Is the Story of the Prophet's Child Being Entrusted to Halimatus Sa'diyah a Justification for Daycare?

The proliferation of violence cases in child daycare centres has once again drawn public attention. The alleged abuse case at Daycare Little Aresha in Yogyakarta, which went viral after photos of a bound infant circulated, serves as an alarm for parents to be more selective in choosing childcare facilities.

In response to this phenomenon, KH Ahmad Muhamad Mustain Nasoha, Chairman of the Fatwa Council of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) in Surakarta, explained that Islam provides an ideal model of child-rearing through the domestic life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

“In the practice of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) household life, child-rearing occurred in a direct pattern, full of involvement, and family-based, not through modern mass daycare systems,” said Gus Mustain, his familiar nickname, to Republika on Tuesday (28/4/2026).

In various narrations of the Prophet’s biography and hadiths, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was known to be very close to children. He often carried, kissed, played with them, and even shortened prayers upon hearing a baby’s cry. According to Gus Mustain, this demonstrates that emotional closeness and direct parental involvement are the core of child-rearing in Islam.

He recounted that the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or the Mothers of the Believers, carried out child-rearing in a strong family environment, both socially and spiritually. Children, whether biological, relatives’, or those around the Prophet’s home, were raised within the family and closest community circle.

In the treasure trove of fiqh, the concept of hadhanah or child custody places the mother as the primary party. “In fiqh texts such as Kitab Tuhfatul Mughtaj and Kitab Hasyiyah Ibnu Abidin, it is emphasised that hadhanah (child-rearing) is principally with the mother and closest family, as they are most capable of providing the affection and attention children need,” said Kiai Mustain.

He added that there is no narration found of the Prophet’s wives entrusting children to a service-based system like modern daycares. Nevertheless, Islam does not preclude the possibility of child-rearing assistance from others if necessary.