Arabic (Original)
قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ : مَالِكٌ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ مَثَلُ صَاحِبِ الْقُرْآنِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْإِبِلِ الْمُعَقَّلَةِ إِنْ عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْسَكَهَا وَإِنْ أَطْلَقَهَا ذَهَبَتْ.
English Translation
He said: I read to Abd al-Rahman: Malik, from Nafi', from Abdullah ibn Umar, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The likeness of the companion of the Qur'an is like the owner of hobbled camels: if he keeps watch over them, he retains them, but if he lets them loose, they go away."