Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Mujahid that he said: When Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) made a mistake, and his mistake was that when he saw that woman, he turned her away and did not go near her. Then two disputants came to him and they climbed over the wall. When he saw them, he stood up and went to them and said: "Go away from me, for what purpose have you come here?" They said: "We want to speak to you about a small matter. This brother of mine has ninety-nine ewes and I have one ewe, and he wants to take even that one from me." Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) said: "By Allah! He deserves that his body from here to here be broken," meaning from the nose to the chest. That man said: "Dawud has done this deed." Then Prophet Dawud (peace be upon him) realized what he meant by this, and he became aware of his sin. So he remained in prostration for forty days and nights, and his sin would remain written on his hand so that he would not forget it at any time, until, because of his tears, wild green plants grew around him. Then after forty days he cried out: "My forehead is wounded, and my eye has dried up," and there was no mention of Dawud's mistake. Then it was proclaimed: "Is there anyone hungry so that he may be fed? Or anyone naked so that he may be clothed? Or any oppressed so that he may be helped?" So he wept so much that the grass near him turned yellow. At that time Allah forgave him. When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah the Exalted will say: "Come before Me." He will say: "My sin!" Allah will say: "Follow Me." He will say: "O Lord! My sin." Allah will say to him: "Hold onto My feet." So he will hold onto Allah's feet.