Plants of the Qur’ān - Pre-order

Pre-order only. Revised edition publishing 26th September 2023.

Authors: Shahina A. Ghazanfar, Sue Wickison. 208pp. 282 x 240mm. 50 botanical paintings. Hardback, ISBN 9781842467176. Kew Publishing 2023. 

Plants of the Qur’ān is the first book to explore and highlight the history of the plants mentioned in the Qur’ān, many of which are part of our everyday life, from pomegranates and grapes to ginger and garlic.

The main section of the book highlights thirty of the plants most prominent in the Qur’ān, with details on where the plant is mentioned in the Qur’ān text, detailed etymology, cultural history, and botanical description. Ghazanfar’s in-depth research for this book has led to new findings in our knowledge of the historical and cultural significance of these plants, their traditional and present uses, as well as detailed exploration of the context in which they are mentioned in the Qur’ān. Each of these plants are beautifully illustrated with unique botanical paintings by artist Sue Wickison, drawn from living specimens in the wild.

The authors take us on a fascinating journey through the cultural history of these important plants, brought to life with vivid and stunningly detailed botanical paintings.

Shahina A. Ghazanfar is an expert on the flora and vegetation, conservation, and plants of economic importance of the Middle East and has published extensively on these subjects. She is a senior botanist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and is a co-editor of Flora of Tropical East Africa (Kew Publishing), author of the Flora of Oman (Belgium Botanic Garden Publishing) and is currently author and editor of Flora of Iraq (Kew Publishing).

Sue Wickison is a renowned scientific illustrator who has worked on several publications, and has work in collections worldwide. Sue undertook many exciting journeys to illustrate this book over a five year period, observing and painting the plants in their natural environment.

Media Coverage and Reviews

"This stunning book brings the plants of the Qur’ān to life. Combining art and science, the plants are beautifully portrayed by artist Sue Wickison, and their fascinating stories revealed by botanist Shahina Ghazanfar."

Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE

"While the contents of this new book are extremely well researched and very learned ( with a very impressive reference section and bibliography) it is worth noting that it is also extremely accessible to a wider audience."

Katherine Tyrrell, Botanical Art and Artists Summer 2023