The history, culture and importance of plants from the Qur’an and other early Islamic texts

An illustrated talk by Dr Shahina Ghazanfar, at the High Commission for Pakistan The Pakistan Society in collaboration with the High Commission for Pakistan, London organized an illustrated talk by Dr Shahina Ghazanfar, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, at the High Commission on 21 September 2016. In her talk, Dr. Ghazanfar gave a detailed overview of the different flowers and plants of Arabia mentioned in the Quran and the Hadith. She explained how the power of plants could preserve history and culture, and thus show how important
it was to conserve these plants.  She also traced the contribution made by botanic gardens, the plant hunters and collectors of South West Asia, and flora writers over the centuries to the knowledge and understanding of those plants.

Dr. Shahina A. Ghazanfar graduated from Kinnaird College and did her post-graduate studies at the Punjab University, Lahore, and at Cambridge University, UK. She is a Research Leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, and author of books that include a Flora of Iraq, and Handbook of Arabian Medicinal Plants.