وَعَنْهُ مَا قَالَ:رفع القلم عن الصبي حتى يبلغ والنائم حتى يستيقظ وعن المجنون حتى يفيق
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The pen has been lifted from the child until he reaches puberty, from the sleeper until he awakens, and from the insane person until he regains his sanity.”
Research and Takhrij: This hadith is sahih (authentic). It is narrated from Hadrat Aisha and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) and from many other Companions. Musnad Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: 144, 100/6; Abu Dawud 4398; Nasai: 156/6; Ibn Majah: 2041; Ibn Hibban: 1494; Mustadrak al-Hakim: 2/59. Al-Hakim declared it sahih according to the conditions of Muslim, and Allama al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Abu Dawud: 4399, 4403; Ibn Hibban 1497; Mustadrak al-Hakim 389, 388/4.
Benefits:
➊ There are three people in Islam who are free from responsibility; the Arsh pen does not bow to write their names when they come up.
① The minor child.
② The sleeping person, until he awakens.
③ The insane person, until he becomes sound.
➋ Every boy and girl is born innocent. Until they reach puberty, their movements and actions are not recorded, and none of the laws of Islam apply to them until puberty. However, to train them or to make them accustomed to manners and obligations, some firmness may be used with them, such as fully instilling in children the habits of wudu, salah, ghusl, fasting, good conduct, and showing respect and honour. But in the Shariah, if children do not perform any action, they are not sinners.
➌ A person in deep sleep is like a dead person; sleep is the sister of death. The difference between a dead person and a sleeper is that the dead person is without breath, while the sleeper has breath. Otherwise the condition is the same. Whatever a person does in the state of sleep, he is not held accountable for it. Whether he insults someone or slaps someone while asleep, or kills someone in a dream, the sleeper cannot be given a hadd or punishment for any of these wrongs. It is necessary to keep sharp implements out of reach before sleeping. It often happens that women, while doing embroidery or sewing work, fall asleep on the bed without putting away the needle or crochet hook, and it becomes lodged in the body in a dangerous way. A person who sleeps during the times of prayer is not a sinner; he will be responsible for performing the prayer when he awakens.
➍ Islam holds responsible the person who is a sane, adult Muslim and has the ability to perform the obligations of Islam. A person who is insane, unconscious, or lacks the awareness to understand and adopt the religious matters is free; none of his actions are subject to account, and Islam has lifted punishment and reward from such a person. Under this same heading come epileptic seizures, unconsciousness during illness, and unconsciousness during surgery, because in these conditions a person is unaware of himself. However, if an insane person regains sanity in religious terms, or if someone recovers from temporary unconsciousness, then the obligations of Islam begin. All obligations that were missed in a state of incapacity do not need to be made up. Whoever remained insane or mentally incapacitated for a long time, and afterwards became sound through surgery or by divine decree, has no obligation to make up fasts, prayers, or the like. Whoever was temporarily unconscious for less than three days must make up the prayers and fasts missed during that time; making up applies only to the obligatory prayers, not to the sunnah and optional prayers.
