Is it permissible to use striking to discipline a student, and is it permissible to strike the face?
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The questioner : Sometimes a teacher resorts to striking to discipline a student. Is it permissible for a teacher to strike a student in the first place, and is it permissible to strike him on the face in the second place?
The Shaykh : As for striking the face, it is not permissible, without any difference of opinion, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 2142Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) As for whether it is permissible to strike a student in general for the purpose of discipline? The answer is that we must consider the well-known saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in the authentic collections: In this hadith, there is evidence that a child, even if he is a student, is not to be struck by his guardian for his negligence in following his commands until he reaches the age of ten. And there is no doubt that any knowledge a teacher wishes to present to students will not have the same ruling and importance as prayer. If the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him) forbade the father of a boy from striking him for his negligence in the prayer his father ordered him to perform until he reached the age of ten, then it is even more so that it is not permissible for anyone other than the father among the guardians to strike children for anything other than their leaving prayer, for a matter that is far less important than prayer, unless they reach the age of ten. Therefore, for children up to the age of ten, it is not permissible for a teacher or instructor to strike them, even if they do not obey him in prayer. What about other matters of importance comparable to prayer? And I mention now, on the occasion of this hadith, the point I referred to earlier in answering the previous question. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) says in the hadith: Sunan Abi Dawud 495Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) Because the instinct begins to stir, and he has not yet reached the age of accountability. This confirms that we must study the condition of those who are ten years old: what predominates in them? Is it this sensitivity to gender, as it is called today, or not? If the predominant state is the former, as I mentioned earlier, otherwise it is permissible for a female teacher to enter upon these boys who have reached the age of ten.
On this occasion, I also mention that the age of puberty for young men and young women differs greatly in some countries from others. From my general reading of scientific magazines and other sources, I know that in hot countries, sexual maturity occurs, and the age of accountability is reached, years earlier than in cold countries. So these are issues that must not be taken as a general principle; rather, the situation of students in their age, for example this age of ten, must be studied in each town, or more precisely, in each region: has sexual maturity occurred in them, or are they still on their childish fitrah? Based on what appears to be the predominant state from the study, the ruling is given negatively or positively.
The questioner : ... the teaching by female teachers is a case of a boy assuming the role of a woman, and this is happening now?
The Shaykh : How do you mean he assumes it?
The questioner : That he imitates the movements of women, the behavior of women, and vice versa, if he is raised with a man, he assumes the role of a man.
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is something we are hearing for the first time, but we want to understand: is it like this at every age, or within certain limits? Based on this observation, it also follows: if this is the predominant reality among students, is it at every age, or at the age of ten and nine?
The questioner : It is approximately at this age.
The Shaykh : Good, this confirms what we said earlier: if there is a sensitivity that has reached this background, as I mentioned, this confirms that [female teachers] should not enter upon such boys at this age.
Another questioner: And regarding striking, if this boy misbehaves...
The Shaykh : There is no striking at all. There is guidance, there is discipline, there is a style of speech. Sometimes speech affects a child more than an adult, and striking may be of no benefit to some people at all; rather, it leads them to continue in their disobedience more and more. The most important thing is that the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So a child is not to be struck as long as he has not reached the age of accountability. Even on this occasion, I take from the educational progression mentioned earlier in the hadith:Sunan Abi Dawud 495Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) to the end of the hadith. I take from it that it is a mistake, as I see it in many fathers, for a father to order his son to pray when he has not reached the age of seven. This is contrary to what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered: Sunan Abi Dawud 495Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) Therefore, a Muslim should not advance to ordering [prayer] beyond the limit set by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) at the beginning. Rather, if there is no obstacle, he should allow him to go down with him to the mosque and pray with him, and so on. But to say to him, "Come, stand up and pray," when he has not reached the age of seven, this is contrary to this hadith. I wanted to remind you of this.
The Shaykh : As for striking the face, it is not permissible, without any difference of opinion, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
do not strike her on the face, do not revile her
لا تضرب الوجه و لا تقبحOrder your children to pray when they are seven years old, and strike them for it when they are ten years old, and separate them in their beds.
مروا أولادكم للصلاة و هم أبناء سبع و اضربوهم عليها و هم أبناء عشر و فرقوا بينهم في المضاجعOrder your children to pray when they are seven years old, and strike them for it when they are ten years old, and separate them in their beds.
مروا أولادكم للصلاة و هم أبناء سبع و اضربوهم عليها و هم أبناء عشر و فرقوا بينهم في المضاجعand arrange their beds (to sleep) separately.
و فرقوا بينهم في المضاجعOn this occasion, I also mention that the age of puberty for young men and young women differs greatly in some countries from others. From my general reading of scientific magazines and other sources, I know that in hot countries, sexual maturity occurs, and the age of accountability is reached, years earlier than in cold countries. So these are issues that must not be taken as a general principle; rather, the situation of students in their age, for example this age of ten, must be studied in each town, or more precisely, in each region: has sexual maturity occurred in them, or are they still on their childish fitrah? Based on what appears to be the predominant state from the study, the ruling is given negatively or positively.
The questioner : ... the teaching by female teachers is a case of a boy assuming the role of a woman, and this is happening now?
The Shaykh : How do you mean he assumes it?
The questioner : That he imitates the movements of women, the behavior of women, and vice versa, if he is raised with a man, he assumes the role of a man.
The Shaykh : By Allah, this is something we are hearing for the first time, but we want to understand: is it like this at every age, or within certain limits? Based on this observation, it also follows: if this is the predominant reality among students, is it at every age, or at the age of ten and nine?
The questioner : It is approximately at this age.
The Shaykh : Good, this confirms what we said earlier: if there is a sensitivity that has reached this background, as I mentioned, this confirms that [female teachers] should not enter upon such boys at this age.
Another questioner: And regarding striking, if this boy misbehaves...
The Shaykh : There is no striking at all. There is guidance, there is discipline, there is a style of speech. Sometimes speech affects a child more than an adult, and striking may be of no benefit to some people at all; rather, it leads them to continue in their disobedience more and more. The most important thing is that the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). So a child is not to be struck as long as he has not reached the age of accountability. Even on this occasion, I take from the educational progression mentioned earlier in the hadith: