Hadith #58

Arabic Text

English Translation

Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Malik — meaning al-Ḥarrānī — narrated to us: Sharīk narrated to us, from Simāk, from al-Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr رضي الله عنه who said: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'By Allah, Allah is more joyful at the repentance of His servant than a man who was traveling in a barren desert. He took shelter under the shade of a tree and slept beneath it. He awoke and could not find his riding camel. He went to a hilltop and climbed it, looking out, but saw nothing. Then he went to another and looked out but saw nothing. He said: I shall return to the place where I was and remain there until I die. He went back, and there was his riding camel dragging its reins. Allah عز وجل is more joyful at the repentance of His servant than this man was at finding his camel.'