أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا، وَهِيَ مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِ، حَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ ". فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَادِيَةِ، وَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ. قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ. فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَخْبِرْنَا بِهَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ ". قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَحَدَّثْتُ أَبِي بِمَا وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي فَقَالَ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا.
Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Amongst the trees there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and islike a Muslim, tell me the name of that tree." Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desertareas and I thought of the date-palm tree but felt shy (to answer). The others asked, "O Allah'sApostle! inform us of it." He replied, "it is the date-palm tree." I told my father what had come to mymind and on that he said, "Had you said it I would have preferred it to such and such a thing that Imight possess."