Petty Mischief of Childhood

Question: Are we responsible for small or insignificant offenses or infringements on property rights that we did as children?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your important question.

No one will be asked by Allah why they did something bad as a child. However, monetary rights still do apply. But even so, if it is so petty, like pulling a rose of a neighbor’s rose bush, or stealing a chocolate bar from someone’s cupboard, you can assume that they have forgiven one.

If you know that they would not forgive such a thing either by the way the culture works or by the way they are as a person, you should go the extra mile and try and pay them back.

All of this should be done within reason.

I pray this helps.

[Ustadh] Farid

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language