Reflection on Tree Planting Day at Al Zaytun: When Trees Become a Manifestation of a Trilogy of Awareness
By: Dr. Ali Aminulloh, A.Ag, M.Pd.I, ME
(Lecturer at IAI Al Zaytun)
Today, November 28, nature sends an important call through the commemoration of Indonesian Tree Planting Day (HMPI). Established through Presidential Decree Number 24 of 2008 by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, this national momentum goes far beyond a mere seedling planting ceremony. It is a collective reminder of the urgency of reforestation and environmental sustainability.
HMPI was born out of deep concern: increasing forest destruction, the real impact of climate change, and the need to mitigate carbon emissions. Its goals are clear: to raise ecological awareness in the community, encourage active participation in tree planting, and ensure local governments have planned reforestation programs. Trees are the lungs of the earth; they maintain the quality of air, soil, and water. Planting one tree is an investment in future sustainability.
An Eternal Story in the Land of Education: A Commitment That Knows No Saw
Amidst the echoes of national commemoration, there is an educational institution that makes its commitment to trees its lifeblood. It is Ma’had Al Zaytun.
For this Ma’had, tree planting is not just a seasonal program, but a culture that has been ingrained since its inception. Millions of trees have been planted, transforming barren land into a lush educational forest.
Al Zaytun’s consistency is manifested in various unique and profound institutional practices:
1. Taqris: Since 1999, every new teacher taking office has been required to carry out the activity of taqris, planting a tree. This is a profound symbol that the task of educating is not only about educating people, but also about caring for the earth upon which they live.
2. Historical Markers: Important moments are always marked by tree planting. The arrival of Indonesian President B.J. Habibie at the inauguration of Al Zaytun, as well as numerous ministers and state officials such as Agung Laksono, Malik Fajar, and Surya Darma Ali, all left their green footprints.
3. Philosophy of Maintenance: Most interesting is the commitment to no felling. When roads or buildings are being built, trees are not destroyed but instead moved using their special tool, the Big John, which can move trees up to 25 cm in diameter. As a result, Jalan Jammas is immediately enveloped in the shade of rows of large teak and mahogany trees—a rare sight resulting from extraordinary care.
This commitment is encapsulated in the profound motto: “Our predecessors planted trees for us, and we plant trees for future generations.”
Trees as a Trilogy of Awareness
Shaykh A. S. Panji Gumilang, as the initiator of contemporary education at Al Zaytun, has formulated the essence of this practice in the Trilogy of Awareness: Philosophical Awareness, Ecological Awareness, and Social Awareness. The act of planting and caring for trees at Ma’had Al Zaytun is a concrete implementation of these three pillars:
1. Philosophical Awareness
The act of planting trees teaches future generations the meaning of sustainable existence and heritage. This is the awareness that life should leave behind benefits, not just profit. Transplanting trees rather than cutting them down is a philosophical practice that respects other life, adhering to the principle that humans have a moral responsibility to maintain the integrity of creation.
2. Ecological Awareness
This is the core of HMPI. By planting millions of trees and using Big John as a symbol of anti-logging, Al Zaytun teaches that humans are part of nature, not free masters of destruction. This awareness demands the preservation of air, land, and water, as well as a real contribution to mitigating climate change.
3. Social Awareness
A green and healthy environment is a public good—a shared good. The trees planted along the streets and grounds of Ma’had Al Zaytun are a social contribution that produces clean air, shade, and a better quality of life for the entire community living within it. This is a lesson that caring for the environment is the highest form of concern for the well-being of others.
Inspiring Reflections: Planting Eternal Hope
On this Indonesian Tree Planting Day, let us look back within ourselves. Trees are the best teachers of patience, perseverance and fruitful love. The act of planting is a practical embodiment of the Trilogy of Consciousness—an action that is rooted in the philosophy of goodness, ecologically oriented, and produces social benefits.
An ancient proverb that is always relevant whispers: “Plant a tree even if tomorrow will end.”
This sentence is an invitation to never give up in doing good to nature. Our job is not only to enjoy the shade inherited from our predecessors, but to ensure that future generations also have the same right to breathe the air a clean.
Let’s make every breath we take as a promise, and every seed planted as a manifestation of our most sincere love for the earth and humanity.
Plant today. Inherit eternal life.**
Indonesia, 28 November 2025
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