Usul16

The Trees of al-Haram (the sacred area)

alkafi-6768Vol. 4, p. 231

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع الرَّجُلُ يَدْخُلُ مَكَّةَ فَيَقْطَعُ مِنْ شَجَرِهَا قَالَ اقْطَعْ مَا كَانَ دَاخِلًا عَلَيْكَ وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ مَا لَمْ يَدْخُلْ مَنْزِلَكَ عَلَيْكَ.

‘You can cut what has entered in your place, but you must not cut what has not entered your place.’”

alkafi-6769Vol. 4, p. 231

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع شَجَرَةٌ أَصْلُهَا فِي الْحِلِّ وَ فَرْعُهَا فِي الْحَرَمِ فَقَالَ حُرِّمَ أَصْلُهَا لِمَكَانِ فَرْعِهَا قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ أَصْلَهَا فِي الْحَرَمِ وَ فَرْعَهَا فِي الْحِلِّ فَقَالَ حُرِّمَ فَرْعُهَا لِمَكَانِ أَصْلِهَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a tree with its roots in non-al- Haram (the sacred area) and its branches in al-Haram (the sacred area). He (the Imam) said, ‘Its roots are prohibited because of its branches.’ I then asked, ‘What if its roots are al-Haram (the sacred area) and its branches in non-

alkafi-6771Vol. 4, p. 231

إِنْ بَنَى الْمَنْزِلَ وَ الشَّجَرَةُ فِيهِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَقْلَعَهَا وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ نَبَتَتْ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ وَ هُوَ لَهُ فَلْيَقْلَعْهَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who cuts a tree in his house in al-Haram (the sacred area). He (the Imam) said, ‘If he built the house and the tree was there it is prohibited for him, but he could cut it if it grew after the house was built.’”