عَنْ أبي هُريْرَةَ رضي اللّه عَنْهُ أنَّ رسُول اللّه صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم قَال: «قَال رَجُلٌ لأتَصدقَنَّ بِصَدقَةٍ، فَخَرجَ بِصَدقَته، فَوَضَعَهَا في يَدِ سَارِقٍ، فَأصْبحُوا يتَحدَّثُونَ: تُصُدِّقَ الليلة علَى سارِقٍ!، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ! لأتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ، فَخَرَجَ بِصَدقَتِهِ، فَوَضَعَهَا في يدِ زانيةٍ، فَأصْبَحُوا يتَحدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّق اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ!، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زانِيَةٍ!، لأتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصدقة، فَخَرَجَ بِصَدقَتِهِ، فَوَضَعهَا في يد غَنِيّ، فأصْبَحُوا يتَحدَّثونَ: تُصُدِّقَ علَى غَنِيٍّ!، فَقَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ علَى سارِقٍ، وعَلَى زَانِيةٍ، وعلَى غَنِيٍّ، فَأُتِيَ فَقِيل لَهُ: أمَّا صدَقَتُكَ علَى سَارِقٍ فَلَعَلَّهُ أنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ عنْ سرِقَتِهِ، وأمَّا الزَّانِيةُ فَلَعلَّهَا أنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ زِنَاهَا، وأمّا الْغنِيُّ فَلَعلَّهُ أنْ يعْتَبِر، فَيُنْفِقَ مِمَّا آتَاهُ اللَّهُ» رَواهُ البخاري بلفظِهِ، وَمُسْلِمٌ بمعنَاهُ.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A man said: 'I will surely give a charity.' So he went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a thief. In the morning the people were talking: 'Charity was given last night to a thief!' He said: 'O Allah, to You be praise! I will surely give a charity.' So he went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of an adulteress. In the morning the people were talking: 'Charity was given last night to an adulteress!' He said: 'O Allah, to You be praise, to an adulteress! I will surely give a charity.' So he went out with his charity and placed it in the hand of a rich man. In the morning the people were talking: 'Charity was given to a rich man!' He said: 'O Allah, to You be praise, to a thief, to an adulteress, and to a rich man!' Then he was come to (in a dream) and it was said to him: 'As for your charity to a thief, perhaps it will restrain him from his theft; as for the adulteress, perhaps it will restrain her from her adultery; and as for the rich man, perhaps he will take heed and spend from what Allah has given him.'" Reported by al-Bukhari in its wording, and by Muslim in its meaning.
الشرح · explanation
قال رجل: أي ممّن كان قبل المسلمين. فَأُتِيَ: أي في المنام.
"A man said": that is, from among a people who lived before the Muslims. "He was come to": that is, in a dream.
الدروس · lessons
ثبوت الأجر للمتصدق على حسب نيّته ولو وقعت الصدقة في يد من لا يستحقها ما دام يجهل حاله أو يقصد معنى حسنًا. أنّ الصدقة على أهل الصلاح من ذوي الأرحام وأصحاب الحاجة أفضل من الصدقة على غيرهم.
The reward is established for the giver of charity according to his intention, even if the charity falls into the hand of one who does not deserve it, so long as he is unaware of the recipient's condition or intends some good purpose. That charity given to the righteous among one's relatives and to the needy is more meritorious than charity given to others.