حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ الْقُرْآنِ مَثَلُ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ تَعَاهَدَهَا صَاحِبُهَا بِعُقُلِهَا أَمْسَكَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَ عُقُلَهَا ذَهَبَتْ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 4845
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The likeness of the Qur'an is that of a hobbled camel; if its companion remains vigilant he will keep it, but if he releases it, it will disappear.”
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020