The Carbon Cycle
The process of utilization of carbon by plants and animals is unending and can be summarized as depicted in carbon cycle below.
Qur’an has referred to this process in Soorahs Az-Zumar and Al-A’la .
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَسَلَكَهُ يَنَابِيعَ
فِي الْأَرْضِ
ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا مُّخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَانُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا
ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ حُطَامًا ۚ إِنَّ فِي
(ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ﴿٢١
Have you not observed how Allah causes water to descend from the sky, making it flow as springs on the ground, then through it causes crops of diverse colors to sprout forth, then the crops dry out as you see them yellowing, then He turns it all into stubble? In this surely is a remembrance for men possessed of minds.
(Soorah Az-Zumar 39:21)
سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى ﴿١﴾ الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ ﴿٢﴾ وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ ﴿٣
(وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ ﴿٤﴾ فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ ﴿٥
Glorify the name of your Lord, the Highest! Who created and proportioned; Who measured and guided; Who brought forth pastures then turned them into dark stubble.
(Soorah Al A’la 87:1-5)
The Qur’an Mentions Plants
There are a number of verses in Qur’an where Allah has stressed the importance of plants for human beings i.e.
( هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً ۖ لَّكُم مِّنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنْهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ ﴿١٠
يُنبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ الزَّرْعَ وَالزَّيْتُونَ وَالنَّخِيلَ وَالْأَعْنَابَ وَمِن كُلِّ
(الثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ إِنَّ
فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿١١
He it is Who made water descend from the sky, of which some is for you to drink and some for trees whence you send your cattle to graze. With it He causes vegetation to sprout for your benefit: olives, palms and vines and all types of fruit. In this is a sign for a people who reflect.
(Soorah An-Nahl 16:10-11)
وَنَزَّلْنَا مِنَ
السَّمَاءِ مَاءً مُّبَارَكًا فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ جَنَّاتٍ وَحَبَّ الْحَصِيدِ ﴿٩
(وَالنَّخْلَ بَاسِقَاتٍ لَّهَا طَلْعٌ نَّضِيدٌ ﴿١٠﴾ رِّزْقًا لِّلْعِبَادِ ۖ وَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ بَلْدَةً مَّيْتًا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ الْخُرُوجُ ﴿١١
From the sky We sent down the blessed water, wherewith We caused gardens to flower and grains for the harvest, soaring palm trees, bearing serried clusters- Sustenance to mankind. With it We revived a region that was dead. Likewise shall be the Resurrection.
(Soorah Qaf 50:9-11)
أَمَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنبَتْنَا بِهِ حَدَائِقَ
(ذَاتَ بَهْجَةٍ مَّا كَانَ لَكُمْ أَن تُنبِتُوا شَجَرَهَا ۗ أَإِلَـٰهٌ مَّعَ اللَّـهِ ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ يَعْدِلُونَ ﴿٦٠
Is it not He Who created the heavens and the earth? Who brought down water for you from the sky, from which We caused to sprout gardens most pleasing, whose trees you could not have planted? Is there another god with Allah? Indeed they are a people who set up equal to Allah!
(Soorah An-Naml 27: 60)
Significance of plants