Regarding the Believer Recognizing the Gravity of His Sins
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، بِحَدِيثَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَالآخَرُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَرَى ذُنُوبَهُ كَأَنَّهُ فِي أَصْلِ جَبَلٍ يَخَافُ أَنْ يَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّ الْفَاجِرَ يَرَى ذُنُوبَهُ كَذُبَابٍ وَقَعَ عَلَى أَنْفِهِ قَالَ بِهِ هَكَذَا فَطَارَ .
Al-Harith bin Suwaid said: " 'Abdullah [bin Mas'ud] narrated two Ahadith to us, one of them from himself and the other from the Prophet (s.a.w). 'Abdullah said: 'The believer sees his sins as if he was at the base of a mountain, fearing that it was about to fall upon him. The wicked person sees his sins as if (they are) flies are hitting his nose" he said: "Like this" - motioning with his hand - "to get them to fly away."