What is the grade of this Hadith from Tirmidhi:
Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Teach/Command a child to recite Salah when he/she is seven years old and beat him for it [i.e. if he intentionally does not pray] when he is ten.”
Answer
This Hadith has been recorded with a few chains in many Hadith books. Among them, Sunan Tirmidhi and Sunan Abi Dawud. Imam Tirmidhi has declared the Hadith sound (-hasan- Some editions of Tirmidhi have the words hasanun sahih). Imam Ibn Khuzaymah and Imam Hakim (rahimahumullah) have declared the Hadith authentic and Hafiz Dhahabi concurs.
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 407, Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 495-496, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, Hadith: 1002 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1 pg. 258)
‘Hitting’ or ‘beating’ in this Hadith refers to hitting without causing any harm/injury to the child as well as avoiding the face.
(Sharh ibn Raslan, Hadith: 494, Tuhfatul Ahwadhi, Hadith: 407)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar