Scientific Name: Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile

Arabic name(s): القَّرْظْ

English name(s): Dyeing Acacia / Gum Arabica tree

Growth form: Dyeing Acacia "Qarz" an evergreen Tree.

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Genus: Acacia Mill.

Species: Acacia nilotica (L.) Willd. ex Delile

Citation in the Quran:

The plant is not mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.

Citation in the Hadit:

Qarz is mentined in the Hdith of Ibn Abass referring to the two wives of the Prophet who aided one another against him. Narrated by Ibn Abbas: Umar Said, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab is here.’ Then the Prophet admitted me and I narrated the story to Allah’s Apostle. When I reached the story of Um Salama, Allah’s Apostle smiled while he was lying on a mat made of palm tree leaves with nothing between him and the mat. Underneath his head there was a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres, and Qarz (leaves or fruits) of a saut tree were piled at his feet, and above his head hung a few water skins. On seeing the marks of the mat imprinted on his side, I wept. He said.’ ‘Why are you weeping?’ I replied, “O Allah’s Apostle! Caesar and Khosrau are leading the life (i.e. Luxurious life) while you, Allah’s Apostle though you are, is living in destitute”. The Prophet then replied. ‘Won’t you be satisfied that they enjoy this world and we the Hereafter?’ “ . Sahih Al Bukhari, book of Prophetic commentary on the Quran .

Habitat & Distribution:

Dying Acacia is distributed throughout Arabia. Often cultivated. Also distributed in tropical and subtropical Africa.