Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَفْصٍ أَخْبَرَنَا وَرْقَاءُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ صَدَقَةً فَأَخْرَجَ صَدَقَتَهُ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ زَانِيَةٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَقَالَ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْرَجَ صَدَقَتَهُ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْرَجَ الصَّدَقَةَ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ غَنِيٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى غَنِيٍّ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى سَارِقٍ وَعَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِيٍّ قَالَ فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ فَقَدْ تُقُبِّلَتْ أَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا يَعْنِي أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ بِهِ وَأَمَّا السَّارِقُ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَغْنِيَ بِهِ وَأَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَعْتَبِرَ فَيُنْفِقَ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ.
English Translation
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'A man said: I shall give charity tonight. He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a prostitute. In the morning, people were talking: Charity was given last night to a prostitute! He said: I shall give charity tonight. He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a thief. In the morning, people were talking: Charity was given last night to a thief! Then he said: I shall give charity tonight. He went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a rich man. In the morning, people were talking: Charity was given last night to a rich man! He said: Praise be to Allah — to a prostitute, to a thief, and to a rich man! Then he was told: Your charity has been accepted. As for the prostitute, perhaps it will cause her to abstain from her immorality. As for the thief, perhaps it will cause him to become self-sufficient. As for the rich man, perhaps he will take a lesson and spend from what Allah has given him.'