Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 2328
Arabic hadith text
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُذْنِبُوا لَذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ وَلَجَاءَ بِقَوْمٍ يُذْنِبُونَ فَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللَّهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Translation
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘By Him in whose hand is my soul, if you did not sin, God would remove you and bring a people who would sin, then ask God’s forgiveness, and He would forgive them.’ Muslim transmitted it. The Arabic source grades it sahih (al-Albani).