# Are children held accountable in Islam for bullying or hurting others?

*Are children not accountable for harming other children? They are, in their own way*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/48/
- Date: 2021-02-16 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #202| Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (2:38:10–2:39:59)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PntsaR8ck&t=9490s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/

**Topics:** Hudud and punishments; Raising children

**Question as asked:** How is it fair that kids are not held accountable when they cause lifelong harm to other kids, like bullying?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Children are accountable, he says, in a way suited to their age: the laws for them are lighter, but a child who harms another does not get a free pass.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says children are still accountable in their own way, commensurate with being a child, so the laws for them are more relaxed and less stringent than for adults.

**Evidence, his words at 2:38:48:** “they would still be accountable in their own way you understand so naturally the laws pertaining to children would be more relaxed and more less stringent than they would to adults” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PntsaR8ck&t=9528s)

## Longer summary

A super chat asks how it is fair that children are not held accountable when they cause lifelong harm to other children, as in bullying. Mufti Abu Layth says it is cruel, but that children are accountable: saying they are not accountable does not mean they have free rein, and a child who stabbed another would be held to account. He cites Imam Malik's fatwas on the testimony of children (shahadat al-sibyan), which Imam Malik accepted when one child wounded another, and says the accountability is commensurate with being a child, taking into account what happened and what they understood, with laws less stringent than for adults. He agrees that the worst bullying is from children to children and prays that Allah make things easy.

## Sources and names cited

- Imam Malik
- shahadat al-sibyan (testimony of children)

## Transcript (machine tier, 2:38:10–2:39:59)

[2:37:32] you know when we want to corroborate certain evidence cool right uh how is it all right some super chat is praying in a car aloud either because of a particular job or not feeling safe praying in a parking lot you know worst case if you need to pray in a car you know if you're not feeling safe or things like that you can inshallah how is it fear that kids are not held accountable when they cause

[2:38:09] lifelong harm to other kids bullying much love from new zealand experiments has super chatted much love to use take care stay blessed you're doing it man yeah it is cruel and it's not that kids are not accountable they are but you see so when people say kids are not accountable that's not what they mean that they have free reign so if a kid went and stabbed another kid they would be accountable and you have this and imam alex fatawa of uh shahada to sebian is all about this that when

[2:38:48] children give testimony regarding of the children this is why imam malik accepted it because if a child has wounded another child so they are accountable but obviously it's commensurate to the child so you have to take into consideration what's happened you have to take into consideration what they understood what they were doing but there are still laws they would still be accountable in their own way you understand so naturally the laws pertaining to children would be more relaxed and more less stringent than they would to adults but

[2:39:26] there are still laws it doesn't mean that you know if a ten-year-old took a gun and just went around shooting everybody dead it doesn't mean oh it's you know he gets a you know free and gets a free ticket it doesn't work like that and bullying and you're right that the worst bullying is from children to children that is true actually and it is a very sad state of affairs and may allah make things easy for people

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment --PntsaR8ck/s/48. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/48/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.