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TLDR: What, if anything, are the implications for a child's (future) sins, if any, if they fall ill?

The rest of my question is a preamble and axioms for my assumptions.

In Islam, children are considered sinless. This is supported by many proofs, including the famous hadith:

The pen has been lifted from three: From the sleeper until he wakes up, from the minor until he grows up, and from the insane until he comes back to his senses or recovers. (Collected in Tirmidhi and Nasaa'i's books)

In addition, hardship in general is a test from Allah, and forgiveness for our sins:

I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There is nothing (in the form of trouble) that comes to a believer even if it is the pricking of a thorn that there is decreed for him by Allah good or his sins are obliterated. (Saheeh Muslim)

This is also supported by rasulullah's statement to a sick person:

The Prophet () visited a bedouin who was sick. Whenever he visited an ailing person, he would say, "La ba'sa, tahurun in sha' Allah [No harm, (it will be a) purification (from sins), if Allah wills]." (Saheeh Bukhari and Riyaad as-Saliheen)

Therefore, for adults, we know that illness necessitates forgiveness of your sins. That's great news.

But what about children? Being inherently sinless, there is nothing to forgive. Is there any recompense or reward for them in the hereafter? Perhaps forgiveness for their future sins?

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  • "Perhaps forgiveness for their future sins?" alas, all too many childhood diseases are fatal; that doesn't leave much room for that (in many cases).
    – Marc Gravell
    Jul 27, 2012 at 9:35
  • @MarcGravell much more common are colds, flus, and the like -- at least in many parts of the world.
    – ashes999
    Jul 27, 2012 at 13:46
  • would it be wrong to observe that we've learned a lot since that time, especially germ theory - is there any validity in saying: illness is just illness?
    – Marc Gravell
    Jul 27, 2012 at 14:23
  • @MarcGravell we can discuss this in chat if you like. My question is not about illness in general, but about the Hereafter. In Islam, everything from pre-birth to post-death has implications for our eternal Hereafter. Hence my question!
    – ashes999
    Jul 27, 2012 at 14:24
  • Doesn't quite answer the question, but related hadith: sunnah.com/urn/263700
    – goldPseudo ♦
    Jul 27, 2012 at 16:21

1 Answer 1

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+50

The answer is already in your question:

I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There is nothing (in the form of trouble) that comes to a believer even if it is the pricking of a thorn that there is decreed for him by Allah good or his sins are obliterated. (Saheeh Muslim)

Either there is something good from Allah OR his sins are forgiven. If there are no sins then what happens? The former i.e. something good from Allah either in this life or hereafter.

Quran 2:281

And protect yourselves against a Day in which you will be returned to Allah. Thereafter every self will be (paid) in full what it has earned, and they will not be done injustice.

Allah doesn't do injustice to anyone. Whether you died as a child, you were poor, you had bad health or a lot of problems in your life. Allah will compensate you for it.

And Allah knows best.

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  • +1 I think the first part of your answer is the real answer; the rest is somewhat unrelated. There's a topic in aqeedah about children (Muslim and non-Muslim) who die, and how they are treated in the Hereafter.
    – ashes999
    Jul 27, 2012 at 13:48
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    Sure, I'm only trying to support the theory that Allah does justice. First hadith implies that while the verses in Quran prove it.
    – Muhammad Hasan Khan
    Jul 27, 2012 at 14:17

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