(It) has no inherent power to bring benefit or harm, as we can now plainly see with objects far inferior to it. Ibn Umar hinted at this when he said, “It was a mercy from Allah,” meaning that the Companions’ later ignorance of its location was, in fact, a mercy from the Exalted. I add: Among the very trees to which the hadith master referred, I myself saw one more than ten years ago, east of the Martyrs of Uhud cemetery, just outside its wall. It was covered with many cloth strips. During last year’s pilgrimage season (1371 AH) I saw that the tree had been completely uprooted. Praise be to Allah, who has safeguarded the Muslims from its evil and from other trees and idols that are worshipped beside Him. (1) Also related by Ibn Abi Shaybah (2/83/2) and al-Azraqi in Akhbar Makka, p. 304, with a sound chain of transmission. Ahmad (6/8), Abu Ya‘la, and Ibn Mandah in al-Tawhid (26/1–2) transmitted the same wording from Abu Basra al-Ghifari; this chain is likewise authentic. I have documented it in Irwa al-Ghalil, no. 970.