Likewise, his saying,

“His parents then make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian,”

makes clear that they alter the natural disposition with which people were created.

Moreover, he compared this to an animal born physically whole, without any defect, which is subsequently mutilated. This shows that the alteration affects the sound natural disposition with which a person is born.

Furthermore, the hadith accords with the Quran, for Allah Most High says:

“The natural disposition with which Allah has created mankind.”

This encompasses all people, showing that Allah created everyone upon the natural disposition mentioned here. Allah attributes this disposition to Himself by way of praise, not blame, indicating that it is a praiseworthy disposition, not a blameworthy one.

This is clarified by His words:

“So set your face toward the religion, upright in faith—the natural disposition with which Allah has created mankind.”

According to Sībawayh and his followers, this is a verbal noun in the accusative whose meaning is indicated by the preceding verb. This shows that setting one’s face toward the religion, upright in faith, is the natural disposition with which Allah created mankind. The same construction occurs in comparable passages, such as His words:

“Allah’s decree upon you,”

and His words:

“Allah’s established way in times past; and you will never find any change in Allah’s way.”

According to them, this is a verbal noun in the accusative governed by an implied verb that must remain unexpressed and is indicated by the preceding verb. It is as though He said: “Allah has decreed that for you,” and “Allah has established that as His way.”

Likewise, here the meaning is: Allah created people upon that disposition—upon upholding the religion for Allah, upright in faith. This is also how the early generations explained it, as previously quoted from them.