998—Al-Qasim ibn Ja‘far informed us. Muhammad ibn Ahmad narrated to us. Sulayman ibn al-Ash‘ath narrated to us. Al-Qa‘nabi narrated to us, from Malik, from Abu al-Zinad, from al-A‘raj, from Abu Hurayrah, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Everyone is born upon this natural disposition; then his parents make him a Jew or a Christian—just as camels are bred from an animal born whole. Do you perceive any born mutilated?”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what of one who dies while still young?” He said, “Allah knows best what they would have done.”