Smacking The Children Regarding The Prayer

Abu Dawood (459) and Ahmad (6650) narrated from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb from his father that his grandfather said: The Messenger of Allaah (sal allah hu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “Teach your children to pray when they are seven years old, and smack them (lightly) if they do not pray when they are 10 years old, and separate them in their beds.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’ (247). Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said in al-Mughni (1/357): This telling and discipline is prescribed in the case of children in order to train them to pray, so that they will be used to it and it will become their habit, and they will not forsake it when they reach puberty. End quote. Shaykh al-Fawzaan said: Smacking (lightly) is one of the means of child rearing. The teacher may smack, the trainer may smack, the guardian may smack for disciplinary purposes; and the husband may smack his wife in cases of wilful defiance (nushooz). But that must be within certain limits, and it should not be a blow that causes pain, breaks the skin or breaks the bone; rather it should be only as much as is necessary. End quote. Ighaathat al-Mustafeed bi Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed (282 -- 284) It was narrated from Abu Bardah al-Ansari that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (sal allah hu 'alayhi wa sallam) say: No one should be given more than ten lashes except in the case of one of the hadd punishments of Allaah.” narrated by Al Bukhaari (6456) and Muslim (3222). Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said: The words of the Prophet, “No one should be given more than ten lashes except in the case of one of the hadd punishments of Allaah,” referred to an offence or criminal act, which has to do with what Allaah has prescribed as a punishment. If it is said: What do we mean by ten or less? The answer is: This has to do with when a man hits his wife, his slave, his child, or his hired worker for the purpose of discipline and the like: it is not permissible for him to give more than ten blows. This is the best way to understand the hadeeth. End quote. I’laam al-Muwaqqi’een (2/23) Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Take care of the members of your household and do not neglect them, O slave of Allaah. You have to strive hard in their best interests, and tell your sons and daughters to pray at the age of seven, and smack them (lightly) if they do not do so when they are ten, a light smack that will help them to obey Allaah and make them get used to offering prayers on time, so that they will adhere properly to the religion of Allaah and know the truth, as is narrated in saheeh reports from the Messenger of Allaah (sal allah hu 'alayhi wa sallam). End quote. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (6/46). Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to tell our children to pray when they are seven years old, and to smack them (lightly) if they do not pray when they are ten years old, even though they are not obliged to do that yet, so that they may be trained in doing acts of worship and obedience and may get used to them, so that it will be easy for them to do that after they grow up and it will be dear to them. The same applies to all matters that are blameworthy; young children should not get used to them even though they are not yet under any obligation, because otherwise they will get used to them when they grow up and will enjoy indulging in them. End quote. Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 11/386 The command implies that it is obligatory, but it is limited only to cases where smacking will be beneficial, because sometimes you smack a child but he does not benefit from being smacked, it only makes him scream and cry more and does not serve any benefit. Moreover what is meant by smacking here is smacking that is not painful, a light smack that serves the purpose and does not cause any harm. End quote. Liqa’ al-Baab il-Maftooh, 95/18 He (may Allaah have mercy on him) also said: It should not be a smack that causes injury, and it should not be a smack in the face for example, or a smack to a lethal site; rather he should be smacked on the shoulder or the hand and the like, which would not cause him to die. Smacking on the face is risky, because the face is the highest and noblest part of a person and if a person is smacked on the face it is more humiliating and shameful than if he were to be smacked on the back. Hence it is forbidden to smack on the face. End quote Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 13/2