The Children

“I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), ’Had the Messenger of Allah been asked about children?’ He said, ‘Indeed he was asked and he said, “Allah knows better about their deeds.’” The Imam then said, ‘O Zurarah, do you know His words, “Allah knows better of what they had been doing?”’ I replied, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘Allah has a wish in the matter. On the Day of Judgment Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, will bring the children together as well as the people who have died between the intervals (the time between the passing away of one prophet and the coming of the other). He will bring the elderly who lived in the time of the Holy Prophet but had lost understanding, were the deaf, and the dumb who do not understand, the insane ones and the dimwitted who do not understand. Every one of such people will argue before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious. Allah sends an angel from among His angels who lights up a fire and then Allah sends another angel who says to them, ‘Your Lord commands you to jump in it (fire). Whoever of them jumps, for him it will turn cool and peaceful and he is admitted to paradise and those who disobey go to the fire.’”

“He (the Holy Prophet) was asked about the children and he replied, ‘On the Day of Judgment Allah will bring all of them together, light up for them a fire and command them to throw themselves in it. Those of them who are fortunate in the knowledge of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, throw themselves in the fire and it turns cool and peaceful to them. Those of them who are not fortunate in the knowledge of Allah, they refuse to throw themselves in the fire and Allah then orders them to the fire and they will say, “O Lord, You commanded us to the fire and the pen has not moved against us.” The Almighty will say, “I just commanded you face to face but you did not obey Me: how would you obey Me through sending you my messengers in an unseen condition?”’ In another Hadith it is said that the children of the believing people are joined with their parents and the children of the pagans are joined with their parents as this is stated in the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘The offspring of the believers will also follow them to paradise. Therefore, We shall join their offspring to them because of their faith. We shall not reduce anything from their deeds. Everyone will be responsible for his own actions.’” (52:21)

“I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the children, and he said, ‘The Messenger of Allah was asked about the children and infants, and he replied, “Allah knows best about what they had been doing.’””

“I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about children who die before maturity and he replied, ‘The Messenger of Allah was asked about them and he said, “Allah knows best about what they may do.’” Then he turned to me and said, ‘O Zurarah, do you know what the Messenger of Allah meant thereby?’ I said, ‘No, I do not know.’ He said, ‘He meant to say, “You must not say anything about them but leave their affairs to Allah (to deal with).’””

“This is about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, that read.. . . (The bountiful paradise is for the pious ones) and for the believers and their offspring who have followed them (parents) in belief, whom We shall join with their parents therein. . . . (52:21).’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The children even though may have had shortcomings in their deeds, they will be joined with their parents to grant delightfulness to the eyes of the parents.’”