A Sanctuary

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, as narrated by al-Bukhārī (1834): wa lā yukhtalā khalāhā wa lā taḥillu luqaṭatuhā illā li-munshid — its trees may not be cut down, nor may its vegetation be uprooted, and items found in it belong to the finder only after the find has been announced. Al-ʿAbbās ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to exclude from this rule a plant called al-idhkhir, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had said that they were not allowed to cut down trees. So al-ʿAbbās wanted to exclude al-idhkhir, because they used it for the dead: it is a fragrant plant; it has a nice smell. And apparently it was also used as fuel by blacksmiths, because another narration says: li-al-qayn. So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: except for al-idhkhir. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) allowed them to cut this particular plant, but nothing else. So Makkah, and also Madīnah, are ḥaram; they are a sanctuary: hunting is not allowed in them, and uprooting trees is not allowed.