The ruling on striking or branding children for upbringing and discipline
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Question:
Is it permissible to strike children to discipline them on the face or by using branding?
Answer:
The Shaykh: It is obligatory to discipline children; it is not merely permissible, it is obligatory, even if they are orphans. Even orphans are disciplined if they make mistakes. They are disciplined as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan ad-Daraqutni 3:5. So if a boy or girl neglects prayer after the age of ten, he is struck. If he is a slanderer and an abuser, he is struck and disciplined if words have not benefited him. If he opposes his family in matters and harms his family, there is no harm in their disciplining him until he is corrected, whether male or female, orphan or not. If words benefit him, praise be to Allah. If words do not benefit him, his mother disciplines him, his father disciplines him, his older brother disciplines him until he is corrected.
If he is left in his bad state, he grows up with it and becomes a harm to society. But when his father, mother, and older brothers stand over him, direct him, teach him, and prevent him from what is not appropriate—such as being a slanderer, a liar, or not praying after reaching the age of ten, or the like—he is disciplined until he desists, if words have not benefited him or had any effect.
Some people say: "Nothing is said to an orphan." No, this is a mistake. If you leave the orphan in his state, his character worsens, his deeds worsen, and he grows up in evil. So this is not in his interest. Rather, the guardian of the orphan must discipline him by striking if words have not benefited him, but he does not strike the face. He strikes other than the face, in places such as the thigh, the back, the shoulder, in non-dangerous places. He does not strike the face ever. The Prophet forbade striking the face. He does not strike the dangerous places—the vital organs—but he strikes him in the tolerable places, such as his buttocks, his thigh, his back, with something light that achieves deterrence.
Is it permissible to strike children to discipline them on the face or by using branding?
Answer:
The Shaykh: It is obligatory to discipline children; it is not merely permissible, it is obligatory, even if they are orphans. Even orphans are disciplined if they make mistakes. They are disciplined as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Command your children to pray at seven, and strike them for it at ten
مُروا أولادكم بالصلاة لسبعٍ، واضربوهم عليها لعشرٍIf he is left in his bad state, he grows up with it and becomes a harm to society. But when his father, mother, and older brothers stand over him, direct him, teach him, and prevent him from what is not appropriate—such as being a slanderer, a liar, or not praying after reaching the age of ten, or the like—he is disciplined until he desists, if words have not benefited him or had any effect.
Some people say: "Nothing is said to an orphan." No, this is a mistake. If you leave the orphan in his state, his character worsens, his deeds worsen, and he grows up in evil. So this is not in his interest. Rather, the guardian of the orphan must discipline him by striking if words have not benefited him, but he does not strike the face. He strikes other than the face, in places such as the thigh, the back, the shoulder, in non-dangerous places. He does not strike the face ever. The Prophet forbade striking the face. He does not strike the dangerous places—the vital organs—but he strikes him in the tolerable places, such as his buttocks, his thigh, his back, with something light that achieves deterrence.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.