Does Infants’ Death Lead Parents to Paradise?

11 October, 2016
Q As-salamu `alaykum. My daughter died recently at the age of 7 months. I've read in Sahih Al-Bukhari that Muslim infants who die as babies will be a source of mercy from Allah on the Day of Judgment. But I've also heard that on the Day of Judgment they will ask Allah for their parents that they will not enter paradise without them. But I cannot find a reference of that. Can you, please, enlighten me with reference? Thank You.

Answer

Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister, first we implore Allah Almighty to grant you patience and satisfaction with what you have been afflicted with.

As Muslims, we believe that an infant who dies before his parents will be their forerunner in paradise as long as they are content with Allah’s destiny and shows nothing of complaint.

In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states,

I pray to Allah Almighty to inspire you with patience to accept His will; He does what is good for His servants, for He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing and the Infinitely Merciful. May your child be a treasure and your forerunner in jannah.

There are a number of traditions from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on the tremendous rewards awaiting those who patiently surrender to the will of Allah in regard to the death of their children in tender years. Imam Muslim reports on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the little children who die before their parents are like creatures that will be dragging their parents to paradise.

Imam At-Tirmidhi also reports that when a person accepts the will of Allah in regard to the death of his beloved son or daughter and observes patience before the decree of Allah by istirja` (saying innalellahwa inna ilayhi raje`un) and praising the Lord for His decision, Allah will tell the angels to build for him a mansion in paradise and call it the House of Thanksgiving (bayt al-hamd).

Therefore, I would urge you to console yourself with the thought that your daughter will be your forerunner in paradise, as long as you keep your faith in Him and remain steadfast on it.

Allah Almighty knows best.