Plants of the Qur'an: History & Culture

by Kew Royal Botanic Gardens - authored by Shahina A. Ghazanfar & illustrated by Sue Wickison

An exquisite hardcover book, perfect for a coffee table display, detailing the plants mentioned in the Holy Qur'an.

Winner of the Award of Excellence in Botanical Art and Illustration at the CBHL Annual Literature Award, 2024

Winner of the Garden Media Guild Awards Garden Book of the Year, 2023

A beautifully illustrated ethnobotanical survey of plants in the Quran. 

This book is the first to explore and highlight the history of the plants mentioned in the Qur'an, many of which are part of our everyday life, from pomegranates and grapes to ginger and garlic. Author Shahina A. Ghazanfar explores the context in which these plants are mentioned in the Qur'an - mainly as food plants, as well as for medicinal use, use in beauty, fragrance or for shade.

Shahina's in-depth research for this book has led to new findings in our knowledge of the historical and cultural significance of these plants, their traditional and present uses, as well as detailed exploration of the context in which they are mentioned in the Qur'an. The main section of the book highlights thirty of the plants most prominent in the Qur'an, with details on where the plant is mentioned in the Qur'an text, detailed etymology, cultural history, and botanical description. Each of these plants are beautifully illustrated with unique botanical paintings by artist Sue Wickison, drawn from living specimens in the wild.

The authors take us on a fascinating journey through the cultural history of these important plants, brought to life with vivid and stunningly detailed botanical paintings.

While the contents of this new book are extremely well researched and very learned (with a very impressive reference section and bibliography) it is worth noting that it is also extremely accessible to a wider audience. 

Format: Hardback, featuring 50 botanical paintings.

Pages: 208