Fatwa ID: 07611
Answered by: Maulana Yusuf Khan
Question:
I have a younger brother whose age, according to the Hijri calendar, is 13 years, 7 months, and 27 days. My mother was asking my younger brother to go for the Isha prayer. When I came out of the room, my younger brother said something like, “Kya dimaag kharab kar rahe ho” (this statement is in Hindi This statement could not be translated into English. Because when I translate it, it gets translated into question form which it is not, this statement is said in India,
This sentence is said in anger when someone is repeatedly told something to someone) to my mother. The next day, I asked my younger brother whether he said this statement (Kya dimaag kharab kar rahe ho) when my mother asked him to go for the prayer or when she asked him to bring something from the shop after coming back from the mosque. He said that he said it when my mother asked him to do some work. When I asked my mother whether she had asked him to bring something? She said yes. However, I did not ask my mother whether my younger brother said this when she asked him to bring something or when she asked him to go for the prayer. I still doubt whether my younger brother is lying about not saying it when he was asked to go for the prayer.
My questions are:
- If someone says “Kya dimaag kharab kar rahe ho” when invited to pray, is it considered Kufr (disbelief)? And if my brother said this in such a context, would it be considered Kufr, considering he is still a minor, with his birth date being 16-3-2011?
- If a minor says a statement of disbelief, would it be considered Kufr for him, while he is sensible.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The phrase “Kya dimaag kharab kar rahe ho,” which expresses frustration or annoyance, is not inherently a statement of disbelief (Kufr). It generally reflects a momentary reaction to being asked to do something, rather than a denial of faith or rejection of religious obligations. Therefore, if your brother said this phrase in response to being asked to pray, it would typically not be considered Kufr.[1]
A minor is not held accountable for their actions in the same way as an adult. A person reaches religious maturity (baligh) at puberty, and prior to this, they are not considered legally responsible for actions or statements in the context of sin or disbelief. Thus, even if a minor, who is sensible and understands right from wrong, makes a statement that could be interpreted as disbelief, it would generally not be considered Kufr because they are not yet considered fully accountable for their actions.[2]
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Yusuf Khan
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] Maa’riful Qura’an – Surah Taghabun – Verse 2
[2] Zaadul Ma’aad – V.5 P.255
من اعتقد الكفر بقلبه أو شك فهذا كافر لزوال الإيمان الذي هو عقد القلب
