Musnad Ahmad

It is narrated, most likely, from Hazrat Bara bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Tell me, if a man sets out on a journey along a forest path, and along the way he takes a nap under a tree, and with him is his mount on which his food and drink are placed. When the man wakes up, he does not see his mount. He climbs a high hill to look, but does not see the mount. Then he climbs another hill, but still does not see the mount. Then he turns back and suddenly sees his mount, which is dragging its reins and coming towards him. How happy would he be! But his happiness is not greater than the happiness of Allah when a servant repents before Allah and Allah becomes pleased. The previous hadith is also narrated through this second chain.

Abu al-Walid and ‘Affan narrated to us, they said: ‘Ubaydullah ibn Iyad narrated to us, he said: Iyad narrated to us, from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, he said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "How do you think of the joy of a man whose mount escaped from him, dragging its rein in a barren land where there is no food or drink, and on it is food," ‘Affan said: "and drink," "so he sought it until it became hard for him, then it passed by the trunk of a tree," ‘Affan said: "by a trunk, and its rein got caught," "so he found it hanging on it," ‘Affan said: "attached to it." He said: We said: It is intense, O Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "By Allah, Allah is more joyful at the repentance of His servant than the man with his mount." Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman said: Ja‘far ibn Humayd narrated it to us, he said: ‘Ubaydullah ibn Iyad narrated to us, the same.