<![CDATA[The concept of fitrah as original goodness, it does notmerely connote a passive receptivity to good and rightaction, but an active inclination and a natural innatepredisposition to know Allâh, to submit to Him and todo right. This is manâs natural tendency in the absenceof contrary factors. Although all children are born in astate of fitrah, the influence of the environment isdecisive; parents may influence the religion of thechild by making him a Christian, Jew or Magian. Ifthere are no adverse influences, then the child willcontinuously manifest his fitrah as his true nature.Since many infants are born with gross physicaldeformities, the maiming referred to in this hadîth isnot meant in the physical sense; it means that allchildren are born spiritually pure, in a state of fitrah.The reference to animals born intact in the centralhadîth should be viewed as an analogy to illustrate theparallel spiritual wholeness of children at birth. It isprecisely because of manâs free-will and intellect thathe is able to overcome the negative influences of theenvironment and attain to the highest level of psychospiritualdevelopment, an-nafs al-mutmaâinnah, âthe selfmade tranquilâ.]]>
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