Musnad Abi Ya'la 5177 — I went to visit Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud

It is narrated from al-Harith bin Suwayd (may Allah have mercy on him): I went to visit Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was ill, and he told us two things: one was his own saying and the other was a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "Indeed the believer feels his sins as though he were sitting at the foot of a mountain, fearing that the mountain might fall upon him, whereas the wicked person regards his sins like a fly (something trivial) that passed by his nose and he waved it away with a gesture of his hand." (Sayyiduna Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him)) said: And I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Allah Almighty is far more pleased with the repentance of His believing servant than a man who is in a deadly wilderness, with his mount carrying his food and water; he falls asleep, then wakes up to find the mount gone; he gets up and searches for it until thirst overtakes him; then he says: I will go back to the place where I was until I die; so he lays his head on his forearm to die; then he wakes up and finds his mount beside him, carrying his provisions, his food and his water. Allah Almighty is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than this man is with (finding) his mount and his provisions."