Why Cutting or Burning a Tree Is More Than 'Just a Tree' — The Islamic Ruling Explained

What does Islam say about breaking, burning or uprooting trees? Read on to learn more.

To encourage the cultivation and use of the land for human benefit, tree-planting carries great importance in Islam. The Prophet is reported to have said: “If the Hour is established and one of you has a sapling in his hand, and he is able to postpone the Hour until he plants it, let him plant it.”

1. In the Qur’an, the Creator presents the earth as the origin and source of creation, and assigns to it the task of being cultivated and brought to life.

This does not conflict with other Qur’anic verses that describe the creation of humans from clay — because clay in its various forms (dry clay, pottery-like clay, black clay like mud) are all material elements that come from the earth.

2. In one account from the Prophet, two men came before him; one told the other, “Sit, in the name of God and blessing.” The Prophet, understanding the man’s meaning, replied: “Sit on the earth, for it is your origin.”

That man—apparently reluctant to sit directly on the ground—struck his cane on the ground and then sat. The Messenger of God advised: “Do not strike the earth with your cane, for the earth is your mother,” and reminded that the earth had shown much kindness and care to people.

3. Thus, the earth is both our origin, which we must cultivate and civilize, and a kind of mother that has nourished and cared for us; we therefore owe it protection, cleanliness, cultivation and careful stewardship.

Given this, one of the most fitting, beautiful and enduring acts that revive and improve the earth is tree-planting. Below we examine authoritative sayings of the Prophet and the imams—mostly concerned with fruit-bearing trees—and their relevance to planting trees:

The ruling on cutting trees and plants

1- The importance of tree-planting

To develop the land and ensure people benefit from this divine gift, tree-planting is so important that the Prophet said the sapling remark quoted above.

He also said that whoever plants a tree will be recorded a reward equal to the number of fruits that tree produces.

Similarly, he said that whoever plants a tree and patiently tends it until it bears fruit will receive a reward comparable to giving charity, because of the labor, patience and effort involved.

2- Ongoing charity (sadaqah jariyah)

Charity that yields lasting benefit is called sadaqah jariyah. Some acts whose benefits persist and help many over time are described as such.

Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari reports that once the Prophet entered the garden of Umm Ma‘bad Khuzaiyya and asked who had planted the date palms; when told a Muslim had planted them, the Prophet said: “There is no Muslim who plants a tree, hoping that humans, animals or birds will eat from it, except that God will record for him charity until the Day of Resurrection.”

3- Watering

Watering a tree is a natural, innate and rational duty, enabling it to live, grow and provide benefit.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) in his initial teaching sessions to Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar al-Ju‘fi highlighted the legal and moral relationship between humans and trees, saying: “God created trees for man, and charged him with planting them, watering them, and caring for them...”

A historical account recounts that when Imam Jawad (a.s.) returned from Baghdad to Medina with his wife Umm al-Fadl and a group of people, they stopped near Dar Musayyib at sunset to pray. Someone informed the imam that a sidr (ziziphus) tree in the mosque courtyard had dried up. The imam sought a water jar, performed ablution by its root, and the tree was restored to life and then bore fruit that those present enjoyed. Beyond the miraculous aspect, the action demonstrates the duty of responsibility toward trees.

Imam Sadiq also is quoted: “Whoever waters a talha (banana) or sidr (ziziphus) tree, it is as if he has quenched a thirsty believer.” Although the narration mentions banana and sidr specifically, other texts and reason suggest that watering other trees also carries merit—especially when there is an active commitment. Conversely, neglect that leads to forest drying calls for regret and remedial action.

Do such warnings feel distant when officials say, “Over the past 40 years, pressure on natural resources has led to 50–60 thousand hectares of Zagros forest drying each year”? Such statements should provoke concern.

Having discussed the virtue and necessity of planting and caring for trees, it is fitting to consider the harms and damages that threaten these vital elements.

1- Breaking a tree branch

Breaking a tree branch is a blameworthy act that harms the tree and is morally censured by reasonable people—unless there is a rational reason such as preventing harm or some legitimate purpose.

Damaging a tree or spoiling its beauty is, for the believer who is ethically minded, an injustice against a living thing that has the right to life. A historical anecdote illustrates this moral sensitivity:

A Muslim washing his clothes in the desert wanted to hang them to dry; his companion suggested nailing them to a garden wall. He refused, saying you should not hammer a nail into someone’s wall. The companion then proposed hanging the clothes on a tree branch; the man replied that would break the branch. They instead spread the clothes on desert bushes to dry.

The jurist and moral scholar Mullā Muhammad Mahdī Narāqī (d. 1209 AH) wrote: “Whoever breaks a branch of a tree without necessary need and without a proper purpose has shown ingratitude to God’s blessing in creating trees and the human hand.”

2- Burning

Burning a tree is sinful and prohibited if the tree belongs to an individual or if it was planted and maintained with public funds (bayt al-mal), and the act is done intentionally out of spite or material gain—such an offender bears sin and liability. Even when burning occurs through negligence or carelessness, the offender remains liable and subject to punishment under applicable rules, to prevent repetition of crimes that harm the environment and human rights.

A narration from Imam Ali notes the Prophet’s prohibition against cutting or burning fruit trees. Although contexts differ—some narrations relate to wartime conduct—the principle can be applied by analogy: indiscriminate or irrational uprooting or burning of trees planted with public expense or for communal benefit should be treated as prohibited.

3- Uprooting trees

There are narrations that discourage uprooting and removing trees. Summarized examples and commentary follow.

a) ‘Ammar ibn Musa asked Imam Sadiq about uprooting a date palm; the imam answered that it is disliked (makruh). When asked about uprooting “a tree” the reply was that there was no problem; when asked about uprooting the sidr (ziziphus) tree, the imam said there was no objection. Uprooting sidr in the desert is not permissible because it is rare there, though in the town it may be less problematic.

b) Another narration quotes Imam Sadiq: “Do not cut off the fruit, lest God send torment upon you.” From these narrations one can conclude:

1. The examples (date, sidr) reflect the everyday concerns of that society; other trees that are vital to people’s lives would be covered by the same rulings.

2. Considering food needs, environmental health and air pollution reduction, uprooting fruit trees is particularly blameworthy, and cutting other useful trees carries comparable fault.

   

What is the ruling on cutting trees?

Imam Baqir said: “God has angels charged with the plants of the earth — with the trees and palms — and there is not a tree nor a palm that does not have a guardian angel appointed by God to protect it and what is in it...” (paraphrased)

Commentary on this narration notes:

1. The statement primarily concerns the sidr (ziziphus) and date palms, though it may extend to other fruit trees.

2. Although trees may have divine protection in the narration, this cannot be read as making them immune to human destructive forces; protection does not remove the reality of human harm.

3. Fruit trees can be preserved by care; conversely, when those responsible withhold water and maintenance, even trees planted for greening may wither.

An example is the afforestation project “from shrine to shrine” (from the shrine of Abd al-Azim in Tehran to the shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qom) begun in 1984 (1363 SH). Although appropriate species were planted based on land studies, lack of sustained commitment and funding led to decline. By contrast, tree planting in the arid plain of Arafat, with irrigation and protection, has produced visible greening.

Punishment for cutting trees

Now that the head of the Green Mountain Association says: “With cooperation from environmental NGOs and some government departments we intend to plant 200 million trees annually, so that over five years Iranians will plant one billion trees,” it is hoped that these pledges will be implemented. If so, everyone—urban and rural, young and old—should take responsibility to protect existing and newly planted trees and refrain from acts that cause their drying and destruction.

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