23/79. Chapter:
If a boy becomes a Muslim and then dies, should a funeral prayer be offered for him? Should Islam be explained to a boy?
وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ وَشُرَيْحٌ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ وَقَتَادَةُ إِذَا أَسْلَمَ أَحَدُهُمَا فَالْوَلَدُ مَعَ الْمُسْلِمِ. وَكَانَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا مَعَ أُمِّهِ مِنَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَ أَبِيهِ عَلَى دِينِ قَوْمِهِ. وَقَالَ الإِسْلاَمُ يَعْلُو وَلاَ يُعْلَى.And Al-Hasan, Shuraih, Ibrahim, and Qatada said, “If one of the parents of the boy becomes a Muslim, then the boy will be with the Muslim parent.” And Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما was with his mother who was amongst the weak and the poor people, and was not with his father who was on the religion of his nation. And said, “Islam is always superior and never inferior.”
Sahih Bukhari : 1358
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 1358
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ يُصَلَّى عَلَى كُلِّ مَوْلُودٍ مُتَوَفًّى وَإِنْ كَانَ لِغَيَّةٍ، مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُ وُلِدَ عَلَى فِطْرَةِ الإِسْلاَمِ، يَدَّعِي أَبَوَاهُ الإِسْلاَمَ أَوْ أَبُوهُ خَاصَّةً، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ أُمُّهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ الإِسْلاَمِ، إِذَا اسْتَهَلَّ صَارِخًا صُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ، وَلاَ يُصَلَّى عَلَى مَنْ لاَ يَسْتَهِلُّ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُ سِقْطٌ، فَإِنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مِنْ مَوْلُودٍ إِلاَّ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ، فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ، كَمَا تُنْتَجُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ ". ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه – {فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا} الآيَةَ.
Narrated Ibn Shihab: The funeral prayer should be offered for every child even if he were the son of a prostitute as he was born with a true faith of Islam (i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone). If his parents are Muslims, particularly the father, even if his mother were a non-Muslim, and if he after the delivery cries (even once) before his death (i.e. born alive) then the funeral prayer must be offered. And if the child does not cry after his delivery (i.e. born dead) then his funeral prayer should not be offered, and he will be considered as a miscarriage. Abu Huraira, narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Every child is born with a true faith (i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone) but his parents convert him to Judaism or to Christianity or to Magainism, as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal. Do you find it mutilated?" Then Abu Huraira recited the holy verses: 'The pure Allah's Islamic nature (true faith i.e. to worship none but Allah Alone), with which He has created human beings.' " (30.30).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 1358In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 111USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 2, Book 23, Hadith 440
