A consistent application of this principle is that whoever repents of a sin and is forgiven (1), that sin does not detract (2) from his exalted rank, whoever he may be. On this matter, the Rāfidah hold a position that departs from the Quran and Sunnah, the consensus of the early generations, and rational evidence. This has led them to embrace claims whose falsehood is self-evident, such as their claim that Āzar, the Prophet’s parents and forefathers, and his paternal uncle Abū Tālib were believers, among other claims.

Third: It may be said that before Allah sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—no one among Quraysh was a believer: neither man, child, nor woman; neither the three (3) nor Alī. If it is said that the men worshipped idols, the same applies to the children (4), including Alī and others.

If it is said, “A child’s disbelief is not like an adult’s disbelief,” the reply is: “Nor is a child’s faith like an adult’s faith.” The legal status of belief and disbelief applies to those men as adults, whereas the legal status of disbelief and belief applies to Alī before he has reached puberty.

A child born to two disbelieving parents is subject to the legal status of disbelief in this world