Child abuse in Quranic schools
[16] Moreover, the prevalence of child abuse in madrasas can be influenced by broader societal factors, such as poverty, parental education levels, and community norms.
[20] This cultural acceptance of harsh disciplinary measures can create an environment where abuse is overlooked or justified, further complicating efforts to address maltreatment in these institutions.
A survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and UNICEF found that over 80% of children aged 1–14 experienced violent punishment, with madrasa students particularly affected.
However, concerns were raised about the lack of implementation of policies, ritual killings, harmful practices against girls, and insufficient resources for child protection.
During her visit, she found that many children suffer from various forms of abuse, including infanticide, female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and sexual exploitation.
The Syariah Penal Code 2013 includes provisions that allow acts "done in good faith for the benefit of a person who is not baligh [attained puberty] by guardians or others having lawful charge of the child".
A 2010 article highlighted that student beating is endemic across Egypt's educational system, with instances of severe punishment leading to serious injuries and even fatalities.
[27] In Marseille, a Quranic school faced allegations of child abuse when several students reported instances of physical punishment and neglect.
The teacher was accused of administering severe corporal punishment under the guise of discipline, leading to significant physical and psychological harm to the children involved.
[citation needed] In November 2024, the headmaster of Pondok Pesantren Sri Muslim Mardhatillah in Jambi city was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing at least 12 students over two years.
[29] An Egyptian Islamic education teacher in Kuwait was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting six children, causing widespread outrage on social media.
[30][31] In September 2024, Malaysian authorities arrested Nasiruddin Mohd Ali, CEO of Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings, along with other senior managers, amid allegations of operating charity homes where children were sexually abused.
[32] In a related incident, the imam of a surau (Muslim prayer hall) in Bukit Beruntung, Malaysia, expressed shock upon learning about the abuse allegations linked to GISB.
About 50.9% of the surveyed children reported being physically abused by their marabout, often due to not bringing in enough money from begging or failing to learn their lessons properly.
[34] A recent Royal Commission of Inquiry revealed that approximately 200,000 children, young people, and vulnerable adults experienced abuse in state and faith-based care between 1950 and 2019.
[36] Critics say that the almajiri system promotes poverty and neglects, abuses, and exploits young boys, who wear tattered clothing, beg for food on the streets, and work for free.
[36] The almajiri system is often attacked for promoting youth delinquency and violence and for providing street gangs and Boko Haram with an ample supply of vulnerable young recruits.
[44] In 2021, a high-profile case in Lahore highlighted ongoing issues, where a madrassa student accused a prominent religious leader of sexual abuse.
[45][46] Investigations and police reports have uncovered allegations of sexual harassment, rape, and physical abuse by Islamic clerics teaching at madrassas.
A systematic literature review identified 15 studies conducted between 1998 and 2016, revealing that physical abuse of children is more widespread and severe in the Kingdom than previously acknowledged.
[50] Over time, the marabouts started to stay in the cities…Why return to the village, where they had to work the land for long hours, when [in the city] a child comes daily with money, sugar, and rice?
In 2015, the director of the Safe Child organisation, Siddiqa Kubaida, alleged that two children were raped in two khalawi in Khartoum North and Shambat, by two sheikhs.
[72] In 2016, in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Sheikh Fadlallah Muhammad Zain, one of the graduates of the khalwa system, acknowledged that flogging is the most widespread punishment for kids who do not memorise their daily course from the Qur'an.
[74][75] The BBC Arabic investigation, revealed that children, under the age of five, were subjected to systematic abuse, including being chained, whipped, shackled, forced to sleep naked on extremely hot iron surfaces, and confinement in dark rooms, with deprivation of food and drink, and sexual assault.
The journalistic investigation indicated that families of victims are generally afraid to report incidents of sexual and physical abuse, as most sheikhs are well respected and feared in the community.
[82] In January 2019, Tunisian authorities raided an unlicensed Quranic school in Regueb, central Tunisia, uncovering severe child abuse and exploitation.
Investigations revealed that nine students had been sexually abused, and the school operated without official oversight, raising concerns about child protection and the proliferation of unregulated religious institutions in Tunisia.
[87] A BBC investigation uncovered over 400 allegations of physical abuse in madrassas over a three-year period, suggesting that these cases may represent just a fraction of the actual incidents,[88] which can be in thousands.
A cross-sectional study conducted in Aden governorate revealed that physical abuse is prevalent in basic-education schools, including Quranic institutions.
