Hadith 981:16
Al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us, he said: I heard al-Awza’i saying: Al-Walid ibn Hisham al-Mu’ayti narrated to me, Ma’dan ibn Abi Talhah al-Ya’mari narrated to me, he said: I met Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I said: Inform me of a deed I may perform by which Allah will cause me to enter Paradise, or he said: I said: Of the most beloved deeds to Allah. He remained silent. Then I asked him, and he remained silent. Then I asked him a third time, and he said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about that, and he said: "You must perform many prostrations, for you do not prostrate a prostration to Allah except that Allah raises you a degree by it, and removes a sin from you by it." Ma’dan said: Then I met Abu al-Darda’ and asked him, and he said to me the same as what Thawban had said to me.
حدثنا الوليد بن مسلم قال: سمعت الأوزاعي يقول: حدثني الوليد بن هشام المعيطي، حدثني معدان بن أبي طلحة اليعمري قال: لقيت ثوبان مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقلت: أخبرني بعمل أعمله يدخلني الله به الجنة، أو قال: قلت: بأحب الأعمال إلى الله، فسكت، ثم سألته فسكت ثم سألته الثالثة فقال: سألت عن ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال: " عليك بكثرة السجود؛ فإنك لا تسجد لله سجدة إلا رفعك الله بها درجة، وحط عنك بها خطيئة " قال: معدان: ثم لقيت أبا الدرداء فسألته فقال لي: مثل ما قال لي ثوبان