Source Attribution
This excerpt is taken from the book “Aḥkām o Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashir Aḥmad Rabbānī.
It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that a man complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about hardness of his heart. The Prophet ﷺ said:
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله stated that the chain of this narration is ḥasan.
However, the narration mentioned in the question with the specific wording—that for every hair under the hand one good deed is granted—is reported from Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه in Musnad Aḥmad (5/250, 265 – ḥadīth: 32630, 22505), as well as in al-Ṭabarānī, Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’, and Sharḥ al-Sunnah.
But in its chain of narration is ʿAlī bin Yazīd al-Balkhī, who is munkar al-ḥadīth (weak and rejected in narration). Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله also declared its chain weak in Fatḥ al-Bārī (11/151).
And Allah knows best what is correct.
This excerpt is taken from the book “Aḥkām o Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashir Aḥmad Rabbānī.
Question
Is the following ḥadīth authentic?“Whoever places his hand on the head of an orphan seeking the pleasure of Allah, Allah grants him one good deed for every hair that comes under his hand.”
Answer
Placing a hand of compassion on the heads of orphaned children is a means of reward, and good treatment towards them has been commanded.It is narrated from Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه that a man complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about hardness of his heart. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Feed the poor, and place your hand on the head of an orphan.”
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 2/263, 387 – ḥadīth: 7566, 9006
Reference: Fatḥ al-Bārī: 11/151
Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله stated that the chain of this narration is ḥasan.
However, the narration mentioned in the question with the specific wording—that for every hair under the hand one good deed is granted—is reported from Abū Umāmah رضي الله عنه in Musnad Aḥmad (5/250, 265 – ḥadīth: 32630, 22505), as well as in al-Ṭabarānī, Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’, and Sharḥ al-Sunnah.
But in its chain of narration is ʿAlī bin Yazīd al-Balkhī, who is munkar al-ḥadīth (weak and rejected in narration). Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī رحمه الله also declared its chain weak in Fatḥ al-Bārī (11/151).
And Allah knows best what is correct.
