Sahih al-Bukhari 1421

Hadith text

Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with 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

Abu Huraira (رضی اللہ عنہ) bataate hain: Allah ke Rasool ne farmaya: "Ek shaks ne kaha woh kuch sadqa dega. Woh apna sadqa lekar bahar gaya aur anjaane mein ek chor ko de diya. Agli subah logon ne kaha ke usne apna sadqa chor ko de diya. (Yeh sunkar) usne kaha: 'Aye Allah! Teri hi hamd hai. Main phir sadqa dunga.' To woh phir apna sadqa lekar nikla aur (anjaane mein) ek zaani aurat ko de diya. Agli subah logon ne kaha ke usne raat apna sadqa ek zaani aurat ko de diya. Shaks ne kaha: 'Aye Allah! Teri hi hamd hai. (Maine apna sadqa) ek zaani aurat ko diya. Main phir sadqa dunga.' To woh phir apna sadqa lekar nikla aur (anjaane mein) ek maldaar shaks ko de diya. (Logon ne) agli subah kaha ke usne apna sadqa ek maldaar shaks ko de diya. Usne kaha: 'Aye Allah! Teri hi hamd hai. (Maine sadqa diya) ek chor ko, ek zaani aurat ko, aur ek maldaar shaks ko.' Phir koi aaya aur usse kaha: 'Jo sadqa tumne chor ko diya, ho sakta hai usse woh chori chhod de, aur jo zaani aurat ko diya, ho sakta hai usse woh zina chhod de, aur jo maldaar shaks ko diya, ho sakta hai usse woh sabaq le aur Allah ne use jo maal diya hai usse Allah ki raah mein kharch kare.'"

Sahih al-Bukhari 1421 · Book 24, Hadith 25