KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Popular Islamic scholar Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin has refuted claims that caning children is an integral part of educating in Islam, claiming that the religion strongly advocates that parents be merciful instead when teaching their young.

The former Perlis mufti also said that it is against Islamic teachings for parents to hit their children without real reason or if they are in an impossible situation, as well as when such action causes their offspring permanent harm or serious pain.

“When educating or raising children, the responsibility of parents is to do it with compassion and mercy,” Mohd Asri wrote on his Facebook page.

“There are no Islamic scriptures that encourage us to hit children. Furthermore, it is unfair to hit children who are not yet mumayyiz,” he added, using the Arabic word for those who are able to distinguish good from bad.

Mohd Asri clarified that the hadith, or sayings of the Prophet, stipulate that Muslims must teach their children to pray from the moment they are seven-years-old, and can only hit them after they turn ten and still do not practice it.

“If we hit him when he is ten, only then he will understand that the punishment was of care and love. The strokes do not harm or cause serious pain,” the scholar claimed.

“To arrive at the stage of caning requires a long process, however, even when it involves prayers, which is a fundamental issue in a Muslim’s way of life. So, when a father easily hits his kids, he is not a good father and has disobeyed religious teachings.”

Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim urged Muslim lawmakers today to reject attempts to criminalise caning, claiming that it is an effective method to educate the young as prescribed by Islam.

On Saturday, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said caning could be an offence under a new law to replace the Child Act 2001.

She later clarified that the provision proposed by the ministry under the new Child Act is not meant to outlaw all forms of caning of children.