that we put to those who paralyze their minds and prevent themselves from thinking soundly and judiciously.” (1)

The reply to these words of Abū Ubayya is that no one has said that a child is morally accountable or that Allah commissions children. Rather, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—wanted to ascertain the truth about Ibn Sayyād: was he truly the Dajjal or not? It had become widely rumored in Medina that he was the Dajjal against whom the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—had warned, while nothing concerning Ibn Sayyād had yet been revealed to him. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—therefore saw that the way to expose his deception—since he was a discerning child who understood what was said to him—was to ask him, “Do you testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?” … until he said to him, “I have hidden something for you—can you tell what it is?” along with other questions that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—put to him.

These words were not intended to impose upon Ibn Sayyād the obligation to embrace Islam; rather, their purpose was to disclose the truth of his case. Given that this was the purpose, there is nothing strange about the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—waiting to hear his answer. Indeed, his answer showed that he was one of the impostors.

Moreover, there is nothing to prevent the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—from presenting Islam to a child. Al-Bukhārī—may Allah have mercy on him—included the account of Ibn Sayyād under the chapter heading: “How Islam Is Presented to a Child.” (2)

As for the fact that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not punish Ibn Sayyād despite his claim to prophethood, this specious objection arose because Abū Ubayya was unfamiliar with the scholars’ statements on the matter. They answered his objection in several ways, including the following: