But he refused. Then Abu al-Dahdah came to him and said, “Sell me your date palm in exchange for my garden.” He agreed.

Abu al-Dahdah then came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said, “Messenger of Allah, I have bought the date palm in exchange for my garden, so give it to him.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then repeated the words already mentioned. Abu al-Dahdah went to his wife and said, “O Umm al-Dahdah, leave the garden, for I have sold it for a date palm in Paradise.” She replied, “You have made a profitable sale,” or words to that effect.

Al-Hakim said, “It is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria.” Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and it is as they both said.

The hadith under discussion also has a corroborating narration from Jabir ibn Samurah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with similar wording. It was recorded by Muslim, Ibn Hibban (9/144/7113 and 7114), and others. Al-Tirmidhi declared it authentic, and it is referenced in Ahkam al-Jana'iz (75).

There is another corroborating narration through ‘Abd al-Razzaq: Ma‘mar informed us, from Zayd ibn Aslam, who said: “When the verse, ‘Who is it that will lend Allah a goodly loan…?’ was revealed, Ibn al-Dahdah (!) came…” The hadith then continues with similar wording, though it does not contain the account of the man or of Abu al-Dahdah’s purchasing the date palm from him; it does contain the hadith under discussion. Ibn Jarir recorded it in al-Tafsir, and its chain is authentic but mursal.

It has also been narrated with a connected chain through ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, from his grandfather, from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. This ‘Abd al-Rahman is very weak and deemed suspect. Al-Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat (1/101/1/2052—according to my numbering).

It has also been narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud, but its chain contains two weak narrators. It is referenced in Takhrij Mushkilat al-Faqr (76–120), where it was graded as “authentic”; this is an error.