Planting Is A Charity

عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ :‏ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَغْرِسُ غَرْسًا إِلاَّ كَانَ مَا أُكِلَ مِنْهُ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ وَمَا سُرِقَ مِنْهُ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ وَمَا أَكَلَتِ الطَّيْرُ فَهُوَ لَهُ صَدَقَةً وَلاَ يَرْزَؤُهُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ صَدَقَةٌ ‏ ‏ 

From Jabir RA, the Messenger of Allah SAW said: No Muslim grows a plant but what is eaten from the plant is counted as charity, what is stolen from the plant is counted as charity, what is eaten by wild animals is counted as charity, what is eaten by birds is counted as alms. No one cultivates unless he gets (reward) charity from it.  

(HR Muslim, Kitab al-Musaaqaah, No: 1552) Status: Sahih Hadith 

Learnings:

1. Imam Nawawi explained: there is a preference for planting trees and plants, that the reward of the perpetrator will continue to flow as long as the tree and plant are still there, as well as something (seed) that comes out of it until the Day of Judgment. 

2.  A Muslim will be rewarded for something that is stolen from his property such as plants that he planted, or damaged by animals, or birds or the like.” (See al-Minhaj Sharh Sahih Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, 10/457) 

3. Everything that is cultivated by a Muslim and the benefits obtained by every creature including animals that eat fruits, leaves or those that sit on the branches or shelter under the plants, will give a reward to the farmer. 

4. How great is the reward for those involved in the field of agriculture which provides the main source of human needs such as rice, fruits and vegetables which are partly obligatory (fardhu kifayah) for a person. 

5. Let's not be sad if the crops are eaten or damaged by other creatures or stolen by humans because we will still get a reward.