"People are like ores, similar to ores of silver and gold. The best of them in the days of ignorance are the best of them in Islam, provided they gain understanding of the religion. Souls are like conscripted soldiers. Those that recognize one another come together in harmony, and those that fail to recognize one another fall into discord."
الناس معادن كمعادن الفضة والذهب، خيارهم في الجاهلية خيارهم في الإسلام إذا فقهوا، والأرواح جنود مجندة، فما تعارف منها ائتلف، وما تناكر منها اختلف.
Muslim reported it in "Righteousness and Kinship Ties" (2638:160), on the authority of Zuhayr bin Harb, who said, "Kathir bin Hisham narrated to us, Jafar bin Barqan narrated to us, from Yazid bin Asam, from Abu Hurairah," with a hadith he attributed to the Prophet, and he said, "he mentioned it."