Is it permissible to use things that belong to small children?

Faizan-e-Mustafa · 1 ستمبر 2008

Is it permissible to use things that belong to small children?

If children are given anything such as sweets, fruit etc. to eat, then their parents can only eat them if it is clear (judging by the circumstances) that they were not meant specifically for the child, and that in fact they were meant to be given to the parents (sometimes, when offering a gift of sweets, fruit etc, people hesitate to tell the parents that it is for them, so instead they say it is for the children). However, if it is evident that they were for the children in particular, then the parents will not be allowed to eat them.

Let’s say for instance, that whilst you are eating, a child approaches you, so you give him something of what you are eating; now in this case, the child’s parents will not be allowed to eat what you have given to him, because it is clear that the food was not meant for the parents. If a small child is given anything other than food, then the parents are not allowed to use it unnecessarily. (dur-e-mukhtaar, V8, P500-501)

An important rule about children’s gifts

A father is not allowed to give to someone anything that is owned by his small children, even if he is given a sum of money in exchange for it. In fact, even the child himself cannot give anything that he owns to anybody else, if he does, it will have to be returned. Such offerings are not allowed.

(dur-e-mukhtaar, V8, P502 – Bahr)

The same rule applies to charity in the name of Allah عَزَّوَجَل (sadaqah); a small child is not allowed to donate his wealth, neither can his father donate his wealth. People often take things from small children and use them, because they were given by the children themselves (but this is not allowed). Sometimes people ask small children (not their own) to fetch them water to drink or to perform wudhu. This is also prohibited.