Bayhaqi 20767 — Collected chapters on whose testimony is accepted

Harith bin Suwayd said: We came to Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and he narrated two hadiths to us: one he narrated as marfu' from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the other from himself. He said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah is more delighted with the repentance of His servant than a man who was on a journey through the wilderness, in a place of destruction. His mount carried his food and drink. He dismounted to stay there, and after resting he woke up to find his mount gone. He searched for it but could not find it. Thirst afflicted him. He said: I will go back to the place where my mount was, until death comes to me. He came to that place and fell asleep. When he woke up, his mount was there, and his food and drink too." Then Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When a believing servant sees his sin, he imagines himself beneath a mountain, fearing it may fall on him, while the sinner regards his sin like a fly on his nose, which he brushes away with his hand.
The Shaykh said: Delight (farah) is attributed to Allah, and what is meant by it is Allah's pleasure and acceptance, as in: "Each faction is pleased with what it has" [Surah al-Mu'minun: 53]. Whoever goes off, leaving Dar al-Salam (the abode of peace), and becomes engrossed in sins, it rests with Allah's will whether He forgives him or punishes him.