Palm Tree

Samar ebne Jandab owned a palm tree in one of the  Ansaar’s (people who welcomed the Prophet to Madineh) garden near the private house of one immigrant that lived there with his family. Samare would come along once in a while to see and tend to his palm tree or to select some dates. And of course according to the rule of Islam he had the right to come and go from the house to tend to his tree.

Whenever Samare wanted to go get news about his palm tree, without any announcement he intrudingly barged in the Ansaar’s house and even nosily watched and glared at everything going on within the house.

The landlord pleaded to him not to come in the house  unannounced.  He didn’t accept.

Left with no choice, the owner stated his complaints to the Prophet, “This man enters my house unannounced. Can you tell him not to arrive surprisingly, without  declaring his presence, so that my family knows when he enters, and  to cover themselves from his wandering eyes?”

The Holy Prophet called for Samare and said to him, “Someone has issued a complaint against you. They say that you enter their house unannounced and you watch his family in a way that they  do not seem to like. After you leave this place, ask the owner’s permission  and declare your presence before you enter the house.” Samare didn’t obey.

The Prophet suggested, “Then sell the tree.” Still  Samare didn’t accept. The Holy Prophet raised the price on the tree, but Samare still didn’t listen. The Prophet raised the price even higher, but it was still not accepted. Then the Holy Prophet stated, “If you sell this tree there will be a tree for you in heaven”  The stubborn Samare still didn’t succumb to the Prophets offer. He made it clear that he was neither going to give up on his tree nor arrive in the garden with permission of its owner.

Then in this case the Holy Prophet stated, “You are a bothersome man who is stubborn and difficult, and in the religion of Islam there is no place for being bothersome and being stubborn about a bad action.” Then he faced the Ansar and said to him, “Go and rip the tree out and throw it in front of Samare.”

The Ansar did as he was told. then the Prophet stated to Samare, “Now go and plant this tree wherever you wish.”