QUESTION:
I have heard that there is a hadeeth of which the Meaning is: "Verily paradiseis forbidden for the illegitimate child." Is this hadeeth authentic? And if so, what is the sin of this child who will have to bear the error of its parents and their sin?
ANSWER:
It is stated in a hadeeth reported by Abu Hurayrah [RA], the Messenger of Allaah [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said:
"The illegitimate child is the worst in three" [Abu Dawood].
Some scholars have explained the meaning of this hadeeth; he is the worst in three things: origin, descent and birth. This is because he is created from sexual emission of the adulterer and adulteress. This emission is evil, of scheming origin and thus it is not assured that this evilness will not affect and induce him to evil, for Allaah absolved Maryam of evil in his words:
" ... your father was not one to commit adultery and nor was your mother unchaste" [Q19:28]
Despite this, he is not accountable for his parents sin, due to Allaah's words:
"and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another ... "[Q6: 164 ]
Anyhow, the sin of adultery and its punishment in this world and the next is upon the parents. However it is not guaranteed that this will not induce him to evil and corruption, but this is not always so, for it may be that Allaah makes him upright and he becomes a scholar of God-fearing person and thus the best in three. Sheikh Ibn Jibreen
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited