Brunei Hosts Int’l Symposium on Ethnobotany in Quran, Hadith
The symposium is jointly organised by the Faculty of Science, the Institute For Biodiversity and Environmental Research and the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, UBD.
The ceremony began with the recital of Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat led by the State Mufti.
In her welcoming address, the Vice Chancellor of UBD highlighted Brunei Darussalam's wealth of bio-diverse Tropical Forest resources and that the UBD has identified the study of herbs and complementary medicine as the key focus for research and development.
The Sultan then declared the symposium open.
There are many references in the Quran that make important mentions of several fruits and plant species, examples include, but are not limited to: figs, pomegranate, olive, watermelon, tamarind, cedar, garlic, onion, lentil, barley, wheat, ginger, pumpkin, bananas, cucumbers, and basil. The traditions of the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. included the use of these plants as food, shelter, and medicine. Recent discoveries have lead to our increased knowledge on these plants cited in the Quran and Hadith. These ‘ethnobotanical’ discoveries have provided us with a great opportunity for exploring the efficacy of these plants as medicines, food and also for their place in cultures and communities.
The objective of this symposium was to provide a scientific perspective on the plants mentioned in the Quran and Hadith over 1400 years ago, and also to assess their uses and applications in traditional and contemporary medicine in today’s context.
Three thousand participants representing Ministries, organizations and educational institutes in the country are attending the symposium. The event provides a good opportunity for the participants and speakers to exchange views, gain knowledge related to the theme of the symposium as well as to foster professional relations.
Source: RBT News
