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Raising children (tarbiyah)

Educating children, prayer, adab, boundaries, screens. Arranged by the most frequently asked questions.

🧭 Preparation & choosing a spouse💍 Khitbah & engagement📜 The marriage contract (akad nikah)🏡 Rights & responsibilities🕌 Worship in the home🤍 Character & conduct between spouses🧒 Raising children (tarbiyah)💰 Family finances⚖️ Polygyny: rulings & justice🏛️ Polygyny: the law🤝 Existing wife & prospective wife🕊️ Conflict & resolution🚪 Divorce, ʿiddah & rujuk🌍 Children, inheritance & global🧭 Regional & the Middle East
1Must a wife breastfeed her child?
According to the Shafi'i school, a wife is not legally obliged to breastfeed except for the first milk (colostrum) or where there is no alternative, but breastfeeding is greatly encouraged.
Allah mentions that the complete breastfeeding period is two years, and the father must bear the needs of the breastfeeding mother. If the baby will not accept other milk or there is no carer, the mother must breastfeed to save the baby. Breastfeeding brings great benefits to child and mother. The husband should support his wife with help, rest and nutrition. See Children.
Difference between schools. Maliki: obligatory upon a wife still within the marriage according to custom, except for women of high status who customarily do not breastfeed. Hanafi: obligatory as a religious duty (diyanah) but not compelled by the court.
Surah al-Baqarah 2:233Surah at-Talaq 65:6

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2Is a husband responsible for teaching his wife religion?
Yes, the husband is responsible for ensuring that his wife and family know the basics of religion and fulfil their obligations.
Allah commands the believers to protect themselves and their families from the Fire, and tells the family to establish prayer. If the husband cannot teach her himself, he must give his wife the room and means to learn, such as classes on personal religious obligation (fardu ain). Teaching must be done with wisdom, not coercion or humiliation. See Rights of husband & wife.
Surah at-Tahrim 66:6Surah Taha 20:132Sahih al-Bukhari 893

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3Is it wrong for husband and wife to quarrel in front of the children?
Disagreement is normal, but quarrelling with shouting, insults or harshness in front of the children can harm their emotions and development.
Parents are "shepherds" who will be asked about those in their care (Sahih al-Bukhari 893), and the Qur'an commands protecting one's family from ruin (66:6). Children who frequently see violent conflict are at risk of anxiety, depression and repeating the same pattern. If you need to discuss something serious, postpone it until the children are not around. Yet children can learn something good when they see their parents disagree respectfully and then make up. If a child witnesses violence, that is a form of abuse — get help. See Children.
Sahih al-Bukhari 893Surah at-Tahrim 66:6

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4At what age should a child begin to be taught to pray?
Seven years, according to the wording of the hadith.
The Prophet ﷺ said: command your children to pray when they are seven years old, and strike them over it when they are ten, and separate their sleeping places. A narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi gives the same wording: teach the child prayer when he is seven years old. Notice what is mentioned alongside that command — separating sleeping places — so the upbringing in prayer comes together with the upbringing in boundaries. See Educating the family.
Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 407 (sahih)Sunan Abu Dawud 494 (sahih)

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5A hadith mentions “striking” a child at the age of ten over prayer. How should it be understood?
The wording is in an authentic narration, and it is read together with other matters that are also authentic.
In the same narration, that command comes after three years of teaching beginning at age seven — so it is not the first step. At the same time, Aishah r.a. stated that the Prophet ﷺ never struck a servant or his wife, and he said: whoever shows no mercy to others will not be shown mercy. From these two sets of narrations, some read the wording as a limited permission and others read it as an upper limit that is not required to be acted upon; we do not settle the matter and do not name a school for either reading. What is clear: anything that injures a child is not upbringing, and Malaysia's child protection laws have their own limits — confirm with the Department of Social Welfare (Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat) (to be verified).
Difference among the schools. The word “strike” in this hadith is read differently by the jurists — as a limited permission, or as a boundary that is not required to be used. We set out this difference without naming a school because our only sources are the Qur'an and the hadith collections.
Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)Sunan Ibn Majah 1984 (sahih)Sahih al-Bukhari 5997

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6What does the hadith that every child is born upon the fitrah mean?
The Prophet ﷺ said: every child is born upon the fitrah, then it is his parents who make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian — just as an animal gives birth to a perfect offspring; do you find it with any limb cut off?
Two points arise. First, a child is not born with a religious defect that must be corrected by force. Second, and this is the weighty one: the hadith places the direction of a child's life in the hands of the parents. Upbringing in Islam begins by acknowledging that responsibility, not by blaming the school or the phone.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1385Sahih al-Bukhari 1359

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7Who is responsible for raising the children — the mother or the father?
Both, with responsibilities stated separately.
At-Tahrim 66:6 commands: protect yourselves and your families from the Fire. A hadith details it: each of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock — the ruler is a shepherd of his people, a man is a shepherd of his family, a woman is a shepherd of her husband's house and children, and a servant is a shepherd of his master's property. Two posts, one trust. In a polygynous household, the father's responsibility is not divided according to the rotation — see Children in polygyny.
Surah at-Tahrim 66:6Sahih al-Bukhari 2554

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8What should be done when a child is newly born?
The narrations mention three things on the seventh day.
The Prophet ﷺ said: every boy is held in pledge for his ʿaqīqah, so sacrifice for him on the seventh day, shave his head and give him a name. A narration in Sunan at-Tirmidhi states that the Prophet ﷺ commanded that the child be named on the seventh day, that harm be removed from him (his head shaved), and that the ʿaqīqah be offered. As for the number of animals, the narrations mention two goats for a boy and one for a girl. Registering the birth is a matter for the National Registration Department (Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara), and its requirements should be checked with them (to be verified).
Sunan Ibn Majah 3165 (sahih)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 2832 (hasan)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 1516 (sahih)Sunan Abu Dawud 2838 (sahih)

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9Is the ʿaqīqah obligatory or recommended (sunnah)?
The narrations are clear; the status of the ruling is disputed.
Among the wordings we have: every boy is held in pledge for his ʿaqīqah, and in another narration the Prophet ﷺ said two goats for a boy and one for a girl. A narration in Sunan an-Nasa'i records him as saying: whoever wishes to sacrifice for his child, let him do so — wording that some read as optional, not obligatory. From these two sets of wording, one view holds it obligatory and another holds it recommended. We do not name a school for either view because we do not hold works of fiqh here.
Difference among the schools. The wording “held in pledge for his ʿaqīqah” is read as an obligation by some jurists, while the wording “whoever wishes to sacrifice” is read as recommended by others. This difference is set out without naming a school.
Sunan an-Nasa'i 4212 (sahih)Sunan Ibn Majah 3165 (sahih)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 1516 (sahih)

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10How long is the breastfeeding period, and who bears its cost?
Al-Baqarah 2:233 answers both in a single verse.
The verse says that mothers shall breastfeed their children for two full years, for whoever wishes to complete the nursing; and upon the father is their provision and clothing in a fair manner. It adds: no mother shall be harmed on account of her child, nor any father; and if both wish to wean by mutual consent and consultation, there is no blame on them. Luqman 31:14 also mentions a nursing period of two years. Note the word “consultation” — breastfeeding is a joint decision, not one party's order.
Surah al-Baqarah 2:233Surah Luqman 31:14

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11Must a father be fair when giving gifts to his children?
The hadith is pointed.
An-Nu‘man bin Bashir was brought by his father to the Prophet ﷺ; his father said he had given this son of his a slave. He asked: have you given all your children the same? He answered no. He ﷺ said: take back your gift. In a polygynous household this hadith applies across different mothers — a child of the second wife is not a different category. The division of property after death has its own place under faraid; this one concerns gifts made during one's lifetime.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2586

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12Our child is grown but refuses to pray. What should the parents do?
The texts give two instructions that must be read together.
Taha 20:132 commands: enjoin prayer upon your family, and be patient in it — the patience is part of the command, not an extra. The hadith sets the age of seven to begin teaching, so where that has been missed one must start from where the child is now, not from where he ought to be. What usually works: consistent, wholehearted congregational prayer at home, because children read actions before advice. What usually fails: turning prayer into a daily battlefield.
Surah Taha 20:132Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)

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13When and how should children be taught about ʿawrah and the limits of mixing?
Earlier than people think, and in stages.
The hadith that commands prayer at seven also says separate their beds at ten — so physical boundaries are taught inside one's own home before they are taught outside. An-Nur 24:30–31 commands believing men and women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, and verse 31 details who may see a woman's adornment — the list of mahram. Teach the correct names of body parts, teach the right to refuse touch, and teach the mahram list as ordinary knowledge. See ʿAwrah & limits and Mahram.
Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)Surah an-Nur 24:30-31

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14How far should parents control their children's phones and social media?
That control is part of the trust of guardianship, not an invasion of privacy.
At-Tahrim 66:6 commands protecting one's family, and the hadith states that each of you is a shepherd and responsible for those in his care. At the same time, al-Hujurat 49:12 forbids spying on the faults of others — a verse that teaches us to distinguish open guardianship from hidden spying. A practice consistent with both: rules stated plainly from the start, devices kept in shared spaces, and conversation about what has been seen. See Digital & the family.
Surah at-Tahrim 66:6Sahih al-Bukhari 2554Surah al-Hujurat 49:12

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15May young children be brought to the mosque even if we worry they will disturb those praying?
The example of the Prophet ﷺ gives two quite clear reports.
First: he prayed while carrying Umamah, his granddaughter, the daughter of Zainab — when he prostrated he put her down, and when he stood he picked her up again. Second: he said that sometimes he intended to lengthen the prayer, but on hearing a child crying he shortened it, because he knew the crying distressed the mother. So children in the mosque are not a problem to be removed — they are a situation to be managed, and the allowance comes from the imam, not from the mother.
Sahih al-Bukhari 516Sahih al-Bukhari 710

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16How should children in a polygynous family be raised so that they do not split into factions?
By deciding that justice must be visible in the children's eyes, not only in the father's reckoning.
An-Nahl 16:90 commands justice and excellence (iḥsān). The hadith of an-Nu‘man bin Bashir shows that unequal gifts were ordered to be taken back — and in a polygynous household, comparing gifts and attention between homes is the first thing children keep count of. Three practical points: never make a child the messenger between homes; never disparage a child's mother in front of him; and do things that bring all the children together, not only house by house. See Children in polygyny.
Surah an-Nahl 16:90Sahih al-Bukhari 2586

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17How do we teach children to respect their parents without frightening them?
Al-Isra’ 17:23–24 gives the substance: do not say to your parents a word of contempt, do not rebuke them, speak to them a noble word, and lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy — then the prayer: My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small.
Notice the end of that verse. It links a child's respect to the treatment they received when small. The hadith sets the order of priority: the mother is mentioned three times, then the father. Luqman 31:14 links gratitude to Allah with gratitude to parents. The way to teach it: show how you treat your own parents.
Surah al-Isra' 17:23-24Sahih al-Bukhari 5971Surah Luqman 31:14

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18Is there an example of an upbringing (tarbiyah) curriculum in the Qur'an that we can follow?
There is — Luqman's counsel to his son, and its order deserves attention.
Luqman 31:13: do not associate partners with Allah, for shirk is a great wrong — creed first. 31:17: establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient with whatever befalls you — worship and social responsibility. 31:18: do not turn your cheek away from people in arrogance and do not walk the earth exultantly. 31:19: be moderate in your pace and lower your voice. Look at the sequence: creed, worship, character, then personal manners. Most homes start from the end.
Surah Luqman 31:13Surah Luqman 31:17Surah Luqman 31:18Surah Luqman 31:19

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19Should daughters and sons be educated the same way?
In the fundamentals — religion, character and knowledge — there is no basis for distinguishing between them.
The hadith of the fiṭrah says every child is born upon the fiṭrah, without distinguishing by sex. The hadith of an-Nu‘man bin Bashir on fairness in gifts does not distinguish either. Two things that are often mixed up must be separated: certain differences in rulings that do exist in the Shariah — for example the faraid shares discussed in Children, inheritance & global — and cultural practices that reduce the education of or attention given to daughters, which have no basis in the texts.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1385Sahih al-Bukhari 2586

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20Until when must a father pay for his child's education?
In the Shariah, a child's maintenance includes education and continues for as long as the child is not yet able to stand on his own.
Under Malaysian law, Act 303 s.72 places on a man the duty to maintain his child — accommodation, clothing, food, medical attention and education — as is reasonable having regard to his means and station in life, whether the child is in his custody or in the custody of another person. S.79 provides that an order for child maintenance ends when the child reaches the age of eighteen, but the court may extend it on application so that the child can pursue further or higher education or training. The copy of Act 303 we consulted is in English; the Malay rendering on the BM page is our own translation, not an official text. Each state has its own Islamic family law enactment, so the section numbers and provisions may differ from Act 303 (Federal Territories). See Child maintenance.
Act 303, s.72Act 303, s.79State Islamic Family Law Enactment

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21How do we teach children to manage money and give in charity?
Begin with the order stated in the hadith.
The Prophet ﷺ said: the best charity is that given by one who has means to spare, and begin with those you are responsible for. He also said the upper hand is better than the lower hand — the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives. Al-Furqan 25:67 praises those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly. In practice: give the child money he manages himself, in three jars — spend, save, give — and let him hand over the charity with his own hand.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1426Sahih al-Bukhari 1429Surah al-Furqan 25:67

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22When should a child start learning to read the Qur'an?
The texts do not state a particular age for reading the Qur'an, and we will not set one.
What is stated is the age of seven for prayer, and prayer requires recitation. At-Tahrim 66:6 places the responsibility of protecting the family, and Taha 20:132 commands enjoining prayer on one's family and being patient in it. In practice, most families in Malaysia begin introducing the letters earlier than seven and coordinate it with Qur'an classes at the mosque or religious school; requirements and entry ages depend on each organiser (to be verified). See Raising a family.
Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)Surah Taha 20:132Surah at-Tahrim 66:6

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23Our teenager has started befriending non-mahram. How should we handle it?
By teaching boundaries, not by instilling guilt.
An-Nur 24:30 commands believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts, that is purer for them; verse 31 gives the matching instruction to believing women and details the list of mahram. Notice that the verse directs each person to himself, not to watching others — that is the most useful lesson for a teenager. The hadith also sets the separation of children's beds at ten, showing that boundaries are taught before they are needed outside the home. See ʿAwrah & limits and Managing impulses.
Surah an-Nur 24:30Surah an-Nur 24:31Sunan Abu Dawud 495 (sahih)

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