Have you not seen how God has coined a similitude? A goodly saying is as a goodly tree; its roots set firm and its branches in heaven.He replied:It was related from Ibn ʿAbbās y that the Prophet went out to his Companions while they were discussing the �goodly tree�, and he said: �That is the believer whose root is in the earth and whose branch is in heaven.� This means that his works are raised to the heavens and accepted. This is the similitude that God coined for the believer and the disbeliever. So He said, A goodly saying, that is, a saying of sincerity (ikhlāṣ), is as a goodly tree, that is, the date palm; its roots set firm and its branches in heaven, that is, its branches rise up to heaven. Likewise the root of the works of a believer are in the saying [which attests to] God�s oneness (kalimat al-tawḥīd), which is a firm root whose branches, his works, are raised up to the heavens and accepted, unless there is some deficiency or ill-effect (iḥdāth) in them. However, even then the root of his actions, namely the saying which attests to God�s oneness, is not removed, just as the winds shake the branches of the date palm, but its root remains firmly in place.He likened the actions of a disbeliever to a foul tree (shajara khabītha), saying but an evil saying is as a bad tree [14:26], meaning the colocynth tree (ḥanẓal). It is the foulest on the earth, for it has no roots at all beneath it. Just so is disbelief and hypocrisy, which have no endurance in the Hereafter. Thus, in the treasure houses of God, there is nothing greater than the attestation of God�s oneness (tawḥīd).Sahl was asked about the meaning of �There is no god save God� (lā ilāha illā�Llāh). He said: �There is no bestower of benefit (nāfiʿ) and no defender (dāfiʿ) except God, Exalted is He.�He was asked about islām, īmān and iḥsān. He answered:Islām is the law (ḥukm), īmān is the bond [with God] (waṣl) and iḥsān is the reward (thawāb); and for that reward there is a reward.
