Treating Non-Muslim Students Fairly: An Islamic Perspective

Maintaining Justice and Equality in the Classroom: A Guide for Teachers

Question: I am a schoolteacher, and I am also in charge of a class that has a Christian girl who has been absent for about three weeks in the past month. In my class, the rule is that students who take leave are fined and punished. The real question here is how to treat this girl in a way that she doesn’t feel she is being mistreated due to her non-Muslim status?

Answer: The school system should be applied equally to everyone, regardless of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim. Justice should be maintained without any discrimination. However, two points need to be considered here:

1. Charging a financial fine for absences is not permissible in Islamic law, so this practice should be abolished.

2. When punishing children, avoid any harsh or degrading punishment. The warning should be such that it does not cause harm or make the child feel humiliated to the extent that they might abandon their education in the future.

Aside from these two points, all school rules and regulations should be applied equally to everyone, as this is what Islam teaches.

Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah 

Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia  

Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail