What is the ruling on spanking children with a leather belt? I thought I read about hanging a strap in the home for the admonishion of the family. I want to know when I should spank my children or what to do when they commit sins or when they talk back to mom, or when they fight or get into trouble at school. And how to spank them when they are 10 years-old and don't pray.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, you should know that educating one's children is one of the most important and delicate matters. So, the parents and those involved in education should conduct it with patience, good insight, wisdom, and tolerance, and it shoud be done in a gentle manner.

‘Aa'ishah narrated that the Prophet said: "Whenever tolerance is added to something it beautifies it, and whenever it is withdrawn from something, it leaves it defective."[Muslim[

Using advice and guidance often gets better results than using other methods.

As regards physical punishment, it is not absolutely prohibited nor is it absolutely permissible.

In fact, the educator might, at some point, need to use physical punishment when other methods are fruitless.

However, there are some Islamic conditions that should be met in beating (physical punishment), among which is that it should be intended to educate and not to avenge, and it should not be abusive or causing the breaking of a bone.

Beating children was mentioned in a Hadeeth. 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar narrated that the Prophet said: "Order your children to pray at the age of seven and beat them (if they neglect it) at the age of ten." [Abu Daawood]

Allaah Knows best.