Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) deputed me to keep Sadaqat (al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Sadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ." He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go. In the morning Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked me, "What did your prisoner do." I replied, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Apostle said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite "Ayat-al-Kursi"-- 'Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyum' till you finish the whole verse. (If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no satan will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Apostle asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi from the beginning to the end ---- Allahu la ilaha illa huwa-lHaiy-ul-Qaiyum----.' He further said to me, '(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.' (Abu Huraira or another sub-narrator) added that they (the companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Abu Huraira?" Abu Huraira said, "No." He said, "It was Satan."
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 2311
In-book reference
Book 40, Hadith 11
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 3, Book 38, Hadith 505
Translation by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan · Language: EN
Sahih
It is related that Abu Hurayra said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, put me in charge of guarding the zakat of Ramadan. Someone came to me and began to take handfuls of food. I grabbed him and said, 'By Allah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace!' He said, 'I am needy and have a large family and I am in dire need.'" He said, "I let him go and in the morning the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Abu Hurayra, what did you do with your prisoner yesterday?'" He said, "I said, 'Messenger of Allah, he complained of dire need and a large family, so I showed mercy to him and let him go on his way.' He said, 'He lied to you and he will come back.' So, from the words of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, 'he will come back.', I knew that he would come back. Therefore, I lay in wait for him and he came and once more began to take handfuls of food. I seized him and said, 'I will take you to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace!' He said, 'Let me go. I am in need and have a large family. I will not come back again.' I had mercy on him and let him go his way. In the morning the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, 'Abu Hurayra, what did you do with your prisoner yesterday?' I said, 'Messenger of Allah, he complained of dire need and a large family, so I showed mercy to him and let him go on his way.' He said, 'He lied to you and he will come back.' So I lay in wait for him a third time and he came and began to take handfuls of food. I grabbed him and said, 'I will take you to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace! This is the third time. You claimed you would not come back and then you came back.' He said, 'Let me go. I will teach you some words which will help you with Allah.' I said, 'What are they?' He said, 'When you go to bed, recite the Throne Verse, "Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining..." to the end of the ayat. You will have someone guarding over you from Allah and shaytan will not come near you until morning.' So I let him go his way. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, 'What did you do with your prisoner yesterday?' I said, 'Messenger of Allah, he claimed that he would teach me some words which would help me with Allah, so I let him go his way.' He said, 'What are they?' I said, 'He said to me, "When you go to bed, recite the Throne Verse to the end: 'Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining'." He said to me, "You will have someone guarding over you from Allah and shaytan will not come near you until morning."' (They were exceedingly eager for good.) The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "He told you the truth even though he is a liar. Do you know whom you were speaking with on these three days, Abu Hurayra?'" He said, "No." The Prophet said, "It was Shaytan."
Reference
Sahih al-Bukhari 2311
In-book reference
Book 40, Hadith 11
USC-MSA web (English)
Vol. 3, Book 38, Hadith 505
Translation by Aisha Bewley · Language: EN
Sahih
