Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing servant than of a person who set out on a journey with a provision of food and drink on the back of his camel. He went on until he came to a waterless desert and he felt like sleeping. So he got down under the shade of a tree and was overcome by sleep and his camel ran away. As he got up he tried to see (the camel) standing upon a mound. but did not find it. He then got upon the other mound, but could not see anything. He then climbed upon the third mound but did not see anything until he came back to the place where he had been previously. And as he was sitting (in utter disappointment) there came to him the camel, till that (camel) placed its nosestring in his hand. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the person who found (his lost camel) in this very state. Simak reported that Sha'bi was of the opinion that Nu'min traced it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Simak, however, did not hear that himself.
The Book of Repentance - Sahih Muslim 2745
Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a believing servant than of a person who set out on a journey with a provision of food and drink on the back of his camel. He went on until he came to a waterless desert and he felt like sleeping. So he got down under the shade of a tree and was overcome by sleep and his camel ran away. As he got up he tried to see (the camel) standing upon a mound. but did not find it. He then got upon the other mound, but could not see anything. He then climbed upon the third mound but did not see anything until he came back to the place where he had been previously. And as he was sitting (in utter disappointment) there came to him the camel, till that (camel) placed its nosestring in his hand. Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than the person who found (his lost camel) in this very state. Simak reported that Sha'bi was of the opinion that Nu'man traced it to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ). Simak, however, did not hear that himself.
Commentary on the Hadith
This profound hadith illustrates the immense magnitude of Allah's pleasure when a believer repents. The traveler's predicament represents the spiritual state of one who has strayed from Allah's path - lost, desperate, and having exhausted all human means of recovery.
The camel symbolizes the believer's soul and spiritual provisions. When neglected through sin, it strays far from its master. The traveler's frantic search upon three mounds signifies the futile efforts of one trying to find salvation through worldly means alone.
The ultimate return of the camel of its own accord, placing its nosestring in the traveler's hand, demonstrates how Allah facilitates repentance and makes the path easy for those who sincerely turn back to Him. Just as the traveler's joy at recovering his lost camel was overwhelming, so too is Allah's joy at the return of His repentant servant.
Scholarly Insights
The scholars explain that this analogy emphasizes that Allah's pleasure in repentance exceeds even the most intense human joy. The traveler had lost everything - his transportation, provisions, and means of survival in a deadly desert. His relief upon recovery was therefore complete and overwhelming.
Imam An-Nawawi comments that this hadith encourages believers never to despair of Allah's mercy, no matter how great their sins may seem. The door of repentance remains open until the soul reaches the throat at death.
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali notes that the camel coming voluntarily to its master signifies how Allah makes repentance sweet and accessible to the sincere heart, removing obstacles and drawing the repentant soul back to its Creator with ease and grace.