The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entrusted me with guarding the Zakat of Ramadan. Someone came and began scooping up handfuls of the food, so I seized him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."He said, "I am in need. I have a family to support and a desperate need."So I let him go. The next morning, the Prophet ﷺ said, "Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do last night?"I said, "Messenger of Allah, he complained of severe need and a family, so I had mercy on him and let him go."He said, "He has lied to you, and he will return."I knew he would return because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had said he would. So I lay in wait for him. He came and began scooping up handfuls of the food, and I seized him and said, "I will take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ."He said, "Let me go. I am in need, and I have a family. I will not return."So I had mercy on him and let him go. The next morning, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do?"I said, "Messenger of Allah, he complained of severe need and a family, so I had mercy on him and let him go."He said, "He has lied to you, and he will return."I lay in wait for him a third time. He came and began scooping up handfuls of the food, and I seized him and said, "I will take you to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This is the third time, after you claimed you would not return, yet you returned."He said, "Let me go, and I will teach you words by which Allah will benefit you."I said, "What are they?"He said, "When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi, 'Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Sustaining', until you complete the verse. A guardian from Allah will remain with you, and no devil will come near you until morning."So I let him go. The next morning, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, "What did your captive do last night?"I said, "Messenger of Allah, he claimed he would teach me words by which Allah would benefit me, so I let him go."He asked, "What are they?"I said, "He told me, 'When you go to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi from its beginning until you complete it, Allah, there is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Sustaining.' He told me, 'A guardian from Allah will remain with you, and no devil will come near you until morning.'" They were the most eager of people for any good.The Prophet ﷺ said, "He has told you the truth, though he is a habitual liar. Do you know whom you have been speaking with these three nights, Abu Hurayrah?"I said, "No."He said, "That was a devil."
وقال عثمان بن الهيثم أبو عمرو حدثنا عوف، عن محمد بن سيرين،
وكلني رسول الله ﷺ بحفظ زكاة رمضان، فأتاني آت فجعل يحثو من الطعام، فأخذته، وقلت والله لأرفعنك إلى رسول الله ﷺ. قال إني محتاج، وعلى عيال، ولي حاجة شديدة. قال فخليت عنه فأصبحت فقال النبي ﷺ يا أبا هريرة ما فعل أسيرك البارحة. قال قلت يا رسول الله شكا حاجة شديدة وعيالا فرحمته، فخليت سبيله. قال أما إنه قد كذبك وسيعود. فعرفت أنه سيعود لقول رسول الله ﷺ إنه سيعود. فرصدته فجاء يحثو من الطعام فأخذته فقلت لأرفعنك إلى رسول الله ﷺ. قال دعني فإني محتاج، وعلى عيال لا أعود، فرحمته، فخليت سبيله فأصبحت، فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ يا أبا هريرة، ما فعل أسيرك. قلت يا رسول الله شكا حاجة شديدة وعيالا، فرحمته فخليت سبيله. قال أما إنه قد كذبك وسيعود. فرصدته الثالثة فجاء يحثو من الطعام، فأخذته فقلت لأرفعنك إلى رسول الله ﷺ، وهذا آخر ثلاث مرات أنك تزعم لا تعود ثم تعود. قال دعني أعلمك كلمات ينفعك الله بها. قلت ما هو قال إذا أويت إلى فراشك فاقرأ آية الكرسي {الله لا إله إلا هو الحى القيوم} حتى تختم الآية، فإنك لن يزال عليك من الله حافظ ولا يقربنك شيطان حتى تصبح. فخليت سبيله فأصبحت، فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ ما فعل أسيرك البارحة. قلت يا رسول الله زعم أنه يعلمني كلمات، ينفعني الله بها، فخليت سبيله. قال ما هي. قلت قال لي إذا أويت إلى فراشك فاقرأ آية الكرسي من أولها حتى تختم {الله لا إله إلا هو الحى القيوم} وقال لي لن يزال عليك من الله حافظ ولا يقربك شيطان حتى تصبح، وكانوا أحرص شىء على الخير. فقال النبي ﷺ أما إنه قد صدقك وهو كذوب، تعلم من تخاطب منذ ثلاث ليال يا أبا هريرة. قال لا. قال ذاك شيطان.