44/b The next morning, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do last night?” I said, “Messenger of Allah, he complained of severe need and of having dependents, so I took pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He lied to you, and he will return.” I then knew that he would return, because the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had said that he would return. So I lay in wait for him. He came and began scooping up handfuls of food, so I seized him and said, “I will certainly take you to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.” He said, “Let me go, for I am needy and have dependents, and I will not return.” So I took pity on him and let him go.

The next morning, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, “Abu Hurayrah, what did your captive do?” I said, “Messenger of Allah, he complained of severe need and of having dependents, so I took pity on him and let him go.” He said, “He lied to you, and he will return.” So I lay in wait for him a third time. He came and began scooping up handfuls of food, so I seized him and said, “I will certainly take you to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is the last of three times: you claim that you will not return, yet you return.” He said, “Let me go, and I will teach you words through which Allah will benefit you.” I asked, “What are they?” He said, “When you retire to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi: ‘Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all,’ until you complete the verse. Then a guardian from Allah will remain over you, and no devil will come near you until morning.” So I let him go.

The next morning, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, “What did your captive do last night?” I said, “Messenger of Allah, he claimed that he would teach me words through which Allah would benefit me, so I let him go.” He asked, “What were they?” I replied, “He told me, ‘When you retire to your bed, recite Ayat al-Kursi from its beginning until you complete the verse: “Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all.”’ And he said, ‘A guardian from Allah will remain over you, and no devil will come near you until morning.’” They were most eager to obtain good. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said, “He told you the truth, though he is a great liar. Do you know with whom you have been speaking for three nights, Abu Hurayrah?” I said, “No.” He said, “That was a devil.” (1)

ʿAbd al-Wahid al-Malihi informed us; Abu Mansur al-Samʿani informed us; Abu Jaʿfar al-Rayani informed us; Humayd ibn Zanjawayh informed us; Yahya ibn Yahya informed us; Abu Muʿawiyah informed us, from ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr al-Mulayki, from Zurarah ibn Musʿab, from Abu Salamah ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman, from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever recites, in the morning, Ayat al-Kursi and the first two verses of Surat Ghafir: ‘Ha-Mim. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Knowing,’ will be protected throughout that day until evening; and whoever recites them in the evening will be protected throughout that night until morning.” (2)