Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Amr ibn Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 495Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) : This is a good hadith, and it has a corroborating narration from the hadith of Subayr ibn Ma’bad al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him). This is among the rights of children over their fathers: that they order them to pray when they reach seven years of age, and that they beat them for it, meaning for neglecting it and wasting it, when they reach ten years of age, but on the condition that they are of sound mind.
If they reach seven years of age and are not of sound mind, meaning they have insanity, or if they reach ten years of age, then they are not ordered to do anything, nor are they beaten for anything, but they are prevented from causing corruption, whether in the house or outside the house.
And his saying:Sunan Abi Dawud 495Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) : The meaning is the beating that achieves discipline without harm. It is not permissible to beat them with a severe beating, nor is it permissible to beat them with a repeated beating that is not needed. Rather, if it is needed to the extent that the child does not stand for prayer except by being beaten, then he is to be beaten with a non-severe beating, a customary beating. This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) only ordered their beating not to cause them pain, but to discipline them and correct them.
In this hadith is an indication that what some of the later scholars who claim to be educators have gone to, namely that children are not to be beaten in schools if they are negligent, is refuted by this hadith. It is evidence against them and against the falsity of their idea, and that it is false. This is because, in the general case, speech does not benefit the young child, and beating benefits him more. If they were left without being beaten, they would neglect their obligatory duties, be negligent in their lessons, and be careless. Therefore, it is necessary to beat them so that they become accustomed to order and fulfill what they should fulfill; otherwise, the matter would become chaos.
However, as we said, the beating must be for discipline, not for causing pain or suffering. He is to be beaten with a beating befitting his condition, a non-severe beating. It is not to be done as some teachers did in the past, beating with a great, painful blow. Nor is it to be neglected as these educators claim, who are the farthest people from education. Nothing is said to them, because the boy does not obey and does not know, but the beating disciplines him. And Allah is the One who grants success.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, in what he quoted from Amr ibn Shu’ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old
مروا أولادكم بالصلاة وهم أبناء سبع سنين، واضربوهم عليها وهو أبناء عشر سنينIf they reach seven years of age and are not of sound mind, meaning they have insanity, or if they reach ten years of age, then they are not ordered to do anything, nor are they beaten for anything, but they are prevented from causing corruption, whether in the house or outside the house.
And his saying:
and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old
اضربوهم عليها وهم أبناء عشر سنينIn this hadith is an indication that what some of the later scholars who claim to be educators have gone to, namely that children are not to be beaten in schools if they are negligent, is refuted by this hadith. It is evidence against them and against the falsity of their idea, and that it is false. This is because, in the general case, speech does not benefit the young child, and beating benefits him more. If they were left without being beaten, they would neglect their obligatory duties, be negligent in their lessons, and be careless. Therefore, it is necessary to beat them so that they become accustomed to order and fulfill what they should fulfill; otherwise, the matter would become chaos.
However, as we said, the beating must be for discipline, not for causing pain or suffering. He is to be beaten with a beating befitting his condition, a non-severe beating. It is not to be done as some teachers did in the past, beating with a great, painful blow. Nor is it to be neglected as these educators claim, who are the farthest people from education. Nothing is said to them, because the boy does not obey and does not know, but the beating disciplines him. And Allah is the One who grants success.