The Resurrection of an Illusion: The Rose of Jericho

Although the Rose of Jericho revives with just a few drops of water in our vases, it grows in a land, Jericho and its surroundings, that is suffering. Not only due to drought conditions exacerbated by water privatization and the control of natural resources, but also as a result of economic and geopolitical interests that, for nearly a century, have undermined a territory sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, as well as the ecological balance itself.

This miraculous plant, resilient in nature, has become a subject of reflection and a symbol of renewal.

"Do not say of those who are killed in the way of Allah, 'They are dead.' No, they are alive, but you do not perceive it."Qur’an – Sura al-Baqarah (2:154)

Not only humans are subject to God, but Nature itself reflects divine will. Every organism feeds on a transcendent energy that sustains its existence. Ākhirah, understood more in a spiritual than literal sense, represents the dimension in which the soul transcends earthly life and unites with ultimate truth, analogous to the Sahasrara in yoga, the point of opening to universal consciousness.

The Rose of Jericho, like every living being, follows this path of resilience and transformation.

The plant illustrates a principle of universal resurrection: human bones regenerate approximately every ten years, and science confirms that cells are in constant renewal. In this sense, life and matter follow interconnected cycles that reflect a profound and intelligent order, consistent with the teachings of the Qur’an.

The Rose of Jericho transcends its ornamental function: it symbolizes latent survival, patient waiting, and renewal contingent upon favorable conditions. Matter, seemingly dead, contains vital potential; similarly, human existence, though subject to physical limitations, maintains the capacity for transformation through the activation of consciousness.

Observing natural and cosmological phenomena, human knowledge encompasses only a small fraction of reality: approximately 5% of observable matter in the universe is understood, while the remaining 95%—dark matter and dark energy—remains largely unknown. The Qur’an itself reminds us:

"And you were not given of knowledge except a little." Qur’an 17:85

The Rose of Jericho also demonstrates the cycle of perception: what appears absent or dead may exist in invisible forms, like the sun hidden behind clouds or a person in a state of unconsciousness. Thus, the laws of nature reflect spiritual principles of continuity and resilience.

Every natural element, from leaves to the wind, manifests a deeper reality; the pairs of phenomena mentioned in the Qur’an (Sura Adh-Dhariyat 51:49) highlight symmetries and interconnections between mind, thought, and matter. The quality of consciousness is reflected in the surrounding world: positive thoughts generate constructive actions and harmonious realities, while negative ones may produce destructive outcomes.

Hence, the Rose of Jericho becomes the diagram of life, a silent representation of the cycles of birth, death, and renewal that characterize every being and phenomenon. Even when apparently inactive, it registers and responds to the surrounding environment.

Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the Holy Land, hosts this extraordinary plant. Its biology, capable of extreme survival, has inspired studies in biomimetics and plant adaptation to climate change. Understanding natural processes—plants, animals, tissues—not only provides technological insights but also invites reflection on the spiritual functioning of human beings, who are born, die, and are reborn in a continuous cycle of transformation.