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.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَإِنَّهَا مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِ فَحَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ ثُمَّ قَالُوا حَدِّثْنَا مَا هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ قَالَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِعُمَرَ قَالَ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا  

Tell me about a tree which has resemblance with a believer. The people began to mention (different) trees of the forest. Ibn 'Umar said: It was instilled in my mind or in my heart and it stuck therein that it implied the date- palm tree. I made up my mind to make a mention of that but could not do that because of the presence of the elderly people there. When there was a hush amongst them (after they had expressed their views), Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: It Is the date-palm tree.  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمًا لأَصْحَابِهِ أَخْبِرُونِي عَنْ شَجَرَةٍ مَثَلُهَا مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَجَعَلَ الْقَوْمُ يَذْكُرُونَ شَجَرًا مِنْ شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ وَأُلْقِيَ فِي نَفْسِي أَوْ رُوعِيَ أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ فَجَعَلْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَهَا فَإِذَا أَسْنَانُ الْقَوْمِ فَأَهَابُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ فَلَمَّا سَكَتُوا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ  

(I have had the privilege) of accompanying Ibn 'Umar up to Medina but I did not hear him narrate anything from Messenger of Allah ﷺ except one hadith. And he said: We were in the presence of Messenger of Allah ﷺ that there was brought to him the kernel of a date. The rest of the hadith is the same.  

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلاَّ حَدِيثًا وَاحِدًا قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأُتِيَ بِجُمَّارٍ فَذَكَرَ بِنَحْوِ حَدِيثِهِمَا  

I heard Ibn 'Umar as saying: There was brought to Messenger of Allah ﷺ the kernel. The rest of the hadith is tile same.  

سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ أُتِيَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِجُمَّارٍ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِهِمْ  

We were'in the company of Messenger of Allah ﷺ that he said: Tell me of a tree which has resemblance to a Muslim and the leaves of which do not wither. Ibrahim said that perhaps Imam Muslim had stated like this: It constantly bears fruit but I have, however, seen [It does not bear fruit constantly]. Ibn Umar said: It crossed my mind that it could be the date-palm tree, but as I saw Aba Bakr and Umar observe silence, I did not deem it fit that I should speak or I should say something. 'Umar said: Had you said so, it would have been dearer to me than such and such thing.  

كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرُونِي بِشَجَرَةٍ شِبْهِ أَوْ كَالرَّجُلِ الْمُسْلِمِ لاَ يَتَحَاتُّ وَرَقُهَا قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ لَعَلَّ مُسْلِمًا قَالَ وَتُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا وَكَذَا وَجَدْتُ عِنْدَ غَيْرِي أَيْضًا وَلاَ تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ وَرَأَيْتُ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ لاَ يَتَكَلَّمَانِ فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ أَوْ أَقُولَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا