Why Will the Tree of Gharqad Not Speak Out As Mentioned in Hadiths?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

Could you please explain the following hadith so we can gain a greater understanding regarding what is meant by a tree of the Jews (what makes it their tree), what is the tree of Gharqad, and why the tree will not speak out even though it has no free will? JazakAllah Khair.

“The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide behind a stone or a tree, and a stone or a tree would say: ‘O Muslim, O servant of Allah!, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!’ – But the tree Gharqad will not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.”

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.

Scholars say no reason has been mentioned for ascribing the boxthorn/Nitre bush/Lycium (Gharqad) to the Jews. Mulla ‘Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) states it is an ascription due to the surrounding conditions and environment of the place.  It happens to be that they will hide behind it. And Allah knows best.

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah’s Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) as saying, “The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.” [Muslim]

A Description, Not a Prescription

This hadith and similar narrations describe a miraculous event that will happen towards the end of time. It is not intended to be used as a basis for legal rulings. Instead, it is a description of the event. As a result, scholars have included this narration in books about the signs of the end times and tribulations rather than in books about legal punishments.

Ungodly Jews vs. Righteous Jews

As another narration makes clear, this is a group of unbelieving Jews who are followers of the False Messiah, a man who will claim to be God. These Jews do not believe in their scriptures, let alone Islam. ‘Isa (Peace be upon him) is recorded as saying, “The False Messiah will emerge, and I will have with me two bars, so when he sees me, he will melt away like the melting of lead. Allah will destroy him until the stone and the tree say: ‘O Muslim, underneath me, is an unbeliever, so slay him.’ Thus, Allah will destroy them.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Believers will fight specific sinful Jews and be aided with miracles from Allah. The Quran distinguishes between righteous and ungodly Jews.

Allah (Most High) said, “They are not all the same; among the People of the Scripture is a community standing, reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating in prayer. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and hasten to good deeds, and those are among the righteous. Whatever good they do will never be removed from them, and Allah knows the righteous.” [Quran, 3:113-115]

There are supporting reports mentioned by Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Allah have mercy on him) in Fath al-Bari. He then said what is meant by fighting the Jews is that this will happen when the Dajjal emerges, and the Prophet ‘Isa descends.

[Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari; Usmani, Takmila Fath al-Mulhim]

I would like you to go through the valuable answers and links below. You will receive guidance and direction in sha Allah.

Related 

• Signs of the Hour: The Fiqh of the End of Times (seekersguidance.org)
• Day of Judgment Archives – SeekersGuidance

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I pray this helps with your question.

Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.