ذِكْرُ خَبَرٍ ثَانٍ يُصَرِّحُ بِصِحَّةِ مَا ذَكَرْنَاهُ
There is a tree amongst trees, the leaves of which do not wither and that is like a Muslim; tell me which that (tree) can be? The people began to think of the trees of the forest. Abdullah said: I thought that it could be the date-palm tree, but I felt hesitant (to say that). They (the Companions) then said: Messenger of Allah, (kindly) tell us which that can be? Thereupon he said: It is the date-palm tree. I made a mention of that to 'Umar, whereupon he said: Had you said that it meant the date-palin tree, this statement of yours (would have been dearer to me) than such and such things. (Using translation from Muslim 2811a)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةٌ لَا يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَإِنَّهَا مِثْلُ الْمُسْلِمِ فَحَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ؟ » فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ ثُمَّ قَالُوا حَدِّثْنَا مَا هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ «هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ» فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِعُمَرَ فَقَالَ لِأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا