Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ وَحَجَّاجٌ حَدَّثَنِي شُعْبَةُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ قَتَادَةَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ و حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ عَنْ أَنَسٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ يَهْرَمُ ابْنُ آدَمَ وَتَبْقَى مِنْهُ اثْنَتَانِ الْحِرْصُ وَالْأَمَلُ.
English Translation
Anas said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had the best character among all people. One day he sent me on an errand, and I said: By Allah, I will not go — but in my heart I intended to go and do what the Prophet (peace be upon him) had commanded. I went out until I passed by some boys playing in the marketplace. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came from behind and took hold of the back of my neck. I looked at him and he was smiling. He said: O Unays, did you go where I told you? I said: Yes, I am going, O Messenger of Allah.'