Be like the date palm
Allah sometimes gives us metaphors and examples in the Quran to make us think, and a special one of these appears in Surat Ibrahim:
أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًۭا كَلِمَةًۭ طَيِّبَةًۭ كَشَجَرَةٍۢ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌۭ وَفَرْعُهَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ. تُؤْتِىٓ أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍۭ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا ۗ وَيَضْرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ. وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍۢ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ ٱجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍۢ
Have you not seen how Allah has set forth a parable: A good word is like a good tree, having its root firm and its branches in the sky. It brings its fruits at all times with the will of its Lord. Allah sets forth the parables for the people, so that they may take lesson. And the parable of a bad word is like a bad tree, removed from the top of the soil, having no firm root. [14:24-26]
The good tree
Scholars of tafsir agree that the ‘good word’ in this ayah is referring to la ilaha illa-allah, the declaration of faith, and that the ‘good tree’ is the date palm.
A date palm has strong roots, beauty, sweet fruits, and every part of it is useful. Its branches are used for ceilings, even the core of the trunk can be eaten in salad. Recently people have even started roasting the date stones and making coffee with them.
Allah especially mentions that the tree has strong roots: when the wind blows, it will not be uprooted. This is what the imaan of a believer should be like – unshaken by any tests and calamities. It can bend with the wind, but it won’t break.
Ibn Umar narrated a hadith about a riddle Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) asked his companions:
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” 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 ”
Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him) 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 Allah’s Messenger (peace be on him) ?” He replied, “It is the date-palm tree.” [Bukhari]
The bad tree
The opposite of this is words of shirk. The companions commented that the bad tree is a bitter apple, a type of poisonous vine that grows in the desert. Although it has some medicinal uses, the fruits are bitter and it is unappealing to look at. During the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) no one wanted it – and this is what should be the case with disbelief and kufr.
This visual example illustrates the choice every person has between the fruitful and fragrant option or the harmful and bitter one.
The result of strong imaan
The choice you make leads on to the next ayah:
يُثَبِّتُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱلْقَوْلِ ٱلثَّابِتِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ وَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ۚ وَيَفْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ
Allah keeps the believers firm with the stable word in the worldly life and in the Hereafter; and Allah lets the unjust go astray; and Allah does what He wills. [14:27]
When a believer has strong imaan, that continues even after death, into the questioning in the grave. When the angels ask you, it doesn’t matter how much you rehearsed during your life: if it isn’t in your heart, you won’t be able to say the right answer. But if you chose the right tree in the dunya, Allah will make your imaan firm.
We ask Allah to enable us to be like the fruitful, useful and beneficial palm tree.
Delivered by Shaykh Haytham Tamim on 20th February 2026. Transcribed by Hana Khan.
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