44/79. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2867 — Date-Palm and the Believer
What Has Been Related About The Parable Of The Believer Who Recites The Quran And The One Who Does Not Recite
Hadith About the Date-Palm Tree and the Believer
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2867
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2867
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَهِيَ مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ حَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ " . قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي وَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ . فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ " . فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ أَقُولَ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَحَدَّثْتُ عُمَرَ بِالَّذِي وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي . فَقَالَ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضى الله عنه .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Indeed There Is A Tree That Does Not Shed Its Foliage, And It Is Is Similar To The Believer. Can Any Of You Tell Me What It Is?" 'Abdullah Said: "The People Started Thinking About The Trees Of The Desert. And It Occurred To Me That It May Be The Date-Palm." Then The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: "It Is The Date-Palm." But I Was Shy - Meaning To Say Anything." 'Abdullah Said: "So I Informed 'Umar About What I Had Thought Of, And He Said: 'If You Had Said It, That Would Be More Beloved To Me Than This Or That.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2867In-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 9English translation : Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 2867
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2867
This hadith about the date-palm tree and the believer begins with a question. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked about a tree that does not shed its leaves and is similar to the believer. Ibn Umar thought it was the date-palm, while others began thinking about desert trees. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then said that it was the date-palm. Ibn Umar did not speak because he felt shy. Later, when he told Umar what had come to his mind, Umar said he would have loved for him to have said it. The hadith teaches through a simple classroom moment: the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked, the companions thought, and a correct answer was shown with the image of the date-palm.
What we learn from this hadith
- The believer is compared to a date-palm tree that does not shed its leaves.
- Asking questions can be a way to teach and make people think.
- Ibn Umar's shyness kept him from answering, though he had thought correctly.
- Umar valued his son's correct understanding and wished he had spoken.
