It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: At night, the sky became cloudy and rainy. When the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went for the 'Isha prayer and lightning flashed, he (peace and blessings be upon him) saw Sayyiduna Qatadah bin Nu'man (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked: Qatadah! What has brought you here at this time? He replied: O Messenger of Allah! I thought there would be few worshippers, so I wanted to make sure I reached. Upon hearing this, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you have performed the prayer, remain seated in your place until I come. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he gave him a branch of a date palm and said: Take this branch, it will create light for you ten (hand spans) ahead and ten behind. When you enter your house and see a presence in a corner of the house, before speaking, strike it, for it will be a devil. So he did as instructed, and for this reason, we like such branches and sticks.