The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of a branch and shook it, but nothing fell from it. He shook it again, but nothing fell. Then he shook it once more, and its leaves fell off. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Saying 'Glory be to Allah,' 'Praise be to Allah,' 'There is no god but Allah,' and 'Allah is the Greatest' shakes off sins just as a tree sheds its leaves."
أن رسول الله ﷺ أخذ غصنا، فنفضه فلم ينتفض، ثم نفضه فلم ينتفض، ثم نفضه فانتفض فقال رسول الله ﷺ: إن سبحان الله، والحمد لله، ولا إله إلا الله، والله أكبر تنفض الخطايا كما تنفض الشجرة ورقها.
Ahmad (12534) and Bukhari in Adab al-Mufrad (634) narrated it, both by way of Abdul-Warith (that is, Ibn Saeed) who said, Abu Rabia Sinan narrated to us, Anas bin Malik narrated to us, and he related it. Its chain is hasan because of Abu Rabia Sinan, who is Ibn Rabia Bahili, hasan al-hadith.Tirmidhi (3533) and Abu Naeem in al-Hilya (5/55) narrated it through routes from Fadl bin Musa, from Amash, from Anas, relating something similar. Tirmidhi said, "This is a gharib hadith, and we do not know of Amash hearing from Anas except that he saw him and looked at him." End of quote.I say, likewise Ibn Madini, Ibn Main, and Ahmad stated firmly that Amash did not hear from Anas, but rather only saw him with his eyes.Similar in meaning is what was narrated from Abu Darda, who said, the Messenger of Allah said to me, "Hold fast to 'Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is greatest,' for they, that is, they make sins fall away just as a tree sheds its leaves." Ibn Majah (3813) narrated it from Ali bin Muhammad, who said, Abu Muawiya narrated to us, from Umar bin Rashid, from Yahya bin Abu Kathir, from Abu Salama bin Abdul-Rahman, from Abu Darda, and he related it. Umar bin Rashid is Yamami, daif by the agreement of the people of knowledge.