Back to search

Is a father's hitting his young children with a stick or similar object—a beating that does not cause destruction—due to their quarreling and causing harm in the house, considered an injustice for which he will be held accountable by Allah?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If methods of discipline with a child, such as advice, warning, and reprimand, do not work, then it is permissible to strike him with a non-bruising blow for the purpose of discipline. This is not the forbidden injustice; rather, it is an effort to reform him. This striking is conditioned by the description of safety, such that it is customary and not on the face or sensitive organs. The boy is disciplined by commanding him to perform obligations and forbidding him from evil deeds verbally, then by warning, then by reprimand, then by striking if other methods do not work. The boy is not to be struck for abandoning prayer unless he reaches ten years of age. The number of blows should not exceed three according to the Hanafis, Malikis, and Hanbalis.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy