Orphans in the hadith

[Nadia_H]

Just wondering if someone would be able to point me in the right direction of this hadith… specifically, which hadith collection is it from (corresponding number would be extremely helpful as well). i read it on a few different Islamic webpages, and remember reading it many times in my Islamiyat books from childhood. i would just like to know, for my own benefit, specifically which Hadith it’s from.

Note - please don’t turn this thread into an argument regarding validity of hadiths in general. Please. i don’t want any arguments in this thread.

Muchas gracias.

Although there are more, these are examples of two websites i read this Hadith on:

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) reports that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) stated “Whoever caresses the head of an orphan (in affection), solely for the sake of Allah, a good deed will be written to his account for every hair over which he passed his hand.”

In another Hadith he mentioned that when a person put his hand of compassion on the head of an orphan, for every hair of that orphan he will receive a blessing from Allah.

[Nadia_H]

It’s not the quotes i was looking for, but found some other references about orphans in the Hadith collections:

**Narrated Sahl bin Sa’d:

The Prophet said, “I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this,” putting his index and middle fingers together.** Volume 8, Book 73, Number 34 Source

**Narrated Safwan bin Salim:

The Prophet said “The one who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person, is like a warrior fighting for Allah’s Cause or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all the night.” Narrated Abu Huraira that the Prophet said as above.** Volume 8, Book 73, Number 35 Source

**Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, “Avoid the seven great destructive sins.” They (the people!) asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What are they?” He said, “To join partners in worship with Allah; to practice sorcery; to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic law); to eat up usury (Riba), to eat up the property of an orphan; to give one’s back to the enemy and freeing from the battle-field at the time of fighting and to accuse chaste women who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.”** Volume 8, Book 82, Number 840 Source