There is a hadith that centers around Abu Hurairah’s encounter with a thief stealing from the Zakat provisions during Ramadan. The thief is caught three times by Abu Hurairah, and each time he pleads for mercy by claiming to be needy with many dependents. On the third encounter, instead of begging, the thief offers to teach Abu Hurairah a protective prayer – reciting Ayat-al-Kursi (a verse from the Quran) before going to bed. He claims this will provide divine protection, with God appointing a guardian that prevents Satan from approaching until morning.
When Abu Hurairah reports this to the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet reveals that the person was actually Satan himself. Interestingly, the Prophet confirms that despite being a liar, the thief spoke truth about the power of reciting Ayat-al-Kursi, highlighting the spiritual significance of the prayer.
bukhari:5010 – ʿUthmān b. al-Haytham > ʿAwf > Muḥammad b. Sīrīn > Abu Hurairah
Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered me to guard the Zakat revenue of Ramadan. Then somebody came to me and started stealing from the foodstuff. I caught him and said, “I will take you to Messenger of Allah ﷺ!” Then Abu Hurairah described the whole narration and said: That person said (to me), “(Please don’t take me to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I will tell you a few words by which Allah will benefit you.) When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2.255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Satan will not be able to come near you till dawn.” (When the Prophet ﷺ heard the story) he said (to me), “He (who came to you at night) told you the truth although he is a liar; and it was Satan.”
[2:255] God: there is no other god besides Him, the Living, the Eternal. Never a moment of unawareness or slumber overtakes Him. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Who could intercede with Him, except in accordance with His will? He knows their past, and their future. No one attains any knowledge, except as He wills. His dominion encompasses the heavens and the earth, and ruling them never burdens Him. He is the Most High, the Great.
The Transmission History
The Variants:
Bukhari 2311, Bukhari 5010, Bukhari 3275, Nasa’i Kubra 10729
The hadith presents a single narrative strand from Abu Hurairah through Muhammad ibn Sirin, ‘Awf, and ‘Uthman ibn al-Haytham. This transmission appears in multiple collections: Bukhari’s variants (2311, 5010, 3275) and Nasai’s compilation.
Textual variations exist across these versions. Bukhari 2311 offers the most expansive account, while other variants present more condensed renditions. The Nasai version extends the chain by including Ibrahim ibn Ya’qub as an additional transmitter.
Each version preserves the core narrative about a nocturnal encounter involving theft, spiritual protection, and the revelation of the encounter’s supernatural nature. The consistent presence across multiple collections suggests a widely circulated account during early Islamic scholarly circles.
Purpose of the Hadith?
The hadith strategically employs a compelling narrative framework to motivate the recitation of Ayat al-Kursi, using several rhetorical and psychological techniques to encourage widespread adoption of this spiritual practice. By presenting the verse’s protective power through a dramatic encounter involving Satan himself, the hadith creates a powerful incentive for recitation. The supernatural narrative adds dramatic weight to what would otherwise be a simple religious instruction. The fact that the Prophet not only validates the jinn’s statement but does so after revealing the character as Satan, creates an additional layer of intrigue.
The Prophet’s explicit confirmation – “He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar” – is particularly noteworthy. This statement paradoxically validates the protective power of Ayat al-Kursi while coming from an acknowledged source of deception.
Abu Hurairah – Was it actually him?
The hadith seems clearly designed to motivate people to recite Ayat al-Kursi. It’s a simple storytelling technique: create a dramatic supernatural encounter that proves the verse’s protective power. However, the hadith’s single transmission strand raises authenticity questions. Muhammad ibn Sirin, the key narrator, is known for being a problematic link in hadith transmission. He’s been suspected of fabricating traditions to promote certain religious practices – in this case, potentially encouraging Ayat al-Kursi recitation.
The choice of Abu Hurairah as the narrator is particularly ironic. Historical sources paint Abu Hurairah as a controversial figure notorious for wealth accumulation and questionable moral character. The hadith portrays him as a guardian of Muslim wealth who gets outsmarted by Satan – which might be a subtle critique or satirical commentary.
- ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab reportedly threatened to exile him for excessive and potentially unreliable hadith narration, saying: “Either you stop putting out hadith ‘from the messenger of God’ or I will send you to the land of Daws” (Tarik Madinat Dimachk by Ibn Asākir, Vol 67, p 343)
- Ibn Asākir and Al-Dhahabī report that Abu Hurairah would “shut up when Mu’âwiya paid him, and when he didn’t pay, Abu Hurairah talked” (Ibn Asâkir (Ta’rikh Dimashq), Al Dhahabî (Siyar A’lâmi al Nubalâ))
The joke writes itself. Maybe it wasn’t Satan stealing from the zakat collection – maybe it was Abu Hurairah himself.
