Arabic (Original)
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ وَأَبُو زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَقَ قَالَا ثنا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ النَّضْرِ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ وَعِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى ح وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ وَأنبأ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ السَّرَّاجُ قَالُوا ثنا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنِي حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ زَانِيَةٍ فَأَصْبَحَ النَّاسُ يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ فَقَالَ اللهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ غَنِيٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى غَنِيٍّ فَقَالَ اللهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى غَنِيٍّ لَأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ اللَّيْلَةَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَخَرَجَ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ فَقَالَ اللهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِيٍّ وَعَلَى سَارِقٍ فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ فَقَدْ قُبِلَتْ أَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ بِهَا عَنْ زِنَاهَا وَلَعَلَّ الْغَنِيَّ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ وَلَعَلَّ السَّارِقَ يَسْتَعِفُّ بِهَا عَنْ سَرِقَتِهِ
English Translation
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'A man said: "Tonight I shall give charity." So he went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a prostitute. The next morning, people were saying: "Charity was given to a prostitute last night." He said: "O Allah, praise be to You — to a prostitute! Tonight I shall give charity again." So he went out and placed it in the hand of a wealthy person. The next morning, they were saying: "Charity was given to a rich man." He said: "O Allah, praise be to You — to a rich man! Tonight I shall give charity again." So he went out and placed it in the hand of a thief. The next morning, they were saying: "Charity was given to a thief." He said: "O Allah, praise be to You — to a prostitute, a rich man, and a thief." Then he was told: "Your charity has been accepted. As for the prostitute, perhaps she will abstain from her fornication because of it. As for the rich man, perhaps he will take a lesson and spend from what Allah has given him. And as for the thief, perhaps he will abstain from his stealing because of it."'