Question 2041: If a person's mother or sister behaves unchastely, can we resort to striking, beating, or harming her for the purpose of discipline?

14 29 May 2026
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Answer

✅ Answer: Consider the following hadiths:

1 عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ فِی حَدِیثِ شَرَائِعِ الدِّینِ قَالَ: وَ الْأَمْرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْیُ عَنِ الْمُنْکَرِ وَاجِبَانِ عَلَی مَنْ أَمْکَنَهُ ذَلِکَ وَ لَمْ یَخَفْ عَلَی نَفْسِهِ وَ لَا عَلَی أَصْحَابِهِ.

📚 Al-Khisal, P. 609

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said in a hadith: Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is obligatory upon whoever has the capability for it and does not fear for their own life or the lives of their companions!

2 عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِیمَ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِیِّ عَنِ السَّکُونِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَنْ نَلْقَی أَهْلَ الْمَعَاصِی بِوُجُوهٍ مُکْفَهِرَّةٍ.

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 5, P. 58

Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) commanded us to confront the people of sin with a frowning and angry face!

3 عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أُمِّی لَا تَدْفَعُ یَدَ لَامِسٍ فَقَالَ فَاحْبِسْهَا قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ قَالَ فَامْنَعْ مَنْ یَدْخُلُ عَلَیْهَا قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ قَالَ قَیِّدْهَا فَإِنَّکَ لَا تَبَرُّهَا بِشَیْءٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ أَنْ تَمْنَعَهَا مِنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

📚 Al-Faqih, Vol. 4, P. 72

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: A man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) and said: 'Indeed, my mother does not refuse the hand of any toucher!' So the Prophet said: 'Confine her (do not allow her to leave the house)!'

The man said: 'I did that (but it did not work)!'

The Prophet said: 'Prevent people from entering upon her!'

He said: 'I did that! (But it had no effect)!'

The Prophet said: 'Then restrain her! For you cannot do her any better kindness or good than preventing her from Allah's prohibitions!'

(Meaning, the best kindness and good toward her is to restrain her from Allah's prohibitions)!

✅ According to the above hadiths and others, if someone's mother or sister has—God forbid—become a person of vice, one of the clearest duties regarding her is forbidding evil, which must be carried out in her case according to its boundaries and conditions.

In addition, by preventing her from leaving the house, preventing non-mahram men from entering upon her, and even by tying or restraining her if necessary, one can stop her from committing this sin.

✅ However, physical confrontation, striking, beating, and causing harm to her body require explicit scriptural authorization, and one cannot resort to these actions without religious permission.

✅ Clearly, the best kindness to her is to try to prevent her from committing this divine prohibition by using methods that have specific or general permission.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر

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