al-Bukhārī, in the hadith narrated by Abū Hurayrah, who said:

“Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, entrusted me with guarding the zakat of Ramadan. Someone came and began scooping up the food. I seized him and said, ‘I will certainly take you before Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He said, ‘I am needy, I have dependants, and my need is desperate.’ So I let him go. The next morning, Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Abū Hurayrah, what happened to your captive last night?’

“I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, he complained of desperate need and dependants, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘He has indeed lied to you, and he will return.’ I knew he would return because Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had said so, and I lay in wait for him. He came and began scooping up the food. I seized him and said, ‘I will certainly take you before Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.’ He said, ‘Let me go! I am needy and have dependants. I will not return.’ I took pity on him and let him go. The next morning, Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to me, ‘Abū Hurayrah, what happened to your captive?’

“I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, he complained of need and dependants, so I took pity on him and let him go.’ He said, ‘He has indeed lied to you, and he will return.’ So I lay in wait for him a third time. He came and began scooping up the food. I seized him and said, ‘I will certainly take you before Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is the third and last time! You claim you will not return, but then you do.’ 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 go to bed, recite the Verse of the Throne: “Allah—there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence,” continuing to the end of the verse. A guardian from Allah will remain over you, and no devil will come near you until