~Olive in Islam~

Society Religion & Philosophy
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An olive tree, called shajarat zaytun in Arabic, is not a particularly striking tree. It does not have the height of a majestic redwood nor does it provide the shade of a massive oak. It is not prized for its timber like the juniper or the maple tree, and it has a withered and dry look that gives it an aged presence. The secret of the olive tree is in two things: its fruit, the olive itself, and its massive underground root system that can extend over twenty feet. The roots are so extensive and strong that in times of drought, when other trees die, the zaytuna tree is still standing because it draws from deep within the earth when the heavens withhold their life-giving water. Another aspect of these roots is that they enable the tree to produce olives for hundreds of years: even after the tree looks as if there is no life left in it, it continues to produce olives.
As for its fruit, the olive is second only to the fig in Berg’s table of purifying foods. It is unique among the produce of trees in that it is treated by human hands in order for it to become palatable food. The olives are cut and then cured for a long period until they lose their extreme bitterness. This process is a metaphor for human hearts.
The pressing of mature olives to produce oil is another extraordinary aspect of the tree’s fruit as this is one of the most ancient of all oils and was used by the entire Mediterranean peoples to light their lamps for millennia, treat their skin, and nourish their bodies. This tree’s wood has been used traditionally to make prayer beads since it has always been considered blessed by the three great Monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and there are numerous references to the olive in their sacred texts.
Deuteronomy from the Torah has the prophet Moses, peace be upon him, describing Palestine as a “good land, a land of olives.” The prophet Noah, peace be upon him, was said to have been given the branch of an olive tree from a dove as a sign of hope that land was near after the flood. According to the Psalms, a man’s children are like “the slips of olive trees.” The prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, also made references to the olive tree.
In the Quran, Allah ta’ala says,
*the likeness of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp; the lamp is encased in a glass. The glass is like a brilliant star. It is lit from a blessed tree, an olive tree that is neither of the East nor the West. It is as if its oil would give light even if fire had not touched it. Light upon light. And Allah guides to His light whom He pleases. [This lamp] is in houses that Allah has permitted to be erected wherein His name is oft-remembered. They glorify Him in them in the early morning and evening, men who are not distracted by commerce and trading from the remembrance of Allah. (24: 35-37) *
Also, Allah, Exalted is He, swears an oath, saying, “By the Fig and the Olive, and by Mount Sinai. Surely, We created man in the best stature” (Quran, 95: 1-4). The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is reported to have said, “Anoint yourselves with olive oil because it comes from a blessed tree.” In his book on the qualities of the Prophet, peace be upon him, Imam Tirmidhi mentions that it was reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used so much olive oil that his shawl was often saturated with it.
One of the greatest universities in the history of Islam, Jami’ Zaytuna in Tunis, was named after this blessed tree, and, by way of analogy, it provided intellectual and spiritual oil that illuminated Africa for over a thousand years. Ibn 'Arafa, one of the greatest scholars of Islam, Imam Maziri, the great traditionalist and jurist, and countless others all taught there, preserving the knowledge and sciences of Islam. Zaytuna Institute is meant to contribute to reviving the tradition of sound Islamic teaching institutions. Our hope is to see the Muslims of the West, in particular, working towards that same goal.
http://www.zaytuna.org/about.asp

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

I wonder if scriptures had been revealed in Brazil if it would be the pineapple tree that is blessed? Or SE Asia if it would be the banana tree?

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

If there is nothing constructive to say to support or refute the argument being raised then comments like that are not useful. The fact is that the scriptures were revealed in the middleeast for many wisdoms that humans can only guess about.
To say that Olives were chosen due to the location, is nonesense. It's like saying that water is important because we live near the river or the sea. Apart from being essential to life it has many wonderful properties such as latent energy, etc. Such is the argument of the Olive.
Provide similar qualities and hidden secrets about the fruits you have mentioned to contend, but realise God is the Maker of all these things.
Allah says in the QUran chapter 2.
Ayah 26. Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means Allah by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path),-

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~


You may not think it is significant that God's blessed plants are limited those indenginous to Arabia, I do. It's an example of how religion, and the way it is practiced, was revealed in a cultural vacumm and makes it difficult for other cultures to accept.

[quote]
To say that Olives were chosen due to the location, is nonesense. It's like saying that water is important because we live near the river or the sea. Apart from being essential to life it has many wonderful properties such as latent energy, etc.
[/quote]

Nonsense There was water in the ME when scriptures were revealed, so it's not like saying that at all.

[quote]
Provide similar qualities and hidden secrets about the fruits you have mentioned to contend, but realise God is the Maker of all these things.
[/quote]
There are thousands of plants that benefit mankind because of their unique nature. Most are not found in Arabia and did not have the cultural significance of figs and olives in 7th century Arabia.

**
[quote]
Allah says in the QUran chapter 2, ***Ayah* 26. Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: "What means Allah by this similitude?" By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path),-
[/quote]
And I say many people use this type of verse when they are afraid to address issues or don't have answers to them.

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

semi so at worst it can be said that the message was initially targeted to ppl of that area hoping that as the religion grew ppl would look at it as not absolute statements but guidance. so ppl in other parts of the world can understand it from their perspective.

hafta-e-khush-ikhlaqi
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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

u can waste all ur life time coming up with all the different ifs and still have many unanswered....
u cant bas religion on what if this what if that....

hafta-e-khush-ikhlaqi
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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

I never said that I thought it is not significant that God's blessed plants are limited to those regions. I never even said that Olives and Figs are the only blessed plants of God.

The Qur'an does indeed serve a local purpose, but it serves a global one too. So your assessment of it being revealed in a cultural vacuum is false.

Both the fig and olive have historical significance, to the Romans, Egyptians Jews and Arabs. The legacy of Rome is still with us today and people of the West fully understand the significance of the Olive which is - peace. Just take a look at the Great Seal of the USA, the front of it has an eagle. It has a bunch of arrows in one claw and an olive branch in the other.

Restricting the Wisdom of God to our own insights and intuitions is where things go off track. How do we know which came first ... God's decision to grow the food there because of the location chosen for the prophets, or to put the prophets in an area where those foods grew?

You still have not provided the significance of the banana or the pineapple. Instead of just writing down the names of arbitary fruits, please also provide the bigger significance of those fruits. Can you meet the challenge? Can you demonstrate that these fruits serve a special purpose that you have alleged to?

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~


I agree except that 1400 years later we are still talking about the blessed olive, giving it special status over spirulina or green tea.


Au contraire, I think you can and should spend a lifetime asking "what ifs" instead of accepting everything blindly.


Ok, so are there any plants indigenous to other parts of the world mentioned in scripture? I am curious.

[quote]
Both the fig and olive have historical significance, to the Romans, Egyptians Jews and Arabs. The legacy of Rome is still with us today and people of the West fully understand the significance of the Olive which is - peace
[/quote]
Any coincidence the fig and olive were a big part of these societies lives as well? The peace correlation is also related to scripture.

[quote]
Restricting the Wisdom of God to our own insights and intuitions is where things go off track.
[/quote]
Funny, my pov of is that we are restricting God when we only refer to plants grown in the lands of the (mentioned) Prophets.

[quote]
You still have not provided the significance of the banana or the pineapple. Instead of just writing down the names of arbitary fruits, please also provide the bigger significance of those fruits. Can you meet the challenge? Can you demonstrate that these fruits serve a special purpose that you have alleged to?
[/quote]
I suppose you could google it - "heath benefits banana". I'm sure you will find plenty. Point is, there are thousands of plants with equal or greater benefits to man than the olive, they just don't have the same scriptural blessing.

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

^^^ Dude let it go. By praising the olives, there is no affront meant to the ego of other foods. You want green tea blessings read some zen works...ditto for rice. You like coconuts, then go read about its wonders in mahyana buddhism etc etc etc.

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^ Thank you for proving my point.

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

We are not giving it special status .... Allah (SWT) has it recorded in the Qur'an, the Qur'an says it is meant for the whole of mankind and often uses the term, 'O' Mankind'. These are facts. You are presenting a non-argument. Only if you can provide evidence that the Qur'an should have talked about green tea or spirulina then we can continue.

The conclusion of a lifetime of whatifs is that one will be forever in that 'unknown' state. There will be no answer until you go the further steps. i.e. After raising your 'whatifs' you must then test them against the criteria, then analyse the findings and then draw your conclusions, then take action on those conclusions. If you spend a lifetime on the whatifs you won't have time to spend that will make you walk the path that leads to action. You believe that the Muslims have blind belief, I contend! The Qur'an tells us to test and reflect and one more to TAKE ACTION. Your 'au contraire' is nothing but an empty refutation - until you provide a basis and expand on it, you will not be taken seriously.

Scripture is not a botany text book. The basis of scripture is that it must be relevant. I believe and can demonstrate that there are many implicit statements in scripture about ALL of God's wonderful sources of food and nutrition.


You haven't answered the question! Why try to avoid the issue. Show that olives are not RELEVANT to us today, then we can move on, otherwise hold your peace. i.e. demonstrate, if you can, that the Qur'an was revealed in a cultural vacuum.


No ... you are restricting yourself and no one is restricting God. Why God chose to mention those things in the Qur'an is up to us to investigate not to reject on the basis of them not being globally available. The question still stands, why do the other fruits/herbs/ etc need to be mentioned? And why if they have not been mentioned by name is this restricting God?


I'm not asking for me to google something. Demonstrate why bananas or pineapples should be in the Qur'an, please?

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

If you are under the impression that the olive tree is the only plant that provides healthy beneifts (even in cases of drought!) and there aren’t any number of plants/fruits/vegetables that provide the same or better benefits, I’m not going to ruin it for you. Neither am I going to do your homework for you. :google:

No one is saying the olive isn’t wonderful, but I think you’ll be hard pressed convicing doctors and scientists that it should be placed above all other foods. Now talk to a real martini lover and you might have an ally.

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

You really need to do some whatifs !!!
Whatif I’m not under the impression that the olive tree is the only plant that provides healthy benefits?
Whatif the Qur’an never intended the mention of the Olive in the specific case to reflect primarily on it’s nutritional nature?
Whatif the Qur’an meant it as a symbol?

Have you investigated these? You need to be true to your ‘whatif’ nature. I don’t know … let’s contact the UN and get them to replace their flag with the olive branches on it with a pineapple or a banana! Symbolism counts for a lot!

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

It is the symolism of peace for Christianity, Judiasm, the western world and ancient Greece. Doesn't Islam discourage adopting symbols from other religions?

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I think it would only be symbols of divinity. But that would be the case in most other religions as well.

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:) JazakAllah Khair ... That is true

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I think you need another 'whatif' here ...
whatif the symbolism is being used to communicate, to send the message to the Jews and Christians and/or Western world?

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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

Does the Quranic version of the great flood include the 'dove and olive leaf' version? Christians believe the olive leaf was a sign that peace was made between man and God.

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Through the Bible? Through the Romans and Greek heathens? Through the UN which has been no friend to Muslims? Sorry, too many what ifs here.

The dancing boys of Afghanistan
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Re: ~Olive in Islam~

'What if' Islam doesn't see those people as heathens, rather as people to give the message to?
Islam is not an exclusive cult .... We believe the original religion of Christians and Jews is Islam. Islam and the Qur'an is meant for the whole of humanity ... not my words the Qur'an's words.

All nations have received their prophets ... so why has the Qur'an picked out and singled in on the Fig and Olive? To support a basis. The basis of which is elluding you and you want to impose your bases on to it. Again, fruit have been referred to as a collective many times in the Qur'an, but these have been picked out for a reason.

Now you have done your whatifs ... we need to do analyses. Has the message of Olive and Fig fulfilled a purpose?

Sing a Song according 2 Ur Mood !!!!!
Sing a Song according 2 Ur Mood !!!!!