Mishkat al-Masabih #274
Purification
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «اسْتَقِيمُوا وَلَنْ تُحْصُوا وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ خَيْرَ أَعْمَالِكُمُ الصَّلَاةُ وَلَا يُحَافِظُ عَلَى الْوُضُوءِ إِلَّا مُؤْمِنٌ» . رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ
Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying, “Keep to the straight path, which you will not be able to do, know that your best action is prayer and that only a believer observes ablution carefully."
Malik, Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #274 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Purification.