Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Sayyiduna Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Advise me.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Worship Allah as if you see Him, consider yourself among the dead, remember Allah at every stone and tree, and whenever you commit a bad deed, follow it up immediately with a good deed (so that the effect of the bad deed is erased); for a hidden bad deed, do a hidden good deed, and for an open bad deed, do an open good deed.”

Ata bin Yasar says: Verily, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Sayyiduna Mu’adh (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Advise me. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Adopt taqwa (God-consciousness) as much as you are able, remember Allah at every stone and tree, and whenever you commit a sin, repent immediately. The repentance for a hidden sin should be done secretly, and the repentance for an open sin should be done openly.”