Does Giving Money to Children Help Develop Responsibility?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti
Question
Does giving money to young children help them develop responsibility, or does it have the opposite effect?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
Stages of Development
In raising our children, it is important to distinguish between three stages of their development:
- Before the age of discernment (tamyiz);
- From the age of discernment to around ten years old;
- From ten years old until puberty and beyond.
This approach is derived from the hadith of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):
“Command your children to pray when they are seven years old, and discipline them for it when they are ten, and separate them in their beds.” [Abu Dawud]
In the pre-discernment stage, children should not be given money. Instead, they can be rewarded with age-appropriate toys or gifts. This is to prevent them from developing an attachment to money for its own sake.
In the post-discernment stage, until around ten years old, there is no harm in giving children small amounts of money to teach them how to manage it and spend it wisely.
In the final stage, from ten years old until puberty and beyond, it becomes essential—educationally—to give them money, monitor how they use it, and guide them in managing it. This process helps strengthen their character and ability to take on responsibilities later in life.
Testing the Ability
Allah (Most High) says:
“Test (the competence of) the orphans until they reach a marriageable age. Then, if you feel they are capable of sound judgment, return their wealth to them.” [Quran, 4:6]
This verse clearly indicates that orphans (children who have not yet reached puberty) must be tested in their ability to manage wealth. This testing comes after proper training and education in managing and spending money responsibly. Once they reach maturity and demonstrate sound judgment—meaning they can manage their finances well—only then should they be entrusted with their wealth. This principle also applies to all children.
Therefore, there is no harm in giving children small amounts of money after the age of discernment to help them practice saving and managing money. Gradually increasing their financial responsibility helps prepare them for adulthood and life’s responsibilities. May Allah grant us success.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti
Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti is a Syrian scholar born in Aleppo in 1977. He obtained his degree in Shari‘a from the Shari‘a Faculty of Damascus University, a Diploma in Educational Qualification from the Faculty of Education at Aleppo University, and a Diploma in Shari‘a and a Master’s in Shari‘a from the Faculty of Sharia, and Law at Omdurman University in Sudan. He is currently writing his doctoral thesis.
He studied under esteemed scholars such as Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani, and Shaykh Dr. Nur al-Din Itr, among others. Shaykh al-Yakti has worked in teaching and cultural guidance in orphanages and high schools in Aleppo. He served as an Imam, Khatib, and reciter at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and as a certified trainer for Khatibs in Abu Dhabi’s Khatib Qualification Program.
He is involved in developing and teaching a youth education program at Seekers Arabic for Islamic Sciences.
Among Shaykh al-Yaqti’s significant works are “Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni: Bayna Ilm al-Kalam Wa Usul al-Fiqh” and the program “The Messenger of Allah Among Us (Allah bless him and give him peace).”
