Sahih Muslim Book - 12, Hadith - 2362

حَدَّثَنِى سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنِى حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِى الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِىِّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « قَالَ رَجُلٌ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ زَانِيَةٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ. قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ غَنِىٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى غَنِىٍّ. قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى غَنِىٍّ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِى يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِىٍّ وَعَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَأُتِىَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ فَقَدْ قُبِلَتْ أَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا تَسْتَعِفُّ بِهَا عَنْ زِنَاهَا وَلَعَلَّ الْغَنِىَّ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ وَلَعَلَّ السَّارِقَ يَسْتَعِفُّ بِهَا عَنْ سَرِقَتِهِ ».

It was narrated by Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (SAW) said: “A man said: ‘I am going to give charity tonight.’ He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of prostitute. The next morning they said: “Last night he gave charity to a prostitute.” He said: ‘O Allah, praise be to You (I gave charity) for a prostitute. I am going to give charity again.’ He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a rich man. The next morning, they said: “Last night he gave charity to a rich man.” He said: ‘O Allah, to You be praise (I gave charity) for a rich man. I am going to give charity (again)’. He went out with his charity and placed it in the hands of thief. The next morning, they said: ‘He gave charity to a thief’. He said: ‘O Allah, to You be praise’ for (I gave charity to) a prostitute, a rich man and a thief.” It was said to him: ‘As for your charity, it has been accepted. As for the prostitute, perhaps it will be the cause of her refraining from fornication; as for the rich man, perhaps he will learn a lesson and spend from that which Allah has given him; and as for the thief, perhaps it will be the cause of his refraining from stealing ’