The Children

سَأَلْتُهُ هَلْ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنِ الْأَطْفَالِ فَقَالَ قَدْ سُئِلَ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ هَلْ تَدْرِي قَوْلَهُ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ لِلَّهِ فِيهِمُ الْمَشِيئَةُ إِنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ جَمَعَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْأَطْفَالَ وَ الَّذِي مَاتَ مِنَ النَّاسِ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ[1] وَ الشَّيْخَ الْكَبِير

“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, ‘Al

إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ جَمَعَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ أَجَّجَ لَهُمْ نَاراً وَ أَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَطْرَحُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ فِيهَا فَمَنْ كَانَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنَّهُ سَعِيدٌ رَمَى بِنَفْسِهِ فِيهَا وَ كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً وَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي عِلْمِهِ أَنَّهُ شَقِيٌّ امْتَنَعَ فَيَأْمُرُ اللَّهُ بِهِمْ إِلَى النَّارِ فَيَقُولُونَ يَا رَبَّنَا تَأْمُرُ بِنَا إِلَى النَّارِ وَ لَمْ تُجْرِ عَ

“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

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنِ الْوِلْدَانِ فَقَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنِ الْوِلْدَانِ وَ الْأَطْفَالِ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ.

‘The Messenger of Allah was asked about the children and infants, and he replied, “Allah knows best about what they had been doing.’””

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْأَطْفَالِ الَّذِينَ مَاتُوا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغُوا فَقَالَ سُئِلَ عَنْهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَا عَنَى بِذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ قُلْتُ لَا فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا عَنَى كُفُّوا عَنْهُمْ وَ لَا تَقُولُوا فِيهِمْ شَيْئاً وَ رُدُّوا عِلْمَهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ.

“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

فَقَالَ قَصَرَتِ الْأَبْنَاءُ عَنْ عَمَلِ الْآبَاءِ فَأَلْحَقُوا الْأَبْنَاءَ بِالْآبَاءِ لِتَقَرَّ بِذَلِكَ أَعْيُنُهُمْ.

‘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.’”

يَحْتَجُّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ يَرْفَعُ لَهُمْ نَاراً فَيَقُولُ لَهُمْ ادْخُلُوهَا فَمَنْ دَخَلَهَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً وَ مَنْ أَبَى قَالَ هَا أَنْتُمْ قَدْ أَمَرْتُكُمْ فَعَصَيْتُمُونِي.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah was asked about those who die in the interval (between the passing away of one prophet and coming of the other), those who have not committed sins, and people with severe mental conditions. He replied, ‘Allah argues against them by lighting up a fire and tell

ثَلَاثَةٌ يُحْتَجُّ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَبْكَمُ وَ الطِّفْلُ وَ مَنْ مَاتَ فِي الْفَتْرَةِ فَتُرْفَعُ لَهُمْ نَارٌ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ ادْخُلُوهَا فَمَنْ دَخَلَهَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً وَ مَنْ أَبَى قَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى هَذَا قَدْ أَمَرْتُكُمْ فَعَصَيْتُمُونِي.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘An argument will be made against three kinds of people: dumb people, children, and those who have died in the interval between the passing away and coming of a prophet. A fire will be brought before them and they will be commanded to go in it. Those who go in the fire, it will turn co