Why was the Prophet (ﷺ) afraid that Allah would throw a person in the Fire?

Question

In the following Hadith:

Narrated Sa'd:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed (Zakat) amongst (a group of) people while I was sitting there but Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left a man whom I thought the best of the lot. I asked, "O Allah's Messenger (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 Allah's Messenger (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."

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَامِرُ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَعْطَى رَهْطًا وَسَعْدٌ جَالِسٌ، فَتَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَا سَعْدُ، إِنِّي لأُعْطِي الرَّجُلَ وَغَيْرُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْهُ، خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَكُبَّهُ اللَّهُ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَرَوَاهُ يُونُسُ وَصَالِحٌ وَمَعْمَرٌ وَابْنُ أَخِي الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ‏

Saheeh Bukhari, Hadith No. 20 of the Book of Faith

In the last part of the Hadith, who did the beloved Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mean by "he"? And why is Hellfire concerned?

Answer 1

This hadith is recorded in Saheeh Bukhari under two chapters. One of which is:

باب إذا لم يكن الإسلام على الحقيقة

Chapter: If one does not embrace Islam truly

It is recorded in Saheeh Muslim under two chapters:

باب تألف قلب من يخاف على إيمانه لضعفه

Chapter: Being kind to one for whose Faith there is concern because it is weak


باب اعطاء من يخاف على ايمانه

Chapter: Giving to one whose faith one fears

The relevant part of the hadith is:

إني لأعطي الرجل وغيره أحب إلي منه خشية أن يكب في النار على وجهه

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.

The person for whom the Prophet ﷺ feared is the one to whom he did give the charity. This person was new to Islam and his iman was weak. It was feared that he might begrudge being neglected in favor of a senior Muslim, and could develop animosity and misgivings towards the Prophet ... which would lead him to Hell as it is Kufr.

So the Prophet chose him for the purpose of inclining his heart towards Islam and to allow for iman to take roots.

إنما الصدقات ... والمؤلفة قلوبهم

Zakah expenditures are ... and for bringing hearts together [for Islam]

^{— Quran 9:60}

On the other hand, regarding the person to whom the Prophet did not give: the Prophet was confident that his iman was already resolute and that it would not be harmed by him being overlooked in the distribution.

See: https://al-maktaba.org/book/1711/426#p1 https://al-maktaba.org/book/1673/563#p1

Answer 2

Here, the Prophet (SAW) fears that the man whom he did not give the money would be thrown into the fire of hell if he was given the money.

Why? Perhaps, the Prophet (SAW) knew his nature that he was not very good with money. Or perhaps, money would make him fall into sin while he was safe from sin while poor. So, the Prophet (SAW) decided in his judgement to not give him money to prevent him from falling into sin and because of that into the fire.