Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, "God is more pleased with the repentance of His servant when he turns penitently towards Him than one of you would be if his riding-beast which was carrying his food and drink escaped from him in a waterless desert and he, despairing of recovering it, went and lay down in the shade of a tree, then suddenly saw it standing beside him and, seizing its halter, said from excess of joy, ‘O God, Thou art my servant and I am Thy lord’, making a mistake from excess of joy.” Muslim transmitted it.
Commentary on the Hadith of Divine Acceptance
This noble tradition from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Mishkat al-Masabih 2332 illustrates the immense magnitude of Allah's pleasure in the repentance of His servants. The analogy presented is profound in its simplicity and depth.
The Parable Explained
The traveler in the desert represents every human soul journeying through this worldly existence. His riding-beast carrying provisions symbolizes the spiritual provisions necessary for the journey toward Allah. The loss of this beast signifies the soul's straying from the path of obedience through sin.
The waterless desert represents the spiritual aridity that follows disobedience, where the soul finds no nourishment for its spiritual growth. The despair and lying down in shade depict the state of hopelessness that sometimes overwhelms the sinner.
Divine Mercy and Joy
The sudden appearance of the beast represents Allah's unexpected granting of tawfiq (divine enablement) for repentance. The traveler's excessive joy causing him to mistakenly say "You are my servant and I am your Lord" demonstrates how overwhelming divine acceptance can be.
This error, far from being blasphemous, serves to emphasize the intensity of divine pleasure in repentance. If a created being can experience such overwhelming joy, how much greater must be the joy of the Creator when His servant returns to Him?
Scholarly Insights
Imam al-Nawawi comments that this hadith contains the greatest encouragement for repentance and demonstrates Allah's immense mercy. The comparison, though magnificent, falls short of capturing the full reality of divine pleasure.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali notes that the traveler's mistake stems from being overcome by joy, showing that Allah's pleasure in accepting repentance exceeds all human comprehension. This teaches us never to despair of Allah's mercy, regardless of the magnitude of our sins.
Practical Implications
This tradition encourages immediate repentance without delay. It removes the whisperings of Satan who tries to make sinners believe their repentance won't be accepted.
It teaches that sincere repentance transforms the sinner's status from being distant to being beloved to Allah. The door of repentance remains open until the soul reaches the throat or the sun rises from the west.