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In Islam, the term gharqad (Arabic: غرقد) is used in some ahadith to describe a type of tree that, according to Islamic eschatology, will anthropomorphically seek to protect the Jews from the Muslims during a great apocalyptic battle known as al-Malhamat al-Kubra (الملحمة الكبرى), which is prophesied to occur close to the Day of Judgement. This prophecy asserts that this conflict will take place shortly after the emergence of al-Masih ad-Dajjal (ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱلدَّجَّالُ, lit. 'The Deceitful Messiah'), who will falsely present himself as the Mahdi and be followed primarily by the Jewish people, whereas the actual Mahdi will lead a Muslim army against the Dajjal and his followers until the Second Coming of Jesus, after which the Dajjal will be killed.[1] According to a hadith attributed to Abu Huraira, one of Muhammad's companions, all stones and trees except for the gharqad tree will miraculously speak to reveal the location of any Jews taking cover behind them during the war with the Muslims.[2]
The actual tree is often identified with either the genus Nitraria[3][4][self-published source?] or the genus Lycium,[5][6] though neither of these have any significance in Judaism.
In the modern era, particularly in the context of the Arab–Israeli conflict, a number of Muslim scholars have subscribed to a hoax asserting that millions of these gharqad trees are being planted throughout Israel in preparation for the prophesied arrival of the Dajjal and the apocalyptic Jewish–Muslim war.[7][8]
- ^ Cook, David (2021) [2002]. Studies in Muslim Apocalyptic. Berlin and London: Gerlach Press. pp. 93–104. ISBN 9783959941211. OCLC 238821310.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
sunnah.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Nitraria retusa, Nitraria tridentata, Salt tree, Hebrew: ימלוח פגום, Arabic: دقرغ/قدرغ". Flowers in Israel.
- ^ Johannes Gerloff (May 26, 2021). "'Gharqad', the Tree of the Jews".
- ^ Divakar, Madhu C.; Al-Siyabi, Amani; Varghese, Shirley S.; Al Rubaie, Mohammed (July 2016). "The Practice of Ethnomedicine in the Northern and Southern Provinces of Oman". Oman Medical Journal. 31 (4): 245–252. doi:10.5001/omj.2016.49. PMC 4927734. PMID 27403235.
- ^ Ojalvo, Denis (15 September 2015). "The Jewish Tree 'Gharqad'". Şalom.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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