Sahih al-Bukhari 1373 (Book 24, Hadith 25)
his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had
given his object of charity to a thief. (On hearing that) he said, “O Allah! All the praises are for you. I
will give alms again.” And so he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an
adulteress. Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The
man said, “O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms
again.” So he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. (The people)
next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person. He said, “O Allah! All the praises
are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man.” Then someone came
and said to him, “The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and
that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that
given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allah has
given him, in Allah’s cause.”
“ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ. فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدَىْ زَانِيَةٍ، فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ. فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ، لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ. فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدَىْ غَنِيٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى غَنِيٍّ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، عَلَى سَارِقٍ وَعَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِيٍّ. فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ سَرِقَتِهِ، وَأَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ زِنَاهَا، وَأَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَلَعَلَّهُ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ”.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1373 (Book 24, Hadith 25)
The above hadith is from the Sahih al-Buhari collection of hadiths. Among the six canonical hadith collections of Sunni Islam, known as the Kutub al-Sittah, Sahih al-Bukhari is frequently accorded the highest rank. This esteemed status is a testament to the rigorous scholarly methods employed by its compiler, Muḥammad al-Bukhārī, who finished his work around 847. The collection is vast, containing an estimated 7,563 individual reports detailing the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. These are carefully categorized into 97 chapters, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding Islamic doctrine, law, and spiritual practice.
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For more Hadith in Book 24: Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat)