Excellence of Farming

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has chosen farming and plantation for His prophets so that they will not dislike the drops falling from the sky.”’

Allah has placed means of the sustenance of His prophets in agriculture and stock farming so that they will not dislike drops falling from the sky.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I hear a people who say that farming is Makruh (detestable).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must farm and plant, by Allah, there is no work that people do which is sweeter and fine than farming. By Allah, farming will be done as well as plantations even after the emergence of al- Dajjal.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When Adam descended to earth he needed food and drinks and he complained to Jibril. Jibril said to him, ‘O Adam, be a farmer.’ He said, ‘Teach me a prayer.’ Jibril said, ‘Say: “O Lord, protect me against the worldly impediments and all horrors that are before reaching paradise and dress me in good health so life becomes pleasant for me.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘My father (a.s.), would say, “The best work is farming in which you plant, and the virtuous as well as sinful ones eat. The virtuous on eating asks forgiveness for you and the sinful one on eating it is condemned; and even animals and birds eat thereof.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah (sw) was asked, ‘Which assets (belongings) are good?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘A farm whose owner farms and maintains it, then pays the dues on it on the day of harvest.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than farms?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘A man tends sheep, takes them to pasture, performs Salat (prayer), pays Zakat.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than sheep?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Cows go out safely and come back in the evening safely.‘ He then asked, ‘What asset is better than cows?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘Firmly established palm trees reach moisture, the grafted ones produce sweet. How good is palm tree! One who sells them must notice that its price is like dust on a high place in a stormy windy day unless one replaces it.’ It was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what kind of asset is better after palm trees?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) remained calm for a while. A man then stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what about camel?‘ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘In it there are misfortune, injustice, fatigue and farness from home. In the morning it is a loss and in the evening it is a loss. Its benefit comes only from its unfortunate side. It always is with the wicked sinful ones.’” It is narrated from abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), that farming is the great alchemy.

“I once heard abu £ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’Farmers are the mines of living creatures. They farm goodness that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, makes to grow and on the Day of Judgment they will have the best position and the closest place and they are called the blessed ones.’”