Messenger of Allah ﷺ distributed (Zakat) amongst (a group of) people while I was sitting there but Messenger of Allah ﷺ left a man whom I thought the best of the lot. I asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why have you left that person? By Allah I regard him as a faithful believer." The Prophet ﷺ commented: "Or merely a Muslim." I remained quiet for a while, but could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. And then asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "Why have you left so and so? By Allah! He is a faithful believer." The Prophet ﷺ again said, "Or merely a Muslim." And I could not help repeating my question because of what I knew about him. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, "O Sa'd! I give to a person while another is dearer to me, for fear that he might be thrown on his face in the Fire by Allah."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَعْطَى رَهْطًا وَسَعْدٌ جَالِسٌ فَتَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَجُلاً هُوَ أَعْجَبُهُمْ إِلَىَّ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا لَكَ عَنْ فُلاَنٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَاهُ مُؤْمِنًا فَقَالَ أَوْ مُسْلِمًا فَسَكَتُّ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ فَعُدْتُ لِمَقَالَتِي فَقُلْتُ مَا لَكَ عَنْ فُلاَنٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَاهُ مُؤْمِنًا فَقَالَ أَوْ مُسْلِمًا ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ فَعُدْتُ لِمَقَالَتِي وَعَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا سَعْدُ إِنِّي لأُعْطِي الرَّجُلَ وَغَيْرُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْهُ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَكُبَّهُ اللَّهُ فِي النَّارِ  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ignored some of them. And he who was ignored seemed to be more deserving in my eyes (as compared with others). I (Sa'd) said: Messenger of Allah I why is it that you did not give to such and such (man)? Verily I see him a believer. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ observed: Or a Muslim? I kept quiet for some time but I was again impelled (to express) what I knew about him. I said: Messenger of Allah why is it that you did not give it to such and such? Verily, by Allah, see him a believer. Upon this the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked: (Nay, not a believer) but a Muslim. He (Sa'd) said: I again kept quite for some time but what I knew about him again impelled me (to express my opinion) and I said: Why is it that you did not give (the share) to so and so: By Allah, verily I see him a believer. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked; (Nay, not so) but a Muslim. Verily (at times) I give (a share) to a certain man apprehending that he may not be thrown headlong in the Fire, whereas the other man (who is not given) is dearer to me (as compared with him).  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَعْطَى رَهْطًا وَسَعْدٌ جَالِسٌ فِيهِمْ قَالَ سَعْدٌ فَتَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَمْ يُعْطِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْجَبُهُمْ إِلَىَّ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا لَكَ عَنْ فُلاَنٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَاهُ مُؤْمِنًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوْ مُسْلِمًا قَالَ فَسَكَتُّ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا لَكَ عَنْ فُلاَنٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَاهُ مُؤْمِنًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوْ مُسْلِمًا قَالَ فَسَكَتُّ قَلِيلاً ثُمَّ غَلَبَنِي مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا لَكَ عَنْ فُلاَنٍ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَرَاهُ مُؤْمِنًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوْ مُسْلِمًا إِنِّي لأُعْطِي الرَّجُلَ وَغَيْرُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْهُ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يُكَبَّ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ  

The Prophet (May peace be upon him) gave some people and did not give anything to a man of them. Sa’d said : Messenger of Allah! You gave so and so, so and so, but did not give anything to so and so while he is a believer. The Prophet (May peace be upon him) said : Or he is a Muslim. Sa’d repeated it thrice and the Prophet (May peace be upon him) then said : I give some people and leave him who is dearer to me than them. I do not give him anything fearing lest he should fall into Hell on his face.  

أَعْطَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ رِجَالاً وَلَمْ يُعْطِ رَجُلاً مِنْهُمْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ سَعْدٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَعْطَيْتَ فُلاَنًا وَفُلاَنًا وَلَمْ تُعْطِ فُلاَنًا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ حَتَّى أَعَادَهَا سَعْدٌ ثَلاَثًا وَالنَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنِّي أُعْطِي رِجَالاً وَأَدَعُ مَنْ هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْهُمْ لاَ أُعْطِيهِ شَيْئًا مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُكَبُّوا فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ  

The Prophet (May peace be upon him) gave some people and did not give anything to a man of them. Sa’d said : Messenger of Allah! You gave so and so, so and so, but did not give anything to so and so while he is a believer. The Prophet (May peace be upon him) said : Or he is a Muslim. Sa’d repeated it thrice and the Prophet (May peace be upon him) then said : I give some people and leave him who is dearer to me than them. I do not give him anything fearing lest he should fall into Hell on his face. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4683)  

أَعْطَى النَّبِيُّ ﷺ رِجَالًا وَلَمْ يُعْطِ رَجُلًا مِنْهُمْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ سَعْدٌ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ أَعْطَيْتَ فُلانًا وَفُلانًا وَلَمْ تُعْطِ فُلانًا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ حَتَّى أَعَادَهَا سَعْدٌ ثَلاثًا وَالنَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَوْ مُسْلِمٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِنِّي لأعْطِي رِجَالًا وَأَدَعُ مَنْ هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْهُمْ فَلا أُعْطِيهِ شَيْئًا مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُكَبُّوا فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ