Written by: Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Narrated by Ibn Masud:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who is the truthful and the believed, told us: "Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a drop, then he becomes a clot of blood for a similar period, then a lump of flesh for a similar period. Then an angel is sent to him who blows the soul into him and is commanded with four things: to write down his deeds, his lifespan, his provision, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. By the One besides whom there is no deity! One of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, but then the decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the people of Hell and enters it. One of you may do the deeds of the people of Hell until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, but then the decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it."
[Agreed upon: Sahih Bukhari 6594, Sahih Muslim 2643]
Fiqh of Hadith:
Narrated by Mughira ibn Shu’bah (RA):
"The funeral prayer for a stillborn child will be performed, and supplication for forgiveness and mercy will be made for its parents."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11589, its chain is authentic.]
Narrated by Ibn Umar (RA):
He performed the funeral prayer for a stillborn child. Nafi' said: "I do not know whether he was born alive (and then died) or was born dead."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 1158, its chain is authentic.]
Famous Tabi’i Muhammad ibn Sirin (RA) said:
"If its creation is completed, then it will be named, and its funeral prayer will be performed just like that of an adult."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11588, its chain is authentic.]
Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Laila (RA) said:
"We will not leave any of our children without performing the funeral prayer for them."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11590, its chain is authentic.]
Imam Tirmidhi (RA) said:
"The practice among some scholars from the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) and others is to perform the funeral prayer for a child even if it does not cry out at birth, provided it is known that its creation is complete. This is the opinion of Ahmad and Ishaq."
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1031]
The opinion of scholars who do not support performing the funeral prayer for a stillborn child is rejected and inapplicable as it contradicts the hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
During the funeral prayer for a small child, he would say the following supplication:"O Allah! Make him a predecessor, a foregoer, and a treasure for us."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi 4/10, its chain is Hasan.]
Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa'd (RA):
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "A servant may act with the deeds of the people of Hell, but he is among the people of Paradise; and a servant may act with the deeds of the people of Paradise, but he is among the people of Hell. Indeed, actions are judged by their endings."[Agreed upon: Sahih Bukhari 6607, Sahih Muslim 179/112]
Fiqh of Hadith:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was invited to the funeral of a child from the Ansar. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Good news for this child, a bird from the birds of Paradise, who did no evil nor reached it." He said: "Or other than that, O Aisha! Allah created for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were still in their father’s loins, and He created for Hell those who are fit for it while they were still in their father’s loins."
[Sahih Muslim 31/2662]
Fiqh of Hadith:
Narrated by Ibn Masud:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who is the truthful and the believed, told us: "Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a drop, then he becomes a clot of blood for a similar period, then a lump of flesh for a similar period. Then an angel is sent to him who blows the soul into him and is commanded with four things: to write down his deeds, his lifespan, his provision, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. By the One besides whom there is no deity! One of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, but then the decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the people of Hell and enters it. One of you may do the deeds of the people of Hell until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, but then the decree overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it."
[Agreed upon: Sahih Bukhari 6594, Sahih Muslim 2643]
Fiqh of Hadith:
- Belief in predestination is true.
- Who is fortunate and who is unfortunate? All this is known to Allah, and He has written it in destiny based on His knowledge.
- True repentance wipes out past sins; therefore, a person who repents should not be blamed for past sins and mistakes.
- Disbelieving beliefs and actions lead a person towards Hell, while Islamic beliefs and actions lead a person to Paradise by Allah's grace.
- The final state upon which one dies is what matters; thus, one should always pray to Allah for a good end.
- The Prophet (ﷺ) was truthful and trustworthy in every aspect, whether before or after prophethood, and even his opponents acknowledged him as truthful and trustworthy.
- Modern medical research has confirmed this hadith, strengthening the faith of the believers. Alhamdulillah in every condition.
- This hadith proves that the soul is blown into the fetus after four months. If a child of five months or more is born dead or dies soon after birth, its funeral prayer should be performed.
Narrated by Mughira ibn Shu’bah (RA):
"The funeral prayer for a stillborn child will be performed, and supplication for forgiveness and mercy will be made for its parents."
[Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11589, its chain is authentic.]
Narrated by Ibn Umar (RA):
He performed the funeral prayer for a stillborn child. Nafi' said: "I do not know whether he was born alive (and then died) or was born dead."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 1158, its chain is authentic.]
Famous Tabi’i Muhammad ibn Sirin (RA) said:
"If its creation is completed, then it will be named, and its funeral prayer will be performed just like that of an adult."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11588, its chain is authentic.]
Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Laila (RA) said:
"We will not leave any of our children without performing the funeral prayer for them."
[Ibn Abi Shaybah 3/317, Hadith 11590, its chain is authentic.]
Imam Tirmidhi (RA) said:
"The practice among some scholars from the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) and others is to perform the funeral prayer for a child even if it does not cry out at birth, provided it is known that its creation is complete. This is the opinion of Ahmad and Ishaq."
[Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1031]
The opinion of scholars who do not support performing the funeral prayer for a stillborn child is rejected and inapplicable as it contradicts the hadith of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Narrated by Abu Huraira (RA):
During the funeral prayer for a small child, he would say the following supplication:"O Allah! Make him a predecessor, a foregoer, and a treasure for us."
[Al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi 4/10, its chain is Hasan.]
Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa'd (RA):
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "A servant may act with the deeds of the people of Hell, but he is among the people of Paradise; and a servant may act with the deeds of the people of Paradise, but he is among the people of Hell. Indeed, actions are judged by their endings."[Agreed upon: Sahih Bukhari 6607, Sahih Muslim 179/112]
Fiqh of Hadith:
- Only the one who has a good end will be successful and deserving of Paradise by Allah’s grace.
- Disbelief and shirk nullify all good deeds.
- Actions are judged by their endings, a phrase that is not in Sahih Muslim but only in Sahih Bukhari.
- Belief in predestination is necessary, and along with it, one must always choose the path of good deeds and correct beliefs because it is unknown when the angel of death will come and one will depart from this world.
- Using predestination as an excuse to commit sins is worse than the sin itself.
- One should always pray to Allah for a good end, for Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. He can change the destiny of one who prays by His grace.
- One should never boast about their good deeds.
- A believer’s entire life is between fear and hope.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was invited to the funeral of a child from the Ansar. I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Good news for this child, a bird from the birds of Paradise, who did no evil nor reached it." He said: "Or other than that, O Aisha! Allah created for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were still in their father’s loins, and He created for Hell those who are fit for it while they were still in their father’s loins."
[Sahih Muslim 31/2662]
Fiqh of Hadith:
- One should not make definitive judgments about anyone being in Paradise or Hell, except for those clearly stated in the Quran and Hadith.
- There is a difference of opinion among scholars regarding the deceased children of Muslims. The correct view is that these children are in Paradise with their believing parents. As for the children of disbelievers, the most correct view is that their knowledge is with Allah, and the funeral prayer should not be performed for the deceased children of disbelievers.
- Aisha asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about the children of believers, and he said: "They are with their parents." She asked: "Without deeds?" He said: "Allah knows best what they would have done." She asked about the children of polytheists. He said: "They are with their parents." She asked: "Without deeds?" He said: "Allah knows best what they would have done."[Sunan Abi Dawud 4712, its chain is authentic]