By: Samsul Nizar
Professor and Head of STAIN Bengkalis
Everyone knows when they meet or are queried about a tree. Even those who reside in urban areas are familiar with the characteristics and components of trees, let alone those who reside in rural areas. Although almost everyone is familiar with the various types of trees, not everyone comprehends the lessons Allah wishes to impart to humans. As it turns out, there is a correlation between the elements of trees and the religiosity of humans. A tree demonstrates the unity of faith, Islam, and good deeds as a manifestation of the servant’s quality and a measuring stick for His word in a servant.
The philosophy of trees regarding the spiritual character of humans can be viewed from a variety of perspectives, including:
First, the root is an expression of the faith dimension. Its existence is the basis of a tree’s vigour and fertility. The deeper it penetrates the soil, the stronger the roots and the tree. In contrast, if a tree branch falls readily or grows like a ” betel leaf on a rock,” this indicates that the roots are unhealthy and unable to provide nutrients to the entire tree. Indeed, this is authentic of the kauniyah verse that Allah disseminates as a lesson for intelligent servants. The truthfulness of Allah’s instructions, “Dear you who believe! “Believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and in the Book (Qur’an) that was revealed to His Messenger and the Book that was revealed before him” (QS. an-Nisa: 136).
As a metaphor for the character of a servant’s faith, tree roots serve as a symbol. As a series of worship to Allah and good deeds, this quality influences the extent of Islam’s implementation. The position of faith resembles a concealed root. Islam and good deeds will be stronger and more robust the more profoundly rooted a servant’s faith. In contrast, the more obvious attempts to “demonstrate faith” are like a surface-emerging root. This condition makes it easy to injure, “expose,” and uproot the roots. For this reason, faith should not be displayed, but concealed, so that one may experience the satisfaction of being genuine with his beliefs.
Second, the tree’s trunk, branches, twigs, and foliage represent the Islamic dimension. The embodiment of faith is through the teachings of Islam, which is manifested through worship activities that Allah and the Prophet said. The manifestations of the numerous forms of obligatory and sunnah practices. Owned sustenance is entirely derived from the spirit of faith. The more diverse the forms of Islam that are implemented, the healthier and stronger the faith’s origins. As healthy roots enable the growth of healthy, dense, shady trees, branches, twigs, and foliage. In the servant’s practice of the form of the Prophet’s words, this will be considered wholesome and dense. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Islam is founded on five (pillars): The shahada of Laa ilaaha illa Allah and (the shahada of) Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, paying zakat, hajj, and fasting Ramadan” (HR. Bukhari).
If the five pillars of Islam outlined above are implemented as a whole, Islam will take the form of a tree with varied branches, twigs, and leaves. The practice of faith in Islam restricts all actions to Allah and His Messenger. Sincere worship is reserved exclusively for the Supreme Creator. The praise of blessing that is chanted to learn, love, and imitate the Prophet’s morals, is not limited to the euphoria that leaves no impression. The form of prayer (with its many variations) promotes submission, obedience, and humility before Allah. As a form of social piety, zakat grows branches of gratitude for His blessings and the spirit of assisting others. The Hajj forms the roots of submission, affection, reverence, and sincerity. While the practice of fasting cultivates trustworthiness and integrity, it reveals Allah as the All-Seeing Substance. Variants of this form will develop diverse branches and leaves of other types of servitude and caliphate. All cannot be separated from the firmness of the roots (faith) that support and sustain the tree trunk (Islam) with healthy branches, twigs, and foliage.
If the roots of faith are not robust and healthy, then the tree of worship is merely a form of routine, devoid of significance and impact. The form of routine that does not produce numerous branches, especially stems, and the action of leaves appears barren and restricted to the existence of trees (as a symbol of religion).
Third, Fruit is the manifestation of the excellent dimension as the fruit of Islam and faith. This is because good deeds are inseparable from Islam and faith. All three cannot be separated in order to attain perfection. Good deeds behaviour must be ingrained in a heart that fosters benevolence and manifested through commendable actions in daily life (noble morals). The good deeds dimension demonstrates the character of Islam and faith. The angel Gabriel narrated this by reclining his knees against the Prophet’s knees and placing his palms on the Prophet’s thighs. Then he asked, “Dear Muhammad, could you elucidate good deeds to me?” The Prophet responded, “You must venerate Allah as if you could see Him.” If you cannot see Him, Allah nevertheless sees you.” (HR. Muslim)
Sufi scholars divide ihsan (good deeds) into three levels, namely: (1). The level of musyahadah, which is a group of servants who perform worship as if they feel they are seeing and witnessing (the power) of Allah. This level presents as if always “with” Allah SWT directly. They feel that Allah is truly present in every activity they do. Allah is felt to be present in all His creations in the universe and is always in dialogue with them. (2). The level of muraqabah, which is a group of servants who perform worship feeling that all their movements and heart vibrations are watched by Allah SWT. Although not yet “together” with Allah, but has been able to communicate with Allah through the eyes of obedience. (3). The lowest level of Ihsan is the group of servants who worship like a “merchant”. Every act of worship that he does aims to seek profit in the form of His promised reward. Although this level is the lowest, it is upright by sincerity, without riya’ (arrogant), envy, jealousy, betrayal, slander, or other negative traits that damage the purpose of charity.
According to the servant’s degree of faith and Allah’s favour, he possesses each of the aforementioned three levels. A level and quality that cannot be engineered, much less confined to self-recognition that is brimming with egocentric desires. A level that cannot be discussed but can be sensed based on the servant’s faith and Islam. It is only apparent externally through the character of the self that is displayed. While internally it will be sensed by the self and witnessed by the Self-Substance. Owner Sheikh Abdurrahnan as-Sya’di RA divides good deeds into two dimensions in the book Bahjatu Qulubi al-Abrar: good deeds (ihsan) vertically to Allah (submission and servitude) and good deeds horizontally to His fellow creatures as a form of khalifah rahmatan lil ‘aalamiin (leader for the universe). In the horizontal dimension, Allah SWT declared through His word, “Indeed, Islam is the religion in Allah’s eyes. Due to envy, those who have been given the Book do not dispute until after they have acquired knowledge. Whoever denies Allah’s verses, Allah is indeed very swift in His reckoning” (QS. Ali Imran: 19).
The form of remembrance for a subordinate who has attained the quality of good deeds entails that not a single second passes without servitude and devotion. His actions convey nothing but a message of kindness. There is no time left to consider the frailties of others, let alone commit wrongs (injustice). He is concerned about Allah’s menace, which He has declared. In order to attain vertical and horizontal good deeds, servants who hope (desire and fearful) will always thread hope intermediaries by multiplying blessings upon the prophet Muhammad SAW.
Blessings (sholawat) are rendered to the master of nature by referring to and emulating the Prophet’s morals. Every strand of blessing senses the presence of the Messenger of Allah responding to the people’s blessing. He was ashamed if he toyed with the strands of blessing, which were limited to verbal ostentation and distant from the Prophet’s morals. Therefore, he does not wish to engage in blessing if he cannot pray with the character that reflects the Prophet’s principles.
In fact, a tree serves as a mirror and a gauge (muhasabah) to determine the level of faith, Islam, and good deeds of each individual. Scales on the quality of the roots (faith) owned based on whether it is firmly rooted in the ground, just exists on the surface and collapses readily when the wind blows or has no roots and only moss that is mistaken for roots. Scales on the character of the tree (Islam) owned, whether large and robust, towering “through the clouds,” branches and branches with dense leaves that provide protection. Or it could be a tree that grows like “leaves on a rock,” with rotten and diseased roots, branches and limbs that are easily broken, and leaves that are yellow like caterpillars. Scales of the fruit’s (good deeds) quality indicate whether it is plentiful, sweet, fragrant, delectable, and nourishing to anyone who enjoys it. Or is the fruit abundant but sour, decayed, stringy, and a source of illness for anyone who consumes it? Or no fruit at all, relying solely on leaves that become environmental waste.
What a fantastic, genuine mirror if you wish to see yourself. The dhikr that is prayed and the blessing (shalawat) that is communicated correspond to a laudable personality. If Allah glorifies the qualities of faith, Islam, and good deeds, the servant becomes more submissive and attempts to conceal them so as not to “disturb and diminish” the delight of being with Allah and hope with the Prophet. Nonetheless, it is undesirable if religion, Islam, and good deeds are reduced to “fantasies and visions.” Because Satan’s “arrogance” often obscures the large glass that Allah has placed before the servant. As a consequence, humans are comparable to “frogs in a shell” in the vast expanse of the universe. Feeling themselves to be the greatest, the most righteous, the noblest, the most deserving, and the most faultless, among others related to arrogance. This attitude fosters the development of prejudice against others, resentment, slander, divide and conquer, hypocrisy, and other vices. These vile individuals have unwittingly embarrassed themselves. Infamy in both the vertical and horizontal planes. So much loss for those who defile themselves, resulting in a greater separation from Allah, the Most Holy, and His illustrious servant, Rasulullah. Although the accessories resemble a noble human being, the loss of good deeds in the soul causes a person to become more humiliated than an animal. Allah relates this in His words: “Indeed, We have created for Hell the majority of the Jinn and mankind; they have hearts, but they do not use them to comprehend (the verses of Allah); they have eyes, but they do not use them to see (the signs of Allah’s power); and they have ears, but they do not use them to hear” (the verses of Allah). They resemble livestock and are even more misguided. They are the ones who are naive” (QS al-A’raf: 179).
Surprisingly, this behaviour is more prevalent, and many individuals engage in it. Possibly this is the group Allah refers to in His verse: “And among the people are those who say, ‘We believe in Allah and the Last Day,’ when they are not believers” (QS. al-Baqarah: 8).
Indeed, Allah has plainly revealed the written word. A miserable servant is one who can only read but does not comprehend. Disdain the servant who possesses knowledge but does not apply it. Similarly, the word is evident in the irises. Existing knowledge is worthless if it cannot convey the divine message and Prophet-guided manners. Woe to the self if the message is captured but cannot be comprehended and communicated to the entire universe. So precisely does Allah “serve” His words for the servant’s enjoyment, or “revelation” His words? A revelation that emits laudable good deeds. A mirror for reflection and a set of scales for self-measurement. It is anticipated that this mirror and the measuring device will serve as a compass for every individual towards “right” behaviour, rather than deception and hypocrisy. It all depends on the quality of the “self-tree” presented to the Universe Owner, who never violates his word.
Wa Allahua’lam bi al-Shawwab.
Translated by Riska Saputra, S.Pd
Alumni from the English Education Study Program at STAIN Bengkalis.
Master Student at Graduate Institute of Network Learning Technology in National Central University, Taiwan.
