What happens to all the childrens

Question

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh

1) What happens to all the childrens including non-muslims that die before the puberty?

2) What do we believe about non-Muslims who did not receive the message of Islam?

3) Will those non-Muslims who have many disabilities, some of which prevent them from understanding things such as unable to talk, see, hear, etc?

4) Who is the Ashāb al-‘Arāf?

Can you provide a fully detailed explanation on the subject with academic reference, as well as about the ulama of different schools on the subject, as well as authors like Tabari?

Answer

Muhtaram / Muhtaramah

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāh wa-barakātuh.

1. Muslim children who pass away before puberty will be in Jannah (paradise). The Scholars are unanimous on this view, as stated by Ibn Hajar Makki (rahimahullah).[1]

(Fatawa Hadithiyya, pg 78, Darul Fikr)

With regards to non-Muslim children who pass away before puberty, there appears to be four opinions amongst the Scholars. They are as follows:

1.They will be in Jannah, as recorded in Sahih Bukhari that Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) had seen the children of the believers and disbelievers around Ibrahim (‘alayhis salaam) during his journey of mi’raj in Jannah.
2.They will be in Jahannum, as they will be considered to have followed the religion of their disbelieving parents.
3.Precaution should be adopted and a ruling must not be issued concerning their final abode, since it is possible that had they lived longer, they would have accepted Islam.
4.The fire of Jahannum would be kindled and an announcement would be made: ‘Enter the fire’. Those who were destined for Jahannum would enter the fire and the others will not.

Ibn Abdil Barr (rahimahullah) has stated that the third opinion is the view of most Scholars.[2]

(Fatawa Hadithiyya, pg 78, Darul Fikr)

2. A disbeliever who has not received the message of Islam, but does possess a sound intellect and has reached puberty, is not obliged to follow the religion of Islam. The Scholars are unanimous on this view.[3]

However, he is obliged to acknowledge the existence of one supreme God, Allah Ta’ala, as the creation of the universe is sufficient evidence to indicate to the existence of a supreme creator. If he does not acknowledge the existence of a supreme being, then his abode is Jahannum. This is narrated in zahirul riwayah and is the view of majority Hanafi Scholars.[4]

However, there are two other opinions:

Imam Ash’ari (rahimahullah) is of the opinion that he is excused and will not be in Jahannum.[5]

Other Scholars are of the opinion that he is obliged to acknowledge the existence of one supreme God, Allah Ta’ala. However, if he does not do so, he will be sinful but not punished in Jahannum.

3. Blind, deaf or dumb people do possess sound intellect. Therefore, the above ruling applies to them. However, if they lack sound intellect, they would be excused.

(Daw’ul Ma’aali, pg 139, Darul Beiruti)

Nukhbatul La’aali, pg 120, Maktaba Haqiqah)

(Nashul La’aali, pg 144, Darul Beiruti)

4. There are more than ten views regarding the Ashaabul-A’raaf, as stated by Sh. Abdullah Sirajuddin (rahimahullah) in his book titled, Al-Imaan. Hereunder are some of the famous views:

1.Those believers whose good and evil deeds were equal, as recorded in Sunan al-Baihaqi.
2.Those believers who were martyred in the path of Allah Ta’ala or travelled in the quest of knowledge. However they had done so without the happiness of their parents.
3.The children of the disbelievers.

Majority of the Sahaba and Tabi’un prefer the first view, whilst Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) has stated that he is unaware of the third view being established from any narration.[6]

(Tafseer al-Ahmadiyyah (Mulla Jeewan), pg 416, Maktaba al-Haram)

(Fatawa Hadithiyya, pg 78, Darul Fikr)

(Al-Imaan, pg 503)  

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

For: Darul Ifta, Madrasah In’aamiyyah