حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَقَلَهَا صَاحِبُهَا حَبَسَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4665
It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The likeness of the companion of the Qur'aan is that of the owner of a hobbled camel; if he hobbles it he will keep it, but if he lets it go it will disappear."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020