Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 7617

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that whenever Sayyiduna Sulayman bin Dawud (peace be upon them both) prayed, a tree would appear in front of him. He would ask it: "What are you, and for what purpose have you grown?" It would reply: "I am such-and-such a tree, and I have grown to cure such-and-such a disease." Then one day, when he had prayed the morning prayer, a tree appeared in front of him. He asked it: "What are you, and for what purpose have you grown?" It replied: "I am al-kharnub (the carob), and I have grown for the ruin of this mosque." Then Sayyiduna Sulayman (peace be upon him) knew that the time of his death had drawn near, and that Bayt al-Maqdis would not be ruined while he was alive. So he supplicated to Allah Almighty that his death be concealed from the devils, while the jinn claimed that the devils knew the unseen. Then he (peace be upon him) died leaning on his staff. Allah Almighty set al-aradah (the termite) upon his staff, and it ate it, and he (his blessed body) fell to the ground. Thereupon the devils made it binding upon themselves, out of gratitude to the termite, to bring water to it wherever it might be, for they praised and thanked it for what it had done (in revealing his death) by eating the staff of Sulayman (peace be upon him).