و قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَلَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بِأَرْضِ فَلَاةٍ دَوِيَّةٍ مَهْلَكَةٍ مَعَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ عَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَطَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ فَأَضَلَّهَا فَخَرَجَ فِي طَلَبِهَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَكَانِي الَّذِي أَضْلَلْتُهَا فِيهِ فَأَمُوتُ فِيهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَإِذَا رَاحِلَتُهُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ عَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَفِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَالنُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ وَأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
جامع ترمذی · Hadith 2498
And the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: Allah is more pleased with the repentance of one of you that a man in a desolate, barren, destructive wasteland, who has his mount carrying his provisions, his food, and his drink and what he needs with him. Then it wanders away. So he goes to find it until he is on the brink of death. He says: 'I will return to the place where I lost it, to die.' So he returns to his place and his eyes become heavy (falling asleep). Then he awakens to find his mount at his head carrying his food, drink and what he needs.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020