Sahih Muslim Book - 49, Hadith - 6994

حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِى شَيْبَةَ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ الآخَرَانِ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ الْمَدْحُ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ مَدَحَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَغْيَرَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ حَرَّمَ الْفَوَاحِشَ وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ الْعُذْرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ أَنْزَلَ الْكِتَابَ وَأَرْسَلَ الرُّسُلَ ».

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: 'There is no one to whom praise is more dear than Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and because of that He praised Himself. And there is no one whose protective jealousy is greater than Allah's, and because of that He forbade immoral actions. And there is no one to whom apologies (repentance) are dearer than Allah, and because of that He sent down the Book and He sent the Messengers."