{"_id":"66eee2071f48e0edb8c47f94","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Are parents allowed to beat children for not praying?\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Why are parents allowed to beat children as discipline for not praying? I have met several people who have been traumatized by being beaten. While I understand that we must safeguard our Salah, I worry that the avenue of physical discipline may warp a child's relationship with the parent and the religion.\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Islam categorically prohibits causing harm to others. This is an established principle in the Sharīʿah: \\\"No harm and no reciprocation of harm\\\" (la ḍarar wa-lā ḍirār). It is within this framework that we must approach any ḥadīth or verse that permits physical discipline. When it comes to disciplining children, parents or guardians may resort to physical discipline only if the following conditions are met:\\n\\n- They must believe that physical discipline will be effective.\\n- It must be done solely with the intention of discipline.\\n- It must not be done out of personal anger, hatred, or grudges towards the child.\\n- It must not involve striking the face or any sensitive area of the body.\\n- It must not be harsh or severe enough to cause physical damage, such as scarring, bleeding, fractures, swelling, bruising, etc.\\n- It must not involve verbally degrading or insulting the child.\\n- It must not exceed three strikes.\\n- They must believe it will not lead to greater harm, such as the child becoming more rebellious.\\n- The child must not have reached adulthood (i.e., puberty).\\n\\nThat said, the physical discipline mentioned in the ḥadīth should not be used to justify child abuse. It is crucial to interpret ḥadīths in a comprehensive manner through qualified scholarship. Taking ḥadīths or āyāt out of context is extremely detrimental. When considering the matter holistically, we find that Islam prohibits physical violence and emphasizes mercy in dealing with children. The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) said:\\n\\n\\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"He is not of us (the one) who does not have mercy on our young children, nor honor our elderly\"},{\"insert\":\".” [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi:1919\"},\"insert\":\"Tirmidhī\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\n\\nThe Companion Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) served the Prophet (peace be upon him) for ten years during his youth. He described his personal experiences with the Prophet and said:\\n“I served the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for ten years. He never said to me ‘uff!’ (a word in the Arabic language used to express one’s annoyance). And he never said about a thing I did, ‘why did you do that?’ And he never said about a thing I left, ‘why did you leave that?’ The Messenger of God (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the best of people in character…” [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/shamail:344\"},\"insert\":\"Tirmidhī\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\nHe also said:\\n“I served the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) for years. He never insulted me at all. He never hit me at all. And he never scolded me. And he never frowned at me in my face…” [al-Baghawi, al-Anwar fi Shama’il al-Nabi al-Mukhtar]\\n\\nThe intent of the ḥadīth is for physical discipline to be used as a means to set clear boundaries. It is by no means the only method, and some scholars even prohibit resorting to physical discipline until non-physical means have been exhausted. Each child’s reaction to disciplinary action may differ, and therefore, parents should explore which forms of discipline are effective for their particular child.\\n\\nRecommended reading:\\n[\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://www.almadina.org/studio/articles/wisdom-from-the-sages-for-raising-those-of-little-ages\"},\"insert\":\"Wisdom from the Sages for Raising Those of Little Ages\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\n[\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnahmuakada.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/imam-al-ghazali-on-the-method-of-bringing-up-children/\"},\"insert\":\"Imām al-Ghazālī on the method of bringing up children\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668da0010b76658b4c232b9d","tag":"Relationships: Parent and Child","count":111},{"_id":"668d9ff70b76658b4c232a80","tag":"Seerah: Sunnah and Hadith","count":68}],"createdOn":"2024-09-21T15:11:03.109Z"}