English translation
2311. Narrated Abū Hurairah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: Allāh's Messenger ﷺ deputed me to keep Ṣadaqat (Al-Fitr) of Ramaḍān. A comer(1) came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Ṣadaqa) (stealthily). I took hold of him and said, "By Allāh, I will take you to Allāh'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 Allāh's Messenger ﷺ asked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?"(2) I said, "O Allāh's Messenger! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allāh'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 Allāh'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 Allāh'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 Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ asked me, “What did your prisoner do?” I replied, “O Allāh’s Messenger! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free.” Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ 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 Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ as if 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 Allāh will benefit you.” I asked, “What are they?” He replied, “Whenever you go to bed, recite Āyat-al-Kursī – ‘Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwal-Haiy-ul-Qaiyyūm’(1) till you finish the whole Verse. (if you do so), Allāh 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, Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ asked, “What did your prisoner do yesterday?” I replied, “He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allāh will benefit me, so I let him go.” Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ asked, “What are they?” I replied, “He said to me, ‘Whenever you go to bed, recite Āyat-al-Kursī from the beginning to the end – Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwal-Haiy-ul-Qaiyyūm –.’ He further said to me, ‘(If you do so), Allāh will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no satan will come near you till morning.’ [(Abū Hurairah or another subnarrator) added that they (the Companions) were very eager 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 Abū Hurairah?" Abū Hurairah said, "No." He said, "It was Satan."