How sound is the understanding that "Instruct your children to pray when they are seven years old, and beat them for it when they are ten years old" means to begin teaching at the age of seventeen and beating them after ten years, and does this understanding conform to linguistic usage, the actions of the Companions, and modern science?
Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 2026
The Hadith, "Order your children to pray when they are seven years old, and beat them for it when they are ten years old, and separate them in their beds," is authentic. The letter "lam" (ل) in "when they are seven" (لسبع) and "when they are ten" (لعشر) means "at" or "when they reach" (that age).
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported
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