“I passed by some palm trees with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he saw some people pollinating the trees. He said: 'What are these people doing?' They said: 'They are taking something from the male part (of the plant) and putting it in the female part.' He said: 'I do not think that this will do any good.' News of that reached them, so they stopped doing it, and their yield declined. News of that reached the Prophet ﷺ and he said: 'That was only my thought. If it will do any good, then do it. I am only a human being like you, and what I think may be right or wrong. But When I tell you: “Allah (SWT) says,” I will never tell lies about Allah (SWT).' ”  

مَرَرْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي نَخْلٍ فَرَأَى قَوْمًا يُلَقِّحُونَ النَّخْلَ فَقَالَ مَا يَصْنَعُ هَؤُلاَءِ قَالُوا يَأْخُذُونَ مِنَ الذَّكَرِ فَيَجْعَلُونَهُ فِي الأُنْثَى قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ ذَاكَ يُغْنِي شَيْئًا فَبَلَغَهُمْ فَتَرَكُوهُ وَنَزَلُوا عَنْهَا فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ ظَنٌّ إِنْ كَانَ يُغْنِي شَيْئًا فَاصْنَعُوهُ فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ وَإِنَّ الظَّنَّ يُخْطِئُ وَيُصِيبُ وَلَكِنْ مَا قُلْتُ لَكُمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ أَكْذِبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by some people who were at the top of the palm trees. He said: ʿWhat are these people doing?ʿ They said: “They are pollinating (the trees), putting the male with the female.” He said: ʿI do not think this can help in any way.” They were told about that and they stopped doing it. News of that reached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he said: “If it will benefit them, then let them do it. It was only a passing thought. Do not blame me for a mere thought, but if I tell you anything about Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) then accept it from me, for I will never tell a lie about Allah.ʿ  

مَرَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَى قَوْمٍ فِي رُءُوسِ النَّخْلِفَقَالَ مَا يَصْنَعُ هَؤُلاءِ؟ قَالُوا يُلَقِّحُونَهُ يَجْعَلُونَ الذَّكَرَ فِي الْأُنْثَى قَالَ مَا أَظُنُّ ذَلِكَ يُغْنِي شَيْئًا فَأُخْبِرُوا بِذَلِكَ فَتَرَكُوهُ فَأُخْبِرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ فَلْيَصْنَعُوهُ فَإِنِّي إِنَّمَا ظَنَنْتُ ظَنًّا فَلا تُؤَاخِذُونِي بِالظَّنِّ وَلَكِنِ إذَا أَخْبَرْتُكُمْ عَنِ اللهِ ﷻ بِشَيْءٍ فَخُذُوهُ فَإِنِّي لَنِ أكْذِبَ عَلَى اللهِ شَيْئًا  

I was with the Prophet ﷺ and he passed by some palm trees of Madinah, and he saw some people at the top of the palm trees who were pollinating them. He said: “What are these people doing?ʿ [Talhah] said: “They are taking (pollen) from the male and putting it in the female, to fertilise it.” He said: ʿI do not think this can help in any way.” News of that reached them, so they stopped doing that and came down from the trees, which did not bear any fruit that year as a result. News of that reached the Prophet ﷺ and he said: “It was only a thought that crossed my mind. If it helps in any way, then do it. I am only human, just like you, and thoughts may be right or wrong. But if I tell you that Allah, May He be glorified and exalted, said something, I will never tell a lie about Allah, may He be glorified and exalted.” It was narrated from Moosa bin Talhah ( and he narrated a similar report.) a similar report  

مَرَرْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي نَخْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فَرَأَى أَقْوَامًا فِي رُءُوسِ النَّخْلِ يُلَقِّحُونَ النَّخْلَ فَقَالَ مَا يَصْنَعُ هَؤُلاءِ؟ قَالَ يَأْخُذُونَ مِنَ الذَّكَرِ فَيَجْعَلُونَهُ فِي الْأُنْثَى يُلَقِّحُونَ بِهِ فَقَالَ مَا أَظُنُّذَلِكَ يُغْنِي شَيْئًا فَبَلَغَهُمْ فَتَرَكُوهُ وَنَزَلُوا عَنْهَا فَلَمْ تَحْمِلْ تِلْكَ السَّنَةَ شَيْئًا فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ ظَنٌّ ظَنَنْتُهُ إِنْ كَانَ يُغْنِي شَيْئًا فَاصْنَعُوا فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ وَالظَّنُّ يُخْطِئُ وَيُصِيبُ وَلَكِنْ مَا قُلْتُ لَكُمْ قَالَ اللهُ ﷻ فَلَنِ أكْذِبَ عَلَى اللهِ ﷻ  

"إِنْ كَانَ يَنْفَعُهُمْ ذَلِكَ فَليَصْنَعُوهُ فَإِنِّى إِنَّما ظَنَنْت ظَنًّا فَلَا

تُؤَاخذَونى بالظَّنِ، ولكنْ إِذَا حَدَّثْتُكُمْ عَنِ اللَّه شَيْئًا فَخُذوا به، فَإنى لَنْ أَكذبَ عَلَى اللَّه ﷻ" .