It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals]. He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.

11 [HQ 16:11]

Plants are mentioned in many verses of the Holy Qur’an as one of the greatest blessings of God Almighty upon man, and as a clear sign indicating the existence of God and His ability to revive and resurrect life after death. Trees are also cited in the context of encouraging meditation and reflection, where the bliss of Paradise and the food of its people are described, as well as the stories of the prophets and ancient nations. One of the Surahs of the Holy Qur’an has been named after a fruit, namely Surat al-Teen (fig), in which God swears by the fig and olive. The names of many plants were also cited in the hadiths of the Messenger (PBUH), and his purified Sunnah for various purposes and on different occasions.

Qur’anic Botanic Garden introduces a new concept to the world of botanical gardens, as it is the first of its kind in the world that cultivates the plants mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet. QBG aims to enhance and spread knowledge about these plants, the terms associated with them, and the principles of their maintenance and preservation.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, announced the commencement of work on the implementation of this unique project on 17 September 2008. To mark this announcement, Her Highness planted the first seedling – the Sidra plant mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, which is also the symbol of Qatar Foundation.

QBG’s vision is to be a world-class center of excellence for disseminating knowledge, education and research in the field of plant resources, and to extend bridges of communication between civilizations, contribute to enhancing responsibility towards the environment, and achieve integration between efforts to preserve plants and modern scientific achievements. QBG works in harmony with Qatar Foundation’s vision and objectives, and with the Qatar National Vision 2030, and conforms to the goals of the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), and the principles of a sustainable environment.

QBG’s nurseries at Education City contain 6,825 trees, shrubs, and perennial herbs, annual plants from different geographical and climatic environments, such as desert plants, temperate climate plants, and tropical plants. Among the plants in the nurseries are: mustard, safflower, cumin, barley, lentils, black bean and rice, in addition to sesame, wheat, onions, leeks, garlic, cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, dodhi-gourd (dubbaa), pumpkins, monkey thorn, chard and others. As for the perennial plants, they include astragalus, cactus, melon, senmaki, corn cane, kost, saffron, sedge, ginger, and zarnab, in addition to aloe vera and basil.

QBG represents an invitation to reflect, contemplate and think deeply about the creation of God. The organization introduces plant species and botanical terms to a diverse public audience, and highlights the principles of tolerant Islamic teachings aimed at preserving plant diversity. In addition to its religious dimension, QBG also aims to shed light on the importance of preserving plant resources, how to conserve natural and environmental resources, and to highlight the teachings of Islamic law that call for the protection and preservation of environmental resources for current and future generations.