عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ مَثَلَ الَّذِي يَعْمَلُ السَّيِّئَاتِ ثُمَّ يَعْمَلُ الْحَسَنَاتِ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ دِرْعٌ ضَيِّقَةٌ قَدْ خَنَقَتْهُ ثُمَّ عَمِلَ حَسَنَةً فَانْفَكَّتْ حَلْقَةٌ ثُمَّ عَمِلَ حَسَنَةً أُخْرَى فَانْفَكَّتْ حَلْقَةٌ أُخْرَى حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ
Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The example of a person who does good deeds after committing sins is like that of a man who is wearing a tight coat of mail that is choking him. Then, when he performs a good deed, one of its rings loosens. When he performs another good deed, another ring loosens. This continues until the coat of mail falls to the ground.