On 18th December 2013, a married couple originating from Malaysia, Azizul Raheem and his wife Shalwati Norshal, were arrested by Swedish police on suspicion for beating their children due to not praying. Azizul Raheem, director of Tourism Malaysia in Sweden, has been remanded for two months while waiting for the trial of this case. Due to the married couple's arrest, their four children were taken by Sweden Welfare Organisation and then guarded by a pair of non-Muslim citizens in Stockholm, Sweden while waiting for their parents' trial to end.

However, the eldest daughter of the couple expressed her feelings on the social network, facebook and stated that they were frequently scolded by their adopted family in Sweden. Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainudin also confirmed the arrest and stated his commitment and determination to fully support them including the provision of legal aid and case management aspects. After a few negotiations, the children were finally handed to Malaysian citizens and they were then taken back to Malaysia.

Sweden is the first country in the world to introduce legislation on child protection in banning caning punishment on children as one of the implementation of child protection and is often known as the anti-spanking law. Any form of physical punishment is completely banned even in the means to discipline the child. This law was implemented in 1979. The implementation of this law is said to have placed Sweden as one of the best countries in the world in terms of its ruling because of its success in reducing crime statistics due to the implementation of a certain punishment system. However, the impact on the community began to arise when parents became afraid of their children. Children control the situation at home and are free to behave as they favour.

They are also becoming more stubborn. The reality is it is difficult for parents to discipline their own children. In fact, parents are also afraid that any of their actions towards their children will be reported to the authorities. This phenomenon that has occurred is confirmed by psychologist David who stated that the young generation of Swedish now misbehave, in other words, are uncivilized.

This case has been manipulated by the West to condemn Islam. The West propagandize by saying that Islam is proven to be a terrorist for allowing to hit children in order for them to pray. Their purpose is to keep people distanced from the real Islamic system. In addition, there are also local Swedish blog comments from the liberal faction who have labeled the pair as Taliban and child abusers. What is worse, the author of this blog even questioned the need to force children to pray when there is no coercion in Islam. Statements such as this are just propaganda catapulted by the West in the war of ideas against the Islamic world. Muslims who remain confused with the right of parents to spank a child for the purpose of providing a lesson and disciplining are easily influenced by propaganda as stated above. In fact, even non-Muslims will view this as something cruel if they do not understand clearly the actual realities of educating Muslim children in Islam. Therefore, we should always be careful and aware that the West has always been around us for further distortion upon the teachings of Islam to deflect people from the true path of morality (the Aqeedah).

Educating a child starts from the family and home is the first school for children. Providing the best education for their children is the parents' responsibility. The Prophet (saw) said:

«كُلُّ مَوْلُودٍ يُولَدُ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ فَأَبَوَاهُ يُهَوِّدَانِهِ أَوْ يُنَصِّرَانِهِ أَوْ يُمَجِّسَانِهِ»

"Every child is born in a state of fitrah, pure and untainted. It is the parent who will groom the child to be either a Jew, or Christian or a non-believer." (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

«مَا نَحَلَ وَالِدٌ وَلَدًا أَفْضَلَ مِنْ أَدَبٍ حَسَنٍ»

"No wealth of a father for his child is better than courtesy/ the best education." (Narrated by Tirmithi)

Parents are the first teachers of their children and their home is their first school. Mothers play an important role in educating their children with love and care. Educating children or referred as ‘Hadhanah' means guarding, educating, leading and organizing the child's life with full of love until the child is able to organize its own life well. The foundation of childcare is embodied in Surat al-Tahrim: 6, which states:

((يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ))

"O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones."

In this particular verse, parents are advised to protect their family in order to prevent them from tasting hell fire. This must be done by ensuring all the members of the family obey their Lord's orders and leave His prohibitions, which includes their children. Thus, the role of the family to educate their children is vital and should be managed well by both the mother and father as shown in Islam. Parents must also know the appropriate situations which allow them to apply certain punishments towards their children when they violate rules as exemplified by our Holy Prophet (saw). He said,

«مُرُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءُ سَبْع سِنِينَ وَاضْرِبُوهُمْ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءَ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ، وَفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ فِي المَضَاجِعِ»

"Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for not praying when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately." (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)

Apart from that, Islam has also prescribed a guide in beating a child where the limit is 10 times. From Abu Burdah Al-Anshar, he heard Rasulullah (saw) stating,

«لا يُجلد أحدٌ فَوْقَ عَشرةِ أسواطٍ إلا في حَد مِن حُدودِ اللهِ»

"One cannot be hit more than ten times except in the matter of hudud (fixed penalty) from Allah Ta'ala." (Narrated by Bukhari)

It is advisable that spanking the child should not be done in front of others to protect the dignity of the child and others be it his friends or other people. To maintain the relationship of a father with his children, a father's action of spanking his child should only be intended to teach the child to obey Allah and His Messenger. The aim is solely for the child's goodness ultimately and his/her father's concern in educating according to the prescriptions of Islam as well giving a lesson to the child with the provisions Islamic upbringing and just to give lessons. It is strictly forbidden to hit a child in a state of anger. Islam also has light punishments in order to not arouse the child's hatred against Islamic law where if the child leaves an obligation, he will be spanked.

This is the glory and superiority of Islam. Islam always guards and is attentive to every individual in the society. Children should obtain sufficient and quality education with love. If a child's needs are fulfilled perfectly, the child supposedly must obey rules and regulations by their parents and religion. If they violate the rules and they are old enough to be given punishment, Islam has prescribed appropriate punishment for them. Thus, there should be no issue of abuse or violence towards children. Children need to comply with rules and regulations in order to educate them to be righteous and obedient to the teachings of Islam. This is contrary to the anti-spanking law adopted by the government in the West like Sweden. The impact of these laws certainly bring more bad than good.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Sumayyah Ammar
Member of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir