The images of young Italy fruit trees cut mercilessly from its trunk at Rangeen Kultreh Chadoora district Budgam is not merely the image of a damaged plant. It is the image of a dream interrupted. It is the image of years of labor lying wounded in the soil. It is the image of hope attacked by envy, negligence, revenge, or indifference. Across Kashmir, stories of damaged orchards, uprooted saplings, vandalized crops, destroyed boundary walls; burnt haystacks, blocked irrigation channels, and damaged public property have become disturbingly familiar. Every such incident leaves behind more than financial loss. It leaves behind emotional scars, broken trust, and painful questions about the state of society.

The tragedy of property damage is often misunderstood because people see only the final act. They see a cut tree, a broken wall, a damaged vehicle, or a vandalized building. What they do not see are the years hidden behind that loss. A fruit tree standing in a Kashmiri orchard is not simply a tree. It is the result of countless days of hard work. It begins as a tiny sapling planted with hope by a farmer who dreams of a better future for his family. He prepares the land, purchases quality plants, arranges irrigation, protects the saplings from frost, insects, disease, and grazing animals. He spends years nurturing them before they begin to bear fruit. He waits patiently through harsh winters and uncertain seasons. He sacrifices comforts, invests savings, and postpones personal needs because he believes that one day the orchard will provide stability and dignity to his family. When someone cuts such a tree in a few seconds, they are not merely destroying wood. They are destroying years of waiting.

In many parts of Kashmir, horticulture is not simply an occupation. It is a way of life. Entire families depend upon orchards for survival. Education of children, marriages of daughters, healthcare expenses, construction of homes, and daily household needs are often financed through the income generated by fruit trees. A mature orchard is the product of decades of planning and effort. Its destruction therefore cannot be measured merely in monetary terms. It represents a theft of time itself.

The Qur’an repeatedly emphasizes the sanctity of productive resources. Allah draws attention to gardens, rivers, crops, fruits, and vegetation as signs of His mercy and wisdom. Human beings are reminded that rain descends from the heavens and causes dead land to come alive. Trees emerge, fruits appear, and sustenance becomes available through Allah’s blessings. The believer is expected to appreciate, protect, and preserve these blessings. Deliberately destroying them reflects a profound lack of gratitude.

Allah warns against spreading corruption on earth after it has been set in order. Corruption in the Quranic sense is much broader than financial dishonesty or political misconduct. It includes every action that destroys harmony, weakens social bonds, damages livelihoods, and undermines collective welfare. The Qur’an specifically mentions those who move through the land seeking to destroy crops and livelihoods, declaring that Allah does not love corruption. It is remarkable that among the examples of corruption mentioned in the Qur’an is the destruction of........

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