamiliar with their significance (Zeerak 108). Therefore, classification is an essential part of the study of their biodiversity.

Datson’s Against Nature

Various scholars have presented their theories and definitions of ‘nature’; the most common is ascribed as the essence of a thing or everything in the universe. The definition of nature has resulted in the derivative the “natural”. However, in defining nature, Daston (6) chooses to define it in the context of ‘specific nature’ and ‘local nature’. Specific natures embrace the characteristic forms of things, their properties, and their tendencies (Datson 7), while local natures “are about the power of place” (Datson 15).

Daston invokes the human sensorium, or our ability to sense the “surface of things” (Datson 59). She refutes the concept that drawing standards from nature lead to a conservative interpretation of norms: rules that are permanent rather than flexible, transcendental rather than customary, and universal rather than situational. The views propagated by Daston are different from those of the QBG in the sense that the Garden promotes an essential Islamic worldview, promoting awareness of the Creator and the created through environment and conservational means. However, the garden promotes the idea that humans can articulate and support moral norms concerning nature. The ‘natural’ anticipated in the QBG is one in which humans can interact and derive moral values, which is against what Daston contends. Daston admits that we may define and maintain our moral principles without referring to nature since alternate order instances exist within human civilisation, such as mathematics, technology, or the arts. This implies that to Daston, ‘natural’ is intractable and cannot be changed and that defying nature could result in failure. Therefore, the QBG defies nature from the religious perspective as it goes against Daston’s argument.

Works Cited

• Cohen, Jeffrey and Foote Stephanie. “The Cambridge companion to environmental humanities.” Cambridge University Press, 2021, https://www.cambridge.org//academic/subjects/literature/literary-theory/cambridge-companion-environmental-humanities?format=HB&isbn=9781316510681
• Daston Lorraine. “Against Nature.” MIT Press, 2019.
• Rakow Donald A. and Lee Sharon A. “Western botanical gardens: History and evolution.” Horticultural Reviews, vol. 43, no. 1, 2015, pp. 269.
• Sessions George. “The third world, wilderness, and deep ecology.” Deep Ecology for the 21st Century: Readings on the Philosophy and Practices of the New Environmentalism, 1995.
• Zeerak Nazir Ahmed. “The Qur-ānic plants and animals.” New India Publishing Agency, 2015.

Along the paths of Education City’s Oxygen Park lays the Quranic Botanic Gardens (QBG), home to a generous display of plants and vegetation mentioned in the Holy Quran and those native to Qatar. Operating since September 2008, the Garden currently holds sixty plant species, twenty of which are referenced from the Holy Quran (Elgharib and Saleh 59). This number is expected to increase to include plants mentioned in the Hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (par. 4) identifies five primary functions of the QBG:

1. The Garden has a vital role in the environment since it seeks to protect the variety of plants gathered from all over the world from any potential risks they might face.
2. The Garden’s year-round educational activities aim to instil a sense of civic duty and reverence for the natural world, highlight the importance of tree-planting, and aid in protecting Qatar’s flora and fauna.
3. The Garden serves a scientific function by providing a place to study the plants from horticulture, conservation, biotechnology, medicine, and socioeconomics perspectives.
4. QBG aims to play a cultural role by reviving long-lost customs. The Garden highlights traditional plant usage, the value of plants in human society, and the long-term viability of various plant-based practices.
5. The QBG serves as a recreational hub for locals and visitors alike, intending to become a primary destination for families to spend quality time together and gain knowledge through participation in various events.

An unprecedented pace of plant diversity loss is currently occurring, which harms ecosystems. Due to several destructive practices, such as overharvesting and overexploitation, environmental pollution, destructive agricultural and forestry practices, urbanisation, global climate change, land-use changes, exotic invasive species, and others, about one-third of the world’s vascular plant species are in danger of going extinct (Chen and Sun 184). As Heywood (309) explains, it is therefore essential to develop integrated conservation strategies like the QBG that focus their resources on plant research and preservation and educate the public about the diversity of plant species found worldwide.

Botanical gardens, like the QBG, have a unique role in promoting public awareness of climate change and environmental conservation. They offer resources such as a variety of plant species flourishing in their native habitats, historical records, and knowledgeable personnel, and they draw a lot of volunteers and tourists (Cannon and Kua 334). However, is engaging the public in sustainability through interactive instruction in a botanical garden a useful educational model? Additionally, it is now commonly acknowledged that humans have evolved into a geomorphic force altering all of Earth’s biogeochemical processes at a biospheric scale. Does the word “nature” continue to have a semantic significance as a primary signifier in both expert and lay discourse if this is the case for the QBG? Why do many of the world’s top academic institutions and educators insist that comprehending earth systems and cutting-edge technologies, as well as the cultural aspects of society like the religious and philosophical traditions that brought us to this point in history, will be necessary to address the environmental and social challenges we face in the future? Lastly, some experts contend that we are currently experiencing a fresh round of mass extinction brought on by human activity, endangering the planet’s biological diversity and causing various ecological disasters. How can research on non-human species in places like the QBG influence how people react to these potential dangers?