Gardens Grow Growers Too
By Yusra Shakaib
May/Jun 25
As of 2023, 55% of American families practice the art of gardening. Many took it on as a hobby following the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to pass the time. But gardening is an activity that goes beyond producing fruits and vegetables. It is actually greatly beneficial for one’s mind, body, and spirit. Muslim Americans can use gardening to grow closer to the Earth, God, and the deen.
One of the many benefits of gardening is an increase in physical exercise given that major muscle groups are needed to use various gardening tools. Digging and raking especially, both of which are physically intensive, help build strength.
Also, since gardening is an outdoor activity, it can be a good source of vitamin D which can help prevent diseases and increase immunity. “People tend to breathe deeper when outside. This helps to clear out the lungs, improves digestion, improves immune response and increases oxygen levels in the blood,” said Sarah N. Syed, a psychotherapist at the Khalil Center in Chicago. “Getting outdoors is good for your physical and mental health,” Syed said. Just be mindful of sun exposure and employ best practices to avoid the risk of skin cancer.
Gardening can also give you a sense of accomplishment as you are producing something and caring for it daily. When you see all the hard work pay off with a luscious garden, your self-esteem soars.
In 2019, Alhuda Foundation in Fishers, Ind., started their own garden after acquiring an empty lot while their mosque was being renovated. The mosque raised funds and volunteers helped with its building and daily maintenance. The garden took a few weeks to complete and required assistance from local farmers. Community volunteers helped with weeding and watering plants.
“Everyone loved harvesting the vegetables, and because the Midwest soil is so abundant and nutrient-dense, there was a lot of produce,” said Mardhia Shams, a community gardener in Georgia and Indiana. “I’d put [vegetables] in plastic storage bags for people to take.”
Shams noted community gardens at mosques also serve to attract more people to the premises. “People would come and care for [the garden] and [end] up praying at the mosque because they were already there for the garden,” she said.
Gardening can also be an educational experience for children because it shows them hard work can produce good results.
“[Gardening] can be a learning experience for children seeing a seed flourish from nothing to something,” Shams said. “The elementary school was connected to the masjid so they had learning classes [in] the garden… They germinated seeds and watched them sprout in small plastic baggies with wet paper towels [and] watered them daily.”
In 2009, then First Lady Michelle Obama planted the White House Kitchen Garden to initiate a national conversation around the health and wellbeing in the country. In time, that conversation led to Let’s Move! which she launched in 2010 to help children and families lead healthier lives. The White House has had multiple vegetable gardens since its completion in 1800: John and Abigail Adams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Hillary Clinton all have had their own versions.
Another benefit of gardening is that it allows people to take in fresh air, relax, and reflect.
“Working with the soil, smelling the plants, and dirt, feeling the different textures, and seeing all the green foliage and flowers can help relax the mind and ground yourself,” Syed said. “When you ground yourself, you reduce stress, anxiety, and even built-up anger.”
Having a daily routine that incorporates gardening can be beneficial for mental health as well.
“Having a routine can give you a break from your stress and be a predictable, reliable thing to focus on when other parts of your life feel unpredictable,” Syed said.
She said self-care is an important aspect of Islam and gardening allows for alone time during the day to perform ibadah.
“In Islam, we have the example of Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) who would take time out to be alone and reflect and make dua‘,” Syed said. “Taking time to work on your garden and [allowing] yourself to experience this as a blessing of Allah (Subhana hu wa ta’ala) and see His Mercy and Blessings in the growth of life. . . can feel relaxing.”
Gardening has a dietary benefit too. Homegrown fruits and vegetables consumed fresh contain more intense flavors. Fruits in general are filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Fresh produce can also lower the chances of heart disease and strokes and prevent certain types of cancer.
“If you go to the stores and you want organic [produce], you’ll end up paying double or triple,” Shams said. But with eating vegetables grown at home, “you also have the convenience of just getting them from your own garden.”
Growing fruits and vegetables at home also allows you to decide what kinds of fertilizers and pesticides your garden contains. The home garden is known to be the best source of chemical-free produce.
This allows for a lower chance of food-borne illnesses such as salmonella or E.Coli. Homegrown produce can also ensure that there are no harsh shipping conditions as the shipping process can also reduce the amount of nutrients in the produce.
“The label may be organic but there may be very small amounts of pesticides that are still on the produce,” Shams said.
Islam also promotes gardening as a way of sadaqah. Anas bin Malik (radi Allahu ‘anh) narrated that the Prophet said, “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him” (Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 39, Number 513).
Islam endorses natural healing techniques. The Quran mentions at least 19 plants with medicinal benefits such as olives and figs as referenced in 95:1-8. Figs promote gut health and lower blood pressure, and olives can be used to treat over 70 diseases. The Quran also references gardens when it talks about the existence of God: “Who created the heavens and the Earth, and sends down rain for you from the sky, by which We cause delightful gardens to grow? You could never cause their trees to grow. Was it another god besides God? Absolutely not!” (27:60).
Gardening also allows you to give back to wildlife and attract pollinators. “Planting flowers with bright colors can attract bees [and] wasps, and [gardeners] can install bee hives and attract bees, which not only produce honey, but are also pollinators that help crops like vegetables,” Shams said.
If you are thinking about when to start a garden in the U.S., the ideal time would be after April following the last frost, however, depending on the specific region and crop, planting can also occur in late fall or early winter for cool-season vegetables as well.
Yusra Shakaib is a high school senior who enjoys writing and reporting.