Sahih al-Bukhari 1421
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) 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."
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏
"‏ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ‏.‏ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدِ سَارِقٍ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ‏.‏ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدَىْ زَانِيَةٍ، فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ اللَّيْلَةَ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ‏.‏ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى زَانِيَةٍ، لأَتَصَدَّقَنَّ بِصَدَقَةٍ‏.‏ فَخَرَجَ بِصَدَقَتِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي يَدَىْ غَنِيٍّ فَأَصْبَحُوا يَتَحَدَّثُونَ تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى غَنِيٍّ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، عَلَى سَارِقٍ وَعَلَى زَانِيَةٍ وَعَلَى غَنِيٍّ‏.‏ فَأُتِيَ فَقِيلَ لَهُ أَمَّا صَدَقَتُكَ عَلَى سَارِقٍ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ سَرِقَتِهِ، وَأَمَّا الزَّانِيَةُ فَلَعَلَّهَا أَنْ تَسْتَعِفَّ عَنْ زِنَاهَا، وَأَمَّا الْغَنِيُّ فَلَعَلَّهُ يَعْتَبِرُ فَيُنْفِقُ مِمَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ‏"‏‏.‏