Q: A questioner from Riyadh asks:
What is the ruling on a child who, being born to two disbelieving parents, dies before reaching the age of Taklif (meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for actions)? Is the child a Muslim in the Sight of Allah, knowing that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Every child is born on AlFitrah (true faith of Islam to worship none but Allah)? If he/she is a Muslim, are Muslims entitled to wash his/her dead body and perform the Funeral Prayer in behalf of him/her? Please enlighten us. May Allah reward you!
If a child of two disbelieving parents dies before reaching the age of Taklif, he/she assumes the rulings applied to them in the worldly life, and in turn the corpse is not washed. Moreover, he/she is neither entitled to receive a Funeral Prayer nor to be buried in the Muslims' graveyards. Yet, in the Hereafter, his/her affair lies with Allah (Glorified be He). It was authentically reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) when asked about the children of the Mushriks (those who associate others with Allah in His Divinity or worship) said: Allah knows what sort of deeds they would have done. Some religious scholars viewed that the Knowledge of Allah (Glorified be He) about them is manifested on the Day of Resurrection, and that they will be tested in the way of AhlulFatrah (those to whom Da`wah has not reached in an uncorrupted manner). Thus, if they obediently submit to what they are asked, they will enter Paradise; but if they disobey, they will enter the Fire. Hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him) about testing AhlulFatrah on the Day of Resurrection were proven authentic. This also applies to those who receive the same religious ruling, such as the children of the disbelievers.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says: And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning). This is the most correct opinion regarding AhlulFatrah and those like them to whom Da`wah (calling to Islam) has not reached in an uncorrupted manner. This opinion was also maintained by ShaykhulIslam Ibn Taymiyyah, his student Ibn AlQayyim, and a group of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) and the Khalaf (the following generations), may Allah be merciful with them all. Scholar Ibn AlQayyim (may Allah be merciful with him) extensively elaborated on the religious ruling regarding the children of the disbelievers and AhlulFatrah at the close of his book, TariqulHijratayn [The Path of the Two Hijrahs], under the title, Tabaqat AlMukallafin [Levels of the Mukallafs].