In the name of Allah,

The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful

Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, the seal of Prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Resolution No. 246 (8/25)

A Sharia Approach to the Phenomenon of Street Children, Child Beggars, and Children in Hard Labor

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, holding its 25th session in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 29 Rajab – 3 Shaaban 1444H (20-23 February 2023),

Having examined the research papers submitted to the Academy concerning the Sharia Approach to the Phenomenon of Street Children, Child Beggars, and Children in Hard Labor,

Having considered resolution no. 113 (7/12) on the Rights of Children and Elders, and the necessity to enforce paragraph I in all its clauses (I-X), given its relevance to this subject,

Having listened to the discussions of the Academy’s members and experts,

Resolves

First: Street children refer to children under the age of puberty who use the streets and other similar locations as a place of residence or a source of income, whether with or without the knowledge of their parents or guardians.

Child beggars refer to children under the age of puberty who are forced to beg unfairly in order to obtain money, food, or drinks for themselves or others, whether or not under the order and supervision of their parents or guardians.

Children in hard labor refers to children under the age of puberty who are forced to perform arduous work that jeopardizes their lives, health, and education and puts their future in peril, whether or not under the order and supervision of their parents or guardians.

Second: It is not permissible to allow children to take the streets, and similar places, as a permanent or temporary residence or as a source of income, nor to employ them for begging on public streets, in homes, offices, or other places, nor to employ them in heavy work, as in mines, factories, farms, and homes.

It is not permissible to use poverty, destitution, or necessity as a pretext for any of the above as this is a violation of Sharia texts that safeguard the rights of children to life, upbringing, education, and health; and also due to the disastrous consequences, which endanger their lives, deprive them of their rights, and make them vulnerable to criminal gangs and drug abuse.

Recommendations

1- Calling on governments to protect children against abuse, injustice, cruelty, and exploitation by enacting and applying laws and regulations that criminalize child labor.

2- Calling on scholars, preachers, and imams, to educate all segments of society about the Sharia prohibition on exploiting children in public spaces, whether for livelihood or begging, or for employing them in hard labor.

• Calling on countries, that have not yet officially banned child labor, to implement laws and regulations that protect children and prevent inflicting injustice or transgressions against them.
• Strengthening the role of the family and encouraging parents to care for their children, and to embrace noble values and good morals in their behavior with children.
• Urging the Muslim world’s various types of media to carry out their duty in spreading comprehensive awareness of the dangers of these issues, namely street children, child beggars, and children in hard labor, and to coordinate efforts in mitigating and eradicating their causes.

Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing.