Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
If the minor children of idolaters are buried somewhere, is it permissible to supplicate for their forgiveness?
According to the strongest opinion, the minor children of idolaters will be among the people of Paradise. However, this pertains to the Hereafter. In worldly rulings, the minor children of polytheists are treated in the same manner as their parents. Meaning, in matters of washing, shrouding, funeral prayer, and burial, they are dealt with as adults among the polytheists are dealt with.
❀ Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrates:
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is the ruling for the minor children of the believers?”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “They are under the same ruling as their parents.”
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Without having done any deeds?”
He ﷺ replied: “Allah knows best what they would have done.”
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is the ruling for the children of the polytheists?”
He ﷺ replied: “They are under the same ruling as their parents.”
I asked: “Without deeds?”
He ﷺ replied: “Allah knows best what they would have done if they had reached maturity.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 4712, authentic chain)
From this narration, it is clear that the worldly rulings for children are the same as for their parents:
❀ Imām Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله (d. 319 AH) said:
The scholars have consensus that, in worldly rulings, the child follows the status of his parents. If the parents are Muslims, then the rulings of Islam apply to the child. If the parents are polytheists, then the rulings of polytheists apply to the child. The child belongs to them, and they are his heirs. If the child is killed, then the ruling of his blood-money is the same as that of his parents.
(Al-Ijmāʿ: 74, no. 322)
Thus, in worldly rulings, the children of idolaters are treated like their parents. In the Hereafter, however, they will be raised among the children of Muslims, in Paradise.
As for the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “Allah knows best what they would have done,”—this means that Allah already knows what deeds they would have committed if they had reached maturity. It does not mean that the children of polytheists will be punished like their parents.
Wallāhu Aʿlam!
✦ Question:
If the minor children of idolaters are buried somewhere, is it permissible to supplicate for their forgiveness?
✦ Answer:
According to the strongest opinion, the minor children of idolaters will be among the people of Paradise. However, this pertains to the Hereafter. In worldly rulings, the minor children of polytheists are treated in the same manner as their parents. Meaning, in matters of washing, shrouding, funeral prayer, and burial, they are dealt with as adults among the polytheists are dealt with.
❀ Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها narrates:
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is the ruling for the minor children of the believers?”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied: “They are under the same ruling as their parents.”
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Without having done any deeds?”
He ﷺ replied: “Allah knows best what they would have done.”
I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What is the ruling for the children of the polytheists?”
He ﷺ replied: “They are under the same ruling as their parents.”
I asked: “Without deeds?”
He ﷺ replied: “Allah knows best what they would have done if they had reached maturity.”
(Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 4712, authentic chain)
From this narration, it is clear that the worldly rulings for children are the same as for their parents:
- Muslims’ children: treated with the rulings of Islam such as washing, shrouding, funeral prayer, inheritance, etc.
- Polytheists’ children: treated with the rulings of polytheists. No funeral prayer is performed over them, and the burial is done in the same way as for an adult polytheist. Likewise, a Muslim cannot inherit from the child, nor can the child inherit from a Muslim.
❀ Imām Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله (d. 319 AH) said:
The scholars have consensus that, in worldly rulings, the child follows the status of his parents. If the parents are Muslims, then the rulings of Islam apply to the child. If the parents are polytheists, then the rulings of polytheists apply to the child. The child belongs to them, and they are his heirs. If the child is killed, then the ruling of his blood-money is the same as that of his parents.
(Al-Ijmāʿ: 74, no. 322)
Thus, in worldly rulings, the children of idolaters are treated like their parents. In the Hereafter, however, they will be raised among the children of Muslims, in Paradise.
As for the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: “Allah knows best what they would have done,”—this means that Allah already knows what deeds they would have committed if they had reached maturity. It does not mean that the children of polytheists will be punished like their parents.
Wallāhu Aʿlam!
