It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: 'I am as My slave thinks I am, and I am with Him when he remembers Me.' By Allah, Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave than one of you when he finds his stray camel in the wilderness. 'If he draws near to Me a handspan, I draw near to him an forearm's length, and if he draws near to Me an forearm's length, I draw near to him a an arm's length, and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed."'

حَدَّثَنِى سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ حَدَّثَنِى زَيْدُ بْنُ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ أَبِى صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَنَّهُ قَالَ « قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِى بِى وَأَنَا مَعَهُ حَيْثُ يَذْكُرُنِى وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ يَجِدُ ضَالَّتَهُ بِالْفَلاَةِ وَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ شِبْرًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ ذِرَاعًا وَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ ذِرَاعًا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَاعًا وَإِذَا أَقْبَلَ إِلَىَّ يَمْشِى أَقْبَلْتُ إِلَيْهِ أُهَرْوِلُ».

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah(s.a.w) said: 'Allah rejoices more over the repentance of one of you, than one of you (rejoices) over his stray camel when he finds it."'

حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ الْقَعْنَبِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُغِيرَةُ - يَعْنِى ابْنَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِزَامِىَّ - عَنْ أَبِى الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ بِضَالَّتِهِ إِذَا وَجَدَهَا ».

It was narrated that Al-Harith bin Suwaid said: "I entered upon 'Abdullah to visit him when –he was sick, and he told us two Ahadith: A Hadith from himself and a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). "He said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) say: 'Verity, Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His believing slave than a man in a desolate land who has his mount with him, on which is his food and drink, and he goes to sleep and awakens to find that it has disappeared. He looks for it until thirst overtakes him, then he says: 'I will go back to the place where I was, and sleep until I die.' He lays his head on his forearm, waiting for death, then he wakes up and there is his mount, with his provisions, and food and drink on it. Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His believing slave than this man rejoices over his mount and his provisions."'

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِعُثْمَانَ - قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ عُثْمَانُ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَعُودُهُ وَهُوَ مَرِيضٌ فَحَدَّثَنَا بِحَدِيثَيْنِ حَدِيثًا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَحَدِيثًا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ فِى أَرْضٍ دَوِيَّةٍ مَهْلَكَةٍ مَعَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ عَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَنَامَ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ وَقَدْ ذَهَبَتْ فَطَلَبَهَا حَتَّى أَدْرَكَهُ الْعَطَشُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَكَانِى الَّذِى كُنْتُ فِيهِ فَأَنَامُ حَتَّى أَمُوتَ. فَوَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ عَلَى سَاعِدِهِ لِيَمُوتَ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ وَعِنْدَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ وَعَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَطَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَاللَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ الْعَبْدِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْ هَذَا بِرَاحِلَتِهِ وَزَادِهِ ».

Al-Harith bin Suwaid said: "Abdullah told me two Ahadith: One from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and the other from himself." He said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His believing slave...'" a Hadith like that of Jarir (no. 6955).

وَحَدَّثَنِى إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَارَةُ بْنُ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدِيثَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَالآخَرُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ ». بِمِثْلِ حَدِيثِ جَرِيرٍ.

It was narrated that Simak said: "An Nu'man bin Bashir delivered a Khutbah and said: 'Verily, Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave than a man who loads his provisions on his camel then travels until he is in the wilderness, then the time for a nap comes, so he dismounts and takes a nap beneath a tree, but sleep overwhelms him, and his camel runs away. Then he wakes up and climbs a hill but he does not see anything. Then he climbs a second hill but he does not see anything. Then he climbs a third hill but he does not see anything, so he goes back to the place where he took his nap, and while he is sitting there, his camel comes walking and places its reins in his hand. Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave than this man when he finds his camel as it had left him." Simak said: "Ash-Sha'bi said that An-Nu'man attributed this Hadith to the Prophet (s.a.w), but I did not hear that."

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِىُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِى حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يُونُسَ عَنْ سِمَاكٍ قَالَ خَطَبَ النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ فَقَالَ « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ حَمَلَ زَادَهُ وَمَزَادَهُ عَلَى بَعِيرٍ ثُمَّ سَارَ حَتَّى كَانَ بِفَلاَةٍ مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَأَدْرَكَتْهُ الْقَائِلَةُ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ تَحْتَ شَجَرَةٍ فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ وَانْسَلَّ بَعِيرُهُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَسَعَى شَرَفًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ سَعَى شَرَفًا ثَانِيًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا ثُمَّ سَعَى شَرَفًا ثَالِثًا فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا فَأَقْبَلَ حَتَّى أَتَى مَكَانَهُ الَّذِى قَالَ فِيهِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ قَاعِدٌ إِذْ جَاءَهُ بَعِيرُهُ يَمْشِى حَتَّى وَضَعَ خِطَامَهُ فِى يَدِهِ فَلَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ الْعَبْدِ مِنْ هَذَا حِينَ وَجَدَ بَعِيرَهُ عَلَى حَالِهِ ». قَالَ سِمَاكٌ فَزَعَمَ الشَّعْبِىُّ أَنَّ النُّعْمَانَ رَفَعَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ إِلَى النَّبِىِّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَلَمْ أَسْمَعْهُ.

It was narrated that Al-Bara' bin 'Azib said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'What do you say about the joy of a man whose mount has run away from him, dragging its reins in the waterless desert in which there is no food or drink, and his food , and drink are on it (the camel). He looks for it until he becomes exhausted, then it passes by the trunk of a tree and its reins get caught on it, and he finds it caught there?' We said: '(His joy would be) great, O Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'By Allah, Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave than this man over his mount."' Ja'far said: "Ubaidullah bin Iyad narrated from his father."

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى وَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ جَعْفَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ يَحْيَى أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِيَادِ بْنِ لَقِيطٍ عَنْ إِيَادٍ عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ بِفَرَحِ رَجُلٍ انْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ تَجُرُّ زِمَامَهَا بِأَرْضٍ قَفْرٍ لَيْسَ بِهَا طَعَامٌ وَلاَ شَرَابٌ وَعَلَيْهَا لَهُ طَعَامٌ وَشَرَابٌ فَطَلَبَهَا حَتَّى شَقَّ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ مَرَّتْ بِجِذْلِ شَجَرَةٍ فَتَعَلَّقَ زِمَامُهَا فَوَجَدَهَا مُتَعَلِّقَةً بِهِ ». قُلْنَا شَدِيدًا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « أَمَا وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ بِرَاحِلَتِهِ ». قَالَ جَعْفَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ.

Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave when he repents to Him than one of you who was on his mount in the wilderness, then he lost it, and his food and drink are on it, and he despairs of finding it. He goes to a tree and lies down in its shade, having lost hope of finding his mount, and while he is like that, there it is standing in front of him, so he takes hold of its reins and says - because of his intense joy: 'O Allah, You are my slave and I am your lord,' making this mistake because of his intense joy."'

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ يُونُسَ حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِى طَلْحَةَ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ - وَهُوَ عَمُّهُ - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ حِينَ يَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ كَانَ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ بِأَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ فَانْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وَعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَأَيِسَ مِنْهَا فَأَتَى شَجَرَةً فَاضْطَجَعَ فِى ظِلِّهَا قَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ فَبَيْنَا هُوَ كَذَلِكَ إِذَا هُوَ بِهَا قَائِمَةً عِنْدَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِى وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ. أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ ».

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Allah rejoices more over the repentance of His slave than one of you if he wakes up and finds his camel which he had lost in the wilderness."

حَدَّثَنَا هَدَّابُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَيْقَظَ عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ قَدْ أَضَلَّهُ بِأَرْضِ فَلاَةٍ ».

It was narrated that Abu Ayyub said, when he was dying: "I have concealed from you something that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) say: 'If you did not commit sin, Allah would create people who would commit sin, and He would forgive them."'

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ - قَاصِّ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ - عَنْ أَبِى صِرْمَةَ عَنْ أَبِى أَيُّوبَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ كُنْتُ كَتَمْتُ عَنْكُمْ شَيْئًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ « لَوْلاَ أَنَّكُمْ تُذْنِبُونَ لَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ خَلْقًا يُذْنِبُونَ يَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ ».

It was narrated that Hanzalah Al-Usaidi - who was one of the scribes of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) - said: "Abu Bakr met me and said: 'How are you, O Hanzalah?' I said: 'Hanzalah has become a hypocrite.' He said: 'Subhan Allah! What are you saying?' I said: 'When we are with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) he reminds us of the Fire and Paradise, until it is as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but when we depart from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), we attend to our wives and children and businesses, and we forget a great deal.' Abu Bakr said: 'By Allah, we experience something similar.' "Abu Bakr and I went and entered upon the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), and I said: 'Hanzalah has become a hypocrite, O Messenger of Allah.' The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'Why is that?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, when we are with you, you remind us of Paradise and the Fire (until) it is as if we are seeing them with our own eyes, but when we depart from you, we attend to our wives and children and businesses, and we forget a great deal.' The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if you continued as you are when you are with me, and continued to remember (Paradise and Hell), the angels would shake hands with you in your homes and on the streets. But, O Hanzalah, there is a time for this and a time for that"' (he said it) three times.

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى التَّمِيمِىُّ وَقَطَنُ بْنُ نُسَيْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لِيَحْيَى - أَخْبَرَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ إِيَاسٍ الْجُرَيْرِىِّ عَنْ أَبِى عُثْمَانَ النَّهْدِىِّ عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ الأُسَيِّدِىِّ قَالَ - وَكَانَ مِنْ كُتَّابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ - لَقِيَنِى أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ أَنْتَ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَكُونُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ فَنَسِينَا كَثِيرًا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَلْقَى مِثْلَ هَذَا. فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ حَتَّى دَخَلْنَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قُلْتُ نَافَقَ حَنْظَلَةُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « وَمَا ذَاكَ ». قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ نَكُونُ عِنْدَكَ تُذَكِّرُنَا بِالنَّارِ وَالْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى كَأَنَّا رَأْىَ عَيْنٍ فَإِذَا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ عَافَسْنَا الأَزْوَاجَ وَالأَوْلاَدَ وَالضَّيْعَاتِ نَسِينَا كَثِيرًا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « وَالَّذِى نَفْسِى بِيَدِهِ إِنْ لَوْ تَدُومُونَ عَلَى مَا تَكُونُونَ عِنْدِى وَفِى الذِّكْرِ لَصَافَحَتْكُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ عَلَى فُرُشِكُمْ وَفِى طُرُقِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَا حَنْظَلَةُ سَاعَةً وَسَاعَةً ». ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ.