962 — “The one who cares for an orphan—whether the orphan is related to him or not—and I will be like these two in Paradise, if he fears Allah.” Mālik gestured with his index and middle fingers.

Muslim (8 / 221) and Aḥmad (2 / 375) transmitted it, the latter with this wording, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. It has a corroborating report from Murrah al-Fihri, with some transposition in its wording. Al-Kharāʾiṭī related it in Makārim al-Akhlāq, p. (73), from Anīsah, from Umm Saʿd, the daughter of Murrah al-Fihri, from him, with this wording. Its chain of transmission is weak. It has also been narrated with the wording: “I and the guardian of an orphan,” which was mentioned previously under no. (800).

963 — “This religion will remain firmly established, with a group of Muslims fighting for it until the Hour comes.”

Aḥmad (5 / 92, 94, 105) and al-Ṭayālisī (p. 104, no. 756) transmitted it through several routes from Sammāk ibn Ḥarb, from Jābir ibn Samurah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. This chain is authentic according to Muslim’s criteria. Muslim also transmitted it in his Ṣaḥīḥ (6 / 53) with the wording: “This religion will not cease,” while the remainder is exactly the same. Al-Ḥākim included it as an omission in his Mustadrak (4 / 449), but he was mistaken.

It is also narrated by Aḥmad (5 / 103, 106, 108), but in this version he said, from Jābir ibn Samurah: “I was told that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,” and then mentioned it. In another version recorded by him (585), it is from Jābir ibn Samurah, from someone who related to him from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Thus, the report ultimately goes back to an unnamed Companion, whose narration is accepted as proof. Moreover, al-Ṭayālisī explicitly records that Jābir ibn Samurah heard it from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. And Allah knows best.