for authenticity, so reflect on this. I said: although the ḥadīth's isnād is weak, this does not indicate its weakness or lack of authenticity in itself, as it is possible that it has a good or authentic isnād or that it has supporting evidence that collectively indicates its authenticity. In reality, this ḥadīth is indeed like that, as it has supporting evidence indicating its basis. It has been narrated from Ibn ʿUmar by al-Ḍiyāʾ al-Maqdisī in "al-Aḥādīth al-Mukhtārah" and from Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ by al-Ḥākim (4/326-327), who authenticated it, and al-Dhahabī agreed with him.

"What is the matter with people that killing surpassed them today until they killed the children! A man said: O Messenger of Allāh, they are only the children of the polytheists! He said: Verily, the best of you are the children of the polytheists. Then he said: Beware, do not kill children, beware, do not kill children. He said: Every soul is born upon the fiṭrah until its tongue expresses itself, and its parents make it Jewish or Christian." It was recorded by Aḥmad (3/435), al-Dārimī (2/223), al-Ḥākim (2/123), and al-Bayhaqī (9/77) through the route of Yūnus ibn ʿUbayd from al-Ḥasan from al-Aswad ibn Sarīʿ who said: "I came to the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) and fought alongside him, and I achieved the best of people that day until..