Al-Harith b. Suwaid said that ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told him two traditions, one of them from God’s messenger and the other from him self. He said, “The believer sees in his sins as though he were sitting under a mountain which he fears may fall on him, but the profligate sees his sins like a fly which has passed over his nose and which he has brushed away with his hand.” Then he said that he heard God’s mes senger say, “God rejoices more over the repentance of a believer than a man who goes down to a desert and dangerous district with his riding- beast which carries his food and drink, who lays down his head and sleeps for a time, then awakening and finding that his riding-beast has gone, looks for it, and when distressed by heat and thirst or what God wills, says he will return to the place where he was and sleep till he dies, lays his head on his arm to die, then awakens and sees his riding-beast beside him with his food and drink on it. God rejoices more intensely over the repentance of a believing servant than this man does over his riding-beast and his provisions.”
Muslim transmitted only the tradition which is traced back to God’s messenger from him, but Bukhari transmitted also the one which goes no farther back than Ibn Mas'ud.
Thauban said that he heard God’s messenger say, "I would not give this verse for the whole world, 'My servants who have transgressed against their souls, do not despair . . .’ ”1 A man asked whether that included those who had associated partners with God, and after remaining silent for a time the Prophet said three times, “Yes, it includes even those who have associated partners with God.”
1 . Qur'an, xxxix, 53
