Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger told of a man who expressed his intention to give <i>sadaqa</i>, and who when he took it out placed it in a thief’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “<i>Sadaqa</i> was given to a thief last night.” The man said, “O God, to You be the praise—to a thief!’’ He then expressed his intention to give <i>sadaqa</i> and when he took it out he placed it in a prostitute’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “<i>Sadaqa</i> was given to a prostitute last night." The man said, "O God, to You be the praise— to a prostitute!" He then expressed his intention to give <i>sadaqa</i> and when he took it out he placed it in a rich man’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “<i>Sadaqa</i> was given to a rich man last night." The man said, “O God, to You be the praise—to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man!” He then had a vision in which he was told that his <i>sadaqa</i> to a thief might result in his refraining from his theft, the prostitute might perhaps refrain from her immorality, and the rich man might perhaps pay heed and spend from what God had given him. (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ:

قَالَ رَجُلٌ: لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تصدق عَلَى سَارِقٍ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى سَارِقٍ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدي زَانِيَةٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدقَة فَخرج بِصَدَقَتِهِ فوضعها فِي يَدي غَنِي فَأَصْبحُوا يتحدثون تصدق عَلَى غَنِيٍّ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى سَارِق وعَلى زَانِيَة وعَلى غَنِي فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ سَرِقَتِهِ وَأَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ زِنَاهَا وَأَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَلَعَلَّهُ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقَ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ

. مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ وَلَفظه للْبُخَارِيّ