Scientific Name: Astragalus spinosus (Forssk.) Muschl.

Arabic name(s): القَتَاد

English name(s): Desert thorn

Growth form: Desert thorn ”Qatad” is a perennial extremely spiny under-shrub.

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae

Genus: Astragalus L.

Species: Astragalus spinosus (Forssk.) Muschl.

Citation in the Quran:

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

Citation in the Hadit:

Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet said: “There will be some people among my Ummah (nation) who will gain knowledge of the religion, and they will recite Qur’an, and will say: ‘We come to the rulers so that we may have some share of their worldly wealth, and we will make sure that our religious commitment is not affected,’ but that will not be the case. Just as nothing can be harvested from the Qatad except thorns, so nothing can be gained from being close to them except (sins).” Suun Ibn MaJah.

Habitat & Distribution:

Desert thorn grows wild in desert mountains, wadis and sandy areas of North Africa and Gulf.