21 The Trees of the Garden:

We enjoy being in placeswhere trees grow. If we live in the middle of
crowded cities, we generally would like to be in places where thereare
trees and green spaces. We take pleasurein the sight of an area with
trees and we even like looking at photographs or paintings of such
places. Trees have been created to be of great benefit forthe earth
and they are a blessing offered to us by our Lord. With their
wonderful appearances, type and colour variations, and the pleasing
shade they provide, trees have beencreated for human pleasure. The
Prophet mentioned the enormous dimensions ofthe trees of the Garden,
illustrating it by mentionof their shade:
In the Garden, there is a tree under whose shade a rider could travel
for a hundred years without covering [the distance] completely.
(Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa'd, Sahih Muslim)
In the Garden there isa tree under whose shade a rider can travel for
one-hundred years. And if you wish, you canrecite: "and wide-spreading
shade." (Qur'an 56:30) (Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih al-Bukhari)
In the Qur'an Allah describes shade as a blessing:
But as for those who have iman and do right actions, We will admit
them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them
timelessly, for everand ever. In them they will have spouses of
perfect purity and We will admit them into cool, refreshing shade.
(Surat an-Nisa': 57)
What is the Garden promised to those who have taqwa like? It has
rivers flowing under it and its foodstuffs and cool shade never fail.
That is the final fate of those who have taqwa. But the final fate of
the kuffar is the Fire. (Surat ar-Ra'd: 35)
They and their wives reclining on couches in the shade. (Surah Ya Sin: 56)
The people with taqwa will be amid shade and fountains. (Surat al-Mursalat: 41)
Reclining in it on couches, they will experience there neitherburning
sun nor bitter cold. (Surat al-Insan: 13)
In several hadith, our Prophet describes the trees of the Garden:
The trunk of every tree in the Garden is of gold. (At-Tirmidhi)
In the Garden we will witness Allah's incomparable and endless
creation in which everything is possible. For example, the fruit of
the trees in the Garden will resemblerubies, diamonds, sapphires and
other precious stones but become edible when people pick them.
For those who have faith and do right actions there are Gardens of
Delight. (Surah Luqman: 8)