Mishkat al-Masabih
Mishkat al-Masabih 2332
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ حِينَ يَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ كانَ رَاحِلَتُهُ بِأَرْضٍ فَلَاةٍ فَانْفَلَتَتْ مِنْهُ وَعَلَيْهَا طَعَامُهُ وَشَرَابُهُ فَأَيِسَ مِنْهَا فَأَتَى شَجَرَةً فَاضْطَجَعَ فِي ظِلِّهَا قَدْ أَيِسَ مِنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ كذلكَ إِذ هُوَ بِهَا قَائِمَةً عِنْدَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِخِطَامِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَأَنَا رَبُّكَ أَخْطَأَ مِنْ شِدَّةِ الْفَرَحِ ". رَوَاهُ مُسلم
Anas reported that the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: ‘God is more joyful at the repentance of His servant when he turns to Him than one of you would be when his riding camel, carrying his food and drink, escapes from him in a desert. He despairs of finding it, comes to a tree, and lies in its shade, having given up hope of his camel. While he is in that state, he suddenly finds it standing beside him. He takes its halter and, in his intense joy, says, “O God, You are my servant and I am Your Lord,” making this slip of the tongue from the intensity of his joy.’ Muslim transmitted it. The Arabic source grades it sahih (al-Albani).