According to the Holy Qur’an, is every person born a Muslim?

Yes, but in the original sense of the word. Every child comes into the world good and without guilt, with a nature inclined to submit to God. What the child later makes of that, and what others make of it, is not decided in advance.

The saying “every person is born a Muslim” is often misunderstood. It does not mean that every baby belongs to a particular religious community. Here the word Muslim has its literal meaning. A Muslim is someone who submits to God and from whom no danger comes to anyone. He is at peace with God and with people. In this wide sense the Holy Qur’an also calls earlier prophets such as Abraham (as) Muslims.

The Bible contains a related idea, that man is created in the image of God. This does not mean that man himself is God. It means that God’s attributes can be reflected in him. So every child begins with a good start. It is not born with original sin but with a nature that leans towards goodness.

This good nature, however, can be shaped. The hadith above says that it is the parents who later make the child a Jew, a Christian or a Magian. The influence of family and society is taken seriously. It can be so strong that it covers up the original inclination towards good.

It does not follow that it makes no difference how a person lives. The good start is a gift, not a guarantee. What a person makes of it is his own responsibility. Whoever finds his way back to this pure nature finds his way back to himself and to God.