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Ahmad did not give this response. Rather, he answered with the hadith recorded in the Sahīh, narrated from Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:
“Every child is born upon the innate disposition. His parents then make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian, just as an animal gives birth to an animal whole and intact. Do you perceive any mutilation in it?”
Abū Hurayra would then say:
“Recite, if you wish: ‘The innate disposition of Allah upon which He created mankind.’”
[Surah al-Rūm: 30]
They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what of the children of the polytheists who die while still young?”
He replied:
وَأَحْمَدُ لَمْ يُجِبْ بِهَذَا، وَإِنَّمَا أَجَابَ بِالْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ -
قَالَ:
" «كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ وَيُنَصِّرَانِهِ وَيُمَجِّسَانِهِ كَمَا تُنْتَجُ الْبَهِيمَةُ بَهِيمَةً جَمْعَاءَ هَلْ تُحِسُّونَ فِيهَا مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ "
.
ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ:
اقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ:
{فِطْرَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيْهَا}
[سُورَةُ الرُّومِ: ٣٠]
قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ يَمُوتُ مِنْ أَطْفَالِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ؟
فَقَالَ: