Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger told of a man who expressed his intention to give sadaqa, and who when he took it out placed it in a thief’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “Sadaqa was given to a thief last night.” The man said, “O God, to Thee be the praise—to a thief!’’
He then expressed his intention to give sadaqa and when he took it out he placed it in a prostitute’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “Sadaqa was given to a prostitute last night." The man said, "O God, to Thee be the praise— to a prostitute!"
He then expressed his intention to give sadaqa and when he took it out he placed it in a rich man’s hand. In the morning the people were talking and saying, “Sadaqa was given to a rich man last night." The man said, “O God, to Thee be the praise—to a thief, a prostitute and a rich man!”
He then had a vision in which he was told that his sadaqa to a thief might result in his refraining from his theft, the prostitute might perhaps refrain from her immorality, and the rich man might perhaps pay heed and spend from what God had given him.
(Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.)