Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Amongst the trees, there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim. Tell me the name of that tree." Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas. And I thought of the date-palm tree but felt shy to answer the others then asked, "What is that tree, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ ?" He replied, "It is the date-palm tree."  

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 هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Amongst the trees, there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim. Tell me the name of that tree." Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas. And I thought of the date-palm tree. The others then asked, "Please inform us what is that tree, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" He replied, "It is the date-palm tree."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ شَجَرَةً لاَ يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا وَإِنَّهَا مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِ حَدِّثُونِي مَا هِيَ قَالَ فَوَقَعَ النَّاسُ فِي شَجَرِ الْبَوَادِي قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي أَنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ ثُمَّ قَالُوا حَدِّثْنَا مَا هِيَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ  

Once Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Amongst the trees there is a tree, the leaves of which do not fall and is like a Muslim, tell me the name of that tree." Everybody started thinking about the trees of the desert areas and I thought of the date-palm tree but felt shy (to answer). The others asked, "O Allah's Apostle! inform us of it." He replied, "it is the date-palm tree." I told my father what had come to my mind and on that he said, "Had you said it I would have preferred it to such and such a thing that I might possess."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَحَدَّثْتُ أَبِي بِمَا وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي فَقَالَ لأَنْ تَكُونَ قُلْتَهَا أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لِي كَذَا وَكَذَا  

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  

that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Indeed there is a tree that does not shed its foilage, 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.'"  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ 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 ﷺ 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  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Verily, the example of a believer is like a tree that does not shed its leaves, so what is it?" They said, "We do not know." I intended to say, "It is the date palm tree," but I felt shy. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "It is the date palm tree."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ الْمُؤْمِنِ مَثَلُ شَجَرَةٍ لَا يَسْقُطُ وَرَقُهَا فَمَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ فَقَالُوا وَقَالُوا فَلَمْ يُصِيبُواوَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقُولَ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ  

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