and of Ahl al-Sunnah among the scholars of hadith and speculative theology. This is the view that Abū al-Hasan al-Ashʿarī reported from Ahl al-Sunnah and himself adopted, and it is what Imam Ahmad’s statements imply. And Allah knows best.

When the children of believers enter Paradise, their souls and those of other believers are in Paradise, although their ranks differ. Children differ in rank according to the ranks of their fathers and the merits of their own deeds—if they have any deeds. Ibrāhīm, the son of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is not like others. Young children are rewarded for the good deeds they perform, although their evil deeds are not recorded against them. As established in an authentic hadith:

“A woman lifted up a child from a litter to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked, ‘Is Hajj valid for this child?’ He replied, ‘Yes, and you will have a reward.’”

Muslim narrated this in his Sahīh. The Sunan collections also report that he said:

“Instruct them to pray at seven, strike them for not doing so at ten, and separate them in their beds.”

They would have young children fast on the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ and on other days. Thus, a child is rewarded for his prayer, fasting, Hajj, and other deeds, and thereby receives a higher rank than one who has not performed comparable deeds. This is distinct from what is done for him in honour of his parents. Likewise, among worldly blessings, he may benefit both from what he earns and from what his parents give him, and thereby enjoy an advantage over someone who does not have these benefits.

The souls of believers are in Paradise, as the transmitted reports state. This accords with the Prophet’s words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“The believer’s soul feeds from Paradise.”

That is, it eats. No particular time before the Day of Resurrection was specified for this.