What is the good word which Allah compared to a tree? And what do they have in common?
ما هي الكلمة الطيبة التي شبهها الله بالشجرة؟ وما وجه الشبه بينها وبين الشجرة؟
The Quran uses the profound metaphor of trees to illustrate the spiritual reality of our beliefs and speech, demonstrating how deep conviction naturally produces visible, beneficial actions.
يستخدم القرآن الاستعارة البليغة للأشجار لتوضيح الحقيقة الروحية لعقائدنا وأقوالنا، مبينا كيف أن اليقين العميق ينتج بطبيعته أفعالا مرئية ونافعة.
The Good Word and The Good Tree | الكلمة الطيبة والشجرة الطيبة
1. The Good Word
The good word is the Shahadah (Saying: There is no deity but Allah) and all the deeds which this entails, such as Thikr, prayers, glorifying Allah, and giving good advice to Muslims and others.
1. الكلمة الطيبة
المراد بالكلمة الطيبة كلمة الشهادة: لا إله إلا الله، والأعمال التي تقتضيها هذه الكلمة، من ذكر لله وصلاة وتسبيح ونصح للمسلمين إلى غير ذلك من الأعمال.
2. The Good Tree
The scholars say that the "good tree" refers to the Palm tree because there is much good in it. This is also because the Prophet pbuh assimilated the believer with a palm tree.
2. الشجرة الطيبة
كشجرة طيبة: يرى العلماء أن المراد بالشجرة الطيبة النخلة، لأنها كثيرة النفع ولأن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم شبه المؤمن بالنخلة.
Points of Comparison | أوجه الشبه
1. Firm Roots and High Branches
"Its root is firm" meaning in the ground, and "its branches reach the sky" meaning the branches are scattered high, and it is always very beneficial. "Yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord" means that the fruits of the tree are beneficial to its owners and those neighboring it at all times.
1. ثبات الأصل وعلو الفرع
"أصلها ثابت": أي في الأرض. "وفرعها في السماء": أي فروعها منتشرة في السماء، وهي كثيرة النفع دائما. "تؤتي أكلها كل حين بإذن ربها": أي أن ثمرة الشجرة الطيبة تنفع أصحابها ومن جاورها في كل آن وحين، وفي كل زمان ومكان.
2. The Tree of Faith in the Heart
This is the same as the tree of faith in the heart of the believer. Its origin is fixed in the heart resulting from one's knowledge and belief. Its branch, which is the outcome of that faith being a good word, a good deed, good morals, and good manners, is always ascending to Allah. As He says: "To Him alone good words ascend, and righteous deeds are raised up by Him". The words and deeds that the tree produces benefit the believer and others benefit from it, exactly like in the advice to Muslims, and like being a good example to others.
2. شجرة الإيمان في القلب
وكذلك شجرة الإيمان في قلب المؤمن، أصلها ثابت في القلب علما واعتقادا. وفرعها الذي هو آثار ذلك الإيمان من كلم طيب وعمل صالح وأخلاق مرضية، وآداب حسنة دائمة الصعود إلى الله كما في قوله: "إليه يصعد الكلم الطيب والعمل الصالح يرفعه". وما تخرجه الشجرة من الأقوال والأعمال ينتفع به المؤمن وينتفع غيره بذلك كما في النصيحة للمسلمين، وكما القدوة الحسنة.
The Evil Word and The Evil Tree | الكلمة الخبيثة والشجرة الخبيثة
As for the evil word, it is the word of disbelief and everything that branches from it, such as prohibited acts and obscenities. It is a tree in which there is no good, for it is evil and its produce is evil.
"And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability." This means it has no veins to hold it and no good fruit that it produces. If there is a fruit, it is a rotten, evil fruit. This is like the word of disbelief and sin, which is not useful when firm in the heart and only yields to evil talk and evil action that harms its owner and harms those around it. No good deeds will rise up to Allah from him, and he will not benefit himself, nor will others benefit from him.
أما الكلمة الخبيثة فهي كلمة الكفر وكل ما كان فرعا لها كالمحرمات والفواحش والموبقات، فهي شجرة لا خير فيها، بل هي خبيثة وناتجها خبيث.
"اجتثت من فوق الأرض ما لها من قرار" أي: ليس لها عروق تمسكها، ولا ثمرة صالحة تنتجها، بل إن وجد فيها ثمرة فهي ثمرة خبيثة. فذلك مثل كلمة الكفر والمعاصي، ليس لها ثبوت نافع في القلب ولا تثمر إلا كل قول خبيث وعمل خبيث يضر به صاحبه ويضر من حوله، ولا ينتفع، فلا يصعد إلى الله منه عمل صالح ولا ينفع نفسه، ولا ينتفع به غيره.
The Quranic Verses | الآيات القرآنية
(Do you not see how Allah compares a good word to a good tree? Its root is firm and its branches reach the sky, always yielding its fruit in every season by the Will of its Lord. This is how Allah sets forth parables for the people, so perhaps they will be mindful. And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability.) Surah Ibrahim 14: 24 to 26.
(أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ ﴿٢٤﴾ تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢٥﴾ وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ ﴿٢٦﴾) إبراهيم 14: 24 إلى 26.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is the good word compared to in the Quran?
The good word is compared to a good tree, specifically interpreted by scholars as the palm tree, because its roots are firm, its branches reach high into the sky, and it brings immense benefit.
How does the believer resemble the good tree?
A believer's faith is firmly rooted in their heart through knowledge and conviction. Just as a tree yields fruit, the believer's faith produces good deeds, kind words, and excellent morals that continually ascend to Allah and benefit society.
What does the evil tree represent?
The evil tree represents the word of disbelief and all the sins that branch from it. It is uprooted and unstable, producing only rotten words and actions that harm the individual and those around them.