Is It Permissible to Cut Healthy Plants for Aesthetics?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Is it permissible to prune or remove healthy plants for aesthetic reasons, or does this fall under harming the environment in Islam?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Yes, it is generally permissible to prune or remove healthy plants for aesthetic or practical reasons, provided that it is done responsibly and without causing undue environmental harm.
Islam teaches care and respect for nature, as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“There is no Muslim who plants a tree or sows a field, and a human, bird, or animal eats from it except that it is charity for him” [Bukhari; Muslim]
However, this is not a blanket ruling. One must consider the specific circumstances. If the plant in question is an old and beneficial tree, a rare species, or serves as a habitat for birds and other creatures, its removal could have wider negative consequences. In such cases, one should consider alternatives, such as pruning rather than removing, or relocating rather than destroying, out of respect for the balance of the environment and the creatures that depend on it.
The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) demonstrated a deep connection to nature. A well-known incident in his sira (Allah bless him and give him peace) tells of a tree stump that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to lean upon when delivering sermons. When a pulpit was later built for him, the stump began to audibly weep out of longing. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) descended, embraced it, and comforted it until it calmed [Bukhari].
Therefore, while removal or pruning is not inherently impermissible, it must be approached with wisdom, compassion, and awareness of the broader ecological impact. As stewards (khulafa) of the Earth, we are encouraged to act with mercy and care toward all of Allah’s creation.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
