The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Abu Musa from the Prophet ﷺ through a different chain of narrators up to “and its taste bitter”. Ibn Muadh added: Anas said: We used talk to one another thet a good companion is like. . . He then transmitted the rest of the tradition.

Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet ﷺ said: A believer who recites the Quran is like a citron whose fragrance is sweet and whose taste is sweet, a believer who does not recite the Quran is like a date which has no fragrance but has sweet taste, a profligate who recites the Quran is like basil whose fragrance is sweet but whose taste is bitter, and the profligate who does not recite the Quran is like the colocynth which has a bitter taste and has not fragrance. A good companion is like a man who has musk; if nothing of it goes to you, its fragrance will (certainly) go to you; and a bad companion is like a man who has bellows; if its (black) root does not go to you, its smoke will (certainly) go to you.