English Translation

Abu Abd al-Rahman said: Ja'far ibn Humayd told us this: Ubayd Allah ibn Iyad told us: Iyad told us, from al-Bara' ibn Azib, who said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "What do you say about the joy of a man whose mount had escaped from him, dragging its halter, in a barren land with no food or drink"—Affan said: "and drink"—"while it was carrying his food"—Affan said: "and drink"—"so he sought it until it became hard for him. Then it passed by the stump of a tree"—Affan said: "a stump"—"and its halter caught on it, and he found it caught there"—Affan said: "entangled in it." He said: We said, "That is severe, 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 that man is at [finding] his mount." Abu Abd al-Rahman said: Ja'far ibn Humayd also told us this: Ubayd Allah ibn Iyad told us the same.