Abdullah bin Masud said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ who spoke the truth and whose word was belief told us the following: The constituents of one of you are collected for forty days in his mother’s womb, then they become a piece of congealed blood for a similar period, then they become a lump of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends to him an angel with four words who records his provision the period of his life, his deeds, and whether he will be miserable or blessed ; thereafter he breathes the spirit into him. One of you will do the deeds of those who go to Paradise so that there will be only a cubit between him and it or will be within a cubit, then what is decreed will overcome him so that he will do the deeds of those who go to Hell and will enter it; and one of you will do the deeds of those who go to hell, so that there will be only a cubit between him and it or will be within a cubit, then what is decreed will overcome him, so that he will do the deeds of those who go to Paradise and will enter it.

حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ النَّمَرِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ. ح وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ الْمَعْنَى وَاحِدٌ وَالْإِخْبَارُ فِي حَدِيثِ سُفْيَانَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَهُوَ الصَّادِقُ الْمَصْدُوقُ"إِنَّ خَلْقَ أَحَدِكُمْ يُجْمَعُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكٌ فَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَيُكْتَبُ رِزْقُهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَأَجَلُهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَعَمَلُهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يُكْتَبُ شَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ يُنْفَخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ أَوْ قِيدُ ذِرَاعٍ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا وَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلَّا ذِرَاعٌ أَوْ قِيدُ ذِرَاعٍ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا".

Imran bin Husain said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: Is it known who are those who will go to paradise and those who will go to hell? He said: Yes. He asked: Then what is the good of doing anything by those who act? He replied: Everyone is helped to do for which he has been created.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ يَزِيدَ الرِّشْكِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُطَرِّفٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قِيلَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:‏‏‏‏ "يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَعُلِمَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ نَعَمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ فَفِيمَ يَعْمَلُ الْعَامِلُونَ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ كُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ".

Umar reported the Prophet ﷺ was asked: Do not sit which those who believe in free will and do not address them before they address you.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْمُقْرِيُّ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنِيعَطَاءُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ الْهُذَلِيِّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ الْجُرَشِيِّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "لَا تُجَالِسُوا أَهْلَ الْقَدَرِ وَلَا تُفَاتِحُوهُمْ".

Ibn Abbas reported that when the Prophet ﷺ was questioned about the offspring of polytheists, he said: Allah knows best about what they were doing.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُئِلَ عَنْ أَوْلَادِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ؟ فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ".

Aishah said: I said: Messenger of Allah ﷺ what happens to the offspring of believers ? He replied: They are joined to their parents. I asked: Messenger of Allah! Although they have done nothing ? He replied: Allah knows best what they were doing. I asked: what happens to the offspring of polytheists, Messenger of Allah ? he replied! They are joined to their parents. I asked: Although they have done nothing? He replied: Allah knows best what they were doing.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ نَجْدَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ. ح وحَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ مَرْوَانَ الرَّقِّيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَكَثِيرُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْمَذْحِجِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَا:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ الْمَعْنَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَيْسٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَتْ:‏‏‏‏ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ذَرَارِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "هُمْ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بِلَا عَمَلٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَذَرَارِيُّ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ بِلَا عَمَلٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ".

Aishah, mother of the believers, said: The Prophet ﷺ was invited to the funeral of a boy who belonged to the ANSAR and I said; Messenger of Allah! This one is blessed, for he has done no evil, nor has he known it. He replied: It may be otherwise, Aishah, for Allah created Paradise and created those who will go to it, and He created it for them when they were still in their father’s loins; and he created hell and created those who will go to it, and created it for them when they were still in their father’s loins.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ يَحْيَى، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَائِشَةَ بِنْتِ طَلْحَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَائِشَةَ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَتْ:‏‏‏‏ "أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِصَبِيٍّ مِنْ الْأَنْصَارِ يُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَتْ:‏‏‏‏ قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ طُوبَى لِهَذَا لَمْ يَعْمَلْ شَرًّا وَلَمْ يَدْرِ بِهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ أَوْ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ يَا عَائِشَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ الْجَنَّةَ وَخَلَقَ لَهَا أَهْلًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَخَلَقَهَا لَهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي أَصْلَابِ آبَائِهِمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَخَلَقَ النَّارَ وَخَلَقَ لَهَا أَهْلًا وَخَلَقَهَا لَهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي أَصْلَابِ آبَائِهِمْ".

Abu Hurairah reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: Every child is born on Islam, but his parents make him a Jew and a Christian, just as a beast is born whole. Do you find some among them (born) maimed? The people asked: Messenger of Allah! What do you think about the one who died while he was young? He replied: Allah knows best what he was going to do.

حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ مَالِكٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ الْأَعْرَجِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:‏‏‏‏ "كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ وَيُنَصِّرَانِهِ كَمَا تَنَاتَجُ الْإِبِلُ مِنْ بَهِيمَةٍ جَمْعَاءَ هَلْ تُحِسُّ مِنْ جَدْعَاءَ ؟ قَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ يَمُوتُ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ".

Abu Dawud said: Malik was asked: The heretics argue from this tradition against us. Malik said: Argue against them from its last part which goes. The people asked: What do you think about the one who died while he was young? He replied: Allah knows best what he was going to do.

قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد:‏‏‏‏ قُرِئ عَلَى الْحَارِثِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَكَ يُوسُفُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، ‏‏‏‏‏‏أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ سَمِعْتُ مَالِكًا قِيلَ لَهُ:‏‏‏‏ إِنَّ أَهْلَ الْأَهْوَاءِ يَحْتَجُّونَ عَلَيْنَا بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ مَالِكٌ"احْتَجَّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِآخِرِهِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالُوا:‏‏‏‏ أَرَأَيْتَ مَنْ يَمُوتُ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ ؟ قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا عَامِلِينَ".

Explaining the tradition “Every child is a born on Islam”, Hammad bin Salamah said: In our opinion it means that covenant which Allah had taken in the loins of their fathers when He said: “Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes.

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ الْمِنْهَالِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ سَمِعْتُ حَمَّادَ بْنَ سَلَمَةَ يُفَسِّرُ حَدِيثَ كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ "هَذَا عِنْدَنَا حَيْثُ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعَهْدَ فِي أَصْلَابِ آبَائِهِمْ حَيْثُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى سورة الأعراف آية 172".

Amir reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: The woman who buries alive her new-born girl and the girl who is buried alive both will go to Hell. This tradition has also been transmitted by Ibn Masud from the Prophet ﷺ to the same effect through a different chain of narrators.

حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى الرَّازِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَامِرٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:‏‏‏‏ "الْوَائِدَةُ وَالْمَوْءُودَةُ فِي النَّارِ"، ‏‏‏‏‏‏قَالَ يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا:‏‏‏‏ قَالَ أَبِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو إِسْحَاق أَنَّ عَامِرًا حَدَّثَهُ بِذَلِكَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ.