It is narrated from the Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said: "O Messenger of Allah! One of us feels in his heart something concerning the matter of the Lord such that falling from the sky to the earth would be dearer to him than speaking of it." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you really found that?" They said: "Yes." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is pure faith."
(Imam al-Tabarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:) "This hadith is narrated from Shahr bin Hawshab (may Allah have mercy on him) only by Thabit (may Allah have mercy on him); Hammad (may Allah have mercy on him) is alone in narrating it."
(Editor's footnote:) In the printed Dar al-Haramayn edition it is "Khalid", while the word recorded in the text is from the manuscript.
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الأوسط / باب الميم / 8542
Hadith Takhrij«أخرجه النسائي فى «السنن الكبرى» برقم: 10440، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 25391»