the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “On the night of my Night Journey, I met Abraham, the close friend of Allah—peace be upon him. He said, ‘O Muhammad, convey my greetings of peace to your community and inform them that Paradise has wholesome soil and sweet water, that it consists of level plains, and that its plantings are: “Glory be to Allah; all praise is due to Allah; there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah; and Allah is the Greatest.”’” Al-Tirmidhī said: “This is a fair but singular hadith narrated from Ibn Masūd.”1

Imam Ahmad also narrated from Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī—may Allah be pleased with him—with the following wording: “During the Night Journey, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—passed by Abraham, who asked, ‘Who is with you, Gabriel?’ He replied, ‘This is Muhammad.’ Abraham then said to him, ‘Tell your community to increase their plantings in Paradise, for its soil is wholesome and its land is vast.’ He was asked, ‘What are the plantings of Paradise?’ He replied, ‘There is no power or strength except through Allah.’” This narration therefore corroborates the preceding hadith.2

Al-Tirmidhī narrated from Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “Whoever says, ‘Glory be to Allah and praise be to Him,’ will have a date palm planted for him in Paradise.” Al-Tirmidhī said: “This is a fair and authentic hadith.”3

Imam Ahmad also narrated from Muādh ibn Anas al-Juhanī—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “Whoever says, ‘Glory be to Allah, the Magnificent,’ will have a plant grow for him in Paradise.”4