Is a person with impaired consciousness held accountable for neglecting obligatory acts?
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Question:
He asks a question similar to one in previous sessions, saying: Is a person who is not legally accountable, and who has impaired consciousness, held accountable for neglecting obligatory acts and voluntary acts, or not? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If he has impaired consciousness, he is not held accountable for anything. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: So, if a sleeping person speaks in his sleep with cursing and insults, he is not held accountable, or if he pronounces divorce, his divorce does not take effect due to the lack of intellect. This is the case with the insane person, and the one whose intellect is not sound, or if he speaks during his insanity, during the presence of insanity, or during an epileptic fit, none of this is attended to. Likewise, if he is of unsound mind, even if he is not insane, but his intellect is unsound due to his young age, or because of a congenital condition that caused a defect in his intellect, and he does not act properly, he is not held accountable for anything, because the pen has been lifted from him.
Likewise, the young child before he reaches puberty is not held accountable, and he is only held accountable after reaching puberty. However, he is taught, commanded, and prohibited; he is commanded to pray, and commanded to fast if he is able to fast, and prohibited from obscenity and bad speech, and he is disciplined for that, but he is not held accountable for that from the perspective of the Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) rather, his guardian disciplines him and teaches him until he becomes accustomed to good, and until he avoids evil; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan ad-Daraqutni 3:5 until they become accustomed to good, until they practice it, until they stay away from evil.
And when al-Hasan, or al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both), took a date from the charity, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to al-Hasan: and al-Hasan was young, seven years and months old when he came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and al-Husayn was younger than that.
So, the conclusion is: that teaching children good, and warning them from evil, is a required matter, but there is no sin on them if they die in that state, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
He asks a question similar to one in previous sessions, saying: Is a person who is not legally accountable, and who has impaired consciousness, held accountable for neglecting obligatory acts and voluntary acts, or not? May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If he has impaired consciousness, he is not held accountable for anything. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The pen has been lifted from three: the sleeping person until he wakes up, the insane person until he regains his sanity, and the young child until he reaches puberty
رفع القلم عن ثلاثة، عن النائم حتى يستيقظ، والمجنون حتى يفيق، والصغير حتى يبلغLikewise, the young child before he reaches puberty is not held accountable, and he is only held accountable after reaching puberty. However, he is taught, commanded, and prohibited; he is commanded to pray, and commanded to fast if he is able to fast, and prohibited from obscenity and bad speech, and he is disciplined for that, but he is not held accountable for that from the perspective of the Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) rather, his guardian disciplines him and teaches him until he becomes accustomed to good, and until he avoids evil; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Order your children to pray at seven years of age, and beat them for it at ten
مروا أولادكم بالصلاة لسبع، واضربوهم عليها لعشرAnd when al-Hasan, or al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both), took a date from the charity, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to al-Hasan:
Leave it, leave it, leave it, do you not know that charity is not lawful for us
دعها كخ كخ دعها، أما علمت أنها لا تحل لنا الصدقةSo, the conclusion is: that teaching children good, and warning them from evil, is a required matter, but there is no sin on them if they die in that state, yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.