37/49. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2498 — Allah Loves Repentance
Regarding the Believer Recognizing the Gravity of His Sins
Hadith About Allah’s Joy at Repentance
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2498
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2498
وَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَلَّهُ أَفْرَحُ بِتَوْبَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ رَجُلٍ بِأَرْضٍ دَوِيَّةٍ مُهْلِكَةٍ مَعَهُ رَاحِلَتُهُ عَلَيْهَا زَادُهُ وَطَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ فَأَضَلَّهَا فَخَرَجَ فِي طَلَبِهَا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ أَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَكَانِي الَّذِي أَضْلَلْتُهَا فِيهِ فَأَمُوتُ فِيهِ فَرَجَعَ إِلَى مَكَانِهِ فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنُهُ فَاسْتَيْقَظَ فَإِذَا رَاحِلَتُهُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ عَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ وَمَا يُصْلِحُهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَفِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَالنُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ وَأَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
And the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Allah Is More Pleased With The Repentance Of One Of You That A Man In A Desolate, Barren, Destructive Wasteland, Who Has His Mount Carrying His Provisions, His Food, And His Drink And What He Needs With Him. Then It Wanders Away. So He Goes To Find It Until He Is On The Brink Of Death. He Says: 'I Will Return To The Place Where I Lost It, To Die.' So He Returns To His Place And His Eyes Become Heavy (Falling Asleep). Then He Awakens To Find His Mount At His Head Carrying His Food, Drink And What He Needs." Other Chains Report Similar Narrations.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2498In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 84English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2498
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2498
This hadith about Allah’s joy at repentance uses a clear example. A man is in a dangerous, barren land with his mount carrying his food, drink, and needs. The mount wanders away, and he searches until he is close to death. He returns to the place where he lost it, expecting to die there. Sleep overtakes him, then he wakes and finds his mount beside his head with his supplies. The Prophet says Allah is more pleased with the repentance of one of you than that man in this situation. The hadith shows how valuable sincere repentance is. It does not make sin small; it shows the door of return is deeply loved by Allah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allah is pleased when a servant repents.
- The hadith uses the image of a desperate traveler finding his lost mount.
- Repentance is shown as a return from danger to hope.
