What is the meaning of the fitrah (the innate natural disposition) mentioned in the verse: “(the fitrah of Allah)” and in the authentic hadith: “Every child is born on the fitrah”?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Abu Malik: Well, here, our Shaykh, is another question related to this specific issue. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: to the end of the hadith. And in Surat al-Rum, Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says: [Ar-Rum 30:30] Does this fitrah in the verse and in this hadith not mean the fitrah of tawhid (the oneness of Allah)?
The Shaykh : There is disagreement on this. Some say it is this, and this is the apparent meaning; and some say it is the readiness to accept the call to truth; but the first is the stronger position.
Abu Malik: The fitrah of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). If that is the case, is it correct for us to say that we can divide the matter regarding the call into two parts; or regarding salvation and punishment, we can divide people into two groups: those of the period of ignorance (ahl al-fatra) and those who resemble them in any time after the Prophet (peace be upon him)? We would say: whoever has this fitrah in himself, it will not change and will not be altered, even if the call did not reach him and had not reached him, then he is considered among the saved. And whoever has had the fitrah of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) changed in himself and the call did not reach him, then he is considered not saved?
The Shaykh : Not saved.
Abu Malik: Can this also be said?
The Shaykh : Theoretically, without a doubt, this can be said; but in reality, do you think that if a person is left, especially if he is in a deviant society, will he remain on his fitrah? I imagine that the hadith you mentioned:Sahih al-Bukhari 1385 indicates that upbringing has an effect. So, theoretically, it is as you say, because he did not associate anyone with Allah, so he is saved by his original fitrah, by himself; but considering the matter as a reality, I strongly doubt it, unless we imagine a person in the Stone Age living alone in the wilderness, not living in an environment that would reform him or corrupt him. It is possible that such a person lives on the sound fitrah and dies in that state; so in this case, we say he is saved.
No child is born on the fitrah but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian, just as a beast is born with a complete head.
ما من مولود يولد على الفطرة فأبواه يهودانه أو ينصرانه أو يمجسانه كما تولد البهيمة بهيمة جماء[Adhere to] the fitrah of Allah upon which He has created [all] people. No change should there be in the creation of Allah. That is the correct religion
فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها لا تبديل لخلق الله ذلك الدين القيمThe Shaykh : There is disagreement on this. Some say it is this, and this is the apparent meaning; and some say it is the readiness to accept the call to truth; but the first is the stronger position.
Abu Malik: The fitrah of tawhid (the oneness of Allah). If that is the case, is it correct for us to say that we can divide the matter regarding the call into two parts; or regarding salvation and punishment, we can divide people into two groups: those of the period of ignorance (ahl al-fatra) and those who resemble them in any time after the Prophet (peace be upon him)? We would say: whoever has this fitrah in himself, it will not change and will not be altered, even if the call did not reach him and had not reached him, then he is considered among the saved. And whoever has had the fitrah of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) changed in himself and the call did not reach him, then he is considered not saved?
The Shaykh : Not saved.
Abu Malik: Can this also be said?
The Shaykh : Theoretically, without a doubt, this can be said; but in reality, do you think that if a person is left, especially if he is in a deviant society, will he remain on his fitrah? I imagine that the hadith you mentioned:
and his parents convert him to Judaism or Christianity or Magianism
فأبواه يهودانه أو ينصرانه أو يمجسانه
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.