one another until He places His foot upon it, and it becomes filled with those followers of Iblīs who have entered it.”

For this reason, the correct position explicitly stated by upright imams such as Ahmad and others is to withhold judgment concerning the children of polytheists. No particular child among them is categorically assigned to Paradise or Hell. Rather, we say concerning them what the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said in the two authentic hadiths narrated by Abū Hurayrah and Ibn ‘Abbās:

“Allah knows best what they would have done.”

Abū Hurayrah’s hadith is in the two Sahīh collections, while Ibn ‘Abbās’s hadith is in al-Bukhārī. The hadith of Samurah ibn Jundub, narrated by al-Bukhārī, states that “some of them will enter Paradise.” It is also established that “some of them will enter the Fire,” as related in Sahīh Muslim in the account of the boy whom al-Khadir killed. This confirms what has been narrated through several channels: they will be tested on the Day of Resurrection, so that what Allah knows concerning them becomes manifest. He will then recompense them for their obedience and disobedience. This is the position that al-Ash‘arī reported from the people of the Sunnah and hadith and himself adopted.

As for the leaders of misguidance—who bear the burdens of sin of those whom they have led astray—and others like them, we have explained that they are punished only because they possess a firm resolve together with the ability to act. This is indicated by the Prophet’s words in the hadith of Abū Kabshah:

“They are equal in their burden of sin.”

And by his words:

“Whoever calls others to misguidance will bear a burden of sin equal to the burdens of those who follow him.”

When firm resolve and the ability to act are both present, they have the same status as someone who has fully performed the deed. Someone who contemplates a bad deed but does not commit it despite being able to do so has not formed a firm resolve; and the one who commits