Justice Among Children and the Ruling on Depriving a Disobedient Son
✒ Fatwa by the Saudi Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings
◈ Preferring One Child Over Another Due to Obedience
It is not permissible for parents to prefer one child over another in gifts or financial favor, even if one is obedient and another is disobedient.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Fear Allah and be just among your children.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 2587, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1622/18]
◈ Consequences of Unequal Treatment
Favoring one child over others:
❌ Leads to envy, hatred, resentment, and severance of ties among siblings.
❌ Contradicts the objectives of Shari‘ah, which aim to foster love, harmony, and strong family relations.
◈ Dealing with Disobedient Children
Parents should:
✔ Use wise and Shari‘ah-compliant methods to rectify disobedient children.
✔ Avoid disciplinary measures that may cause long-term harm to family unity in this life or the next.
✔ Make frequent duʿāʼ for the child’s steadfastness and guidance.
🖋 Reference:
Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings – Fatwa No. 20321
